OAM, BMus.Ed, MCA, AMusA

Kim Sutherland OAM is the Founding Music Director of Hunter Singers and the Head Teacher of Creative and Performing Arts at Merewether High School. For 30 years Kim has been dedicated to giving students in public schools the opportunity to engage with choral music at the highest level and she is always happy to find out what paths her students take in life. Kim was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2013 for Service to the Arts.

After graduating from Sydney Conservatorium, Kim studied conducting with Myer Fredman and Mats Nilsson and completed her Master of Creative Arts degree at the University of Newcastle. She has taught in a range of public schools, including Canowindra, Irrawang, Maitland Grossmann, Lambton and Merewether. She also conducted Gondwana Novus at Gondwana National Choral School in 2017-2020.

Other engagements include conductor of the Festival Choir for the Newcastle Music Festival in 2017 and 2018, conductor of Newcastle University Choir for Bach’s St John Passion, Faure’s Requiem, Rutter’s Requiem and massed choirs for many events, including the Olympic Torch Relay arrival at Newcastle Foreshore and Secondary Choral Concerts in the Sydney Opera House. Commissioning new works by Australian composers is one of Kim’s passions, and this has resulted in 25 highly original and exciting works by some of Australia’s leading choral composers, including Stephen Leek, Paul Jarman, Matthew Orlovich, Michael Atherton, Dan Walker, Wendy Ireland and Sally Whitwell.

BMus, MTeach(Dist)

Charissa Ferguson is the conductor of Hunter Trebles and a music teacher at Merewether High School. While studying her Bachelor of Music degree in percussion, Charissa sang with the University of Newcastle Chamber Choir, touring to England and France, and regularly plays percussion for local productions, including Mamma Mia at Newcastle Civic Theatre.

Charissa has conducted local bands, orchestras and choirs, including the Hunter Wind Ensemble, Merewether High School Concert Band, the Newcastle Youth Orchestra and the Star Struck Massed Choir. Charissa has also appeared as a guest conductor for The Arts Unit at the Primary Proms and the State Schools Spectacular. She has conducted Hunter Trebles since 2013 and toured with Hunter Singers to China, Europe and Canada, along with national tours to Melbourne, Brisbane and Central Australia.

BMus(Hons), GradDipEd, LMusA(P), AMusA(P), AMusA(C)

Since 2012, Erin has accompanied the Hunter Singers, touring with them to the USA, China, UK and Canada. She has also accompanied the choir during national tours to Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Central Australia. Erin has performed with the choir for a Classic FM Live recital, and has had the privilege of playing for premieres of repertoire by prominent Australian choral composers.

As a piano soloist, Erin toured to China in 2006 and performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Newcastle Wind Orchestra. She has appeared on Banney's Baton Banter on local ABC radio and performed regularly in the Newcastle Art Gallery Concert Series as an associate artist and soloist. Erin also performed in the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Newcastle Music Festival as both a collaborative artist and soloist.

Erin served as a member of the Music Staff at Newcastle Grammar School for ten years until 2020, where she taught classroom music, piano, accompanied the Chamber Choir and tutored woodwind students in the Symphony Orchestra. Erin is now a member of staff at St Francis Xavier College, Hamilton. She has experienced success in the classroom with many students achieving outstanding results in HSC Music 1, Music 2 and Extension. Erin also continues to teach piano at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music.