Andrew Bainbridge
B. Mus, Grad. Dip. Ed., L. Mus. A, FTCL
Artistic Director and Administration Director
Andrew began his musical training as a boy chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne at the age of seven, and became a student at Trinity Grammar School, Kew the following year. He began piano lessons, and later studied the organ under Dr June Nixon and John O’Donnell. His piano teachers included Margaret Schofield and Mack Jost. After finishing school he went on to Melbourne University where he studied piano, organ, composition and voice. Andrew worked as a freelance soloist, teacher and keyboard player for several years, including three years as principal guest organist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. He held the positions of Organist and Choirmaster at St John’s Church, Toorak and Camberwell Presbyterian Church, and in 1994 was appointed Choral Director and Head of Keyboard at Scotch College in Hawthorn, and Acting Musical Director of The Tudor Choristers.
In 2005 Andrew moved with his family to Hobart where he worked as a teacher at several schools. For several years he was Organist and Director of Music at each of the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals, and was Assistant Chorusmaster of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus for nearly 10 years, repetiteur for five years, and an occasional keyboard and continuo player. He was accompanist and, briefly, Musical Director of the Australian Rosny Children’s Choir (now sadly defunct) and Accompanist and Assistant Director of the UTAS Conservatorium Vocal Ensemble. For 10 years he was Musical Director of the Tasmanian Youth Choirs, and founding Musical Director of Tasmania’s leading chamber choir, Allegri Ensemble from 2013. He also performed on several occasions as a continuo player with Van Diemen’s Band, Tasmania’s world-renowned Baroque chamber orchestra.
Andrew is a Director of both the Organ Historical Trust of Australia (OHTA) and the Australian and New Zealand College of Organists (ANZCO). He returned to Melbourne in April 2019 to take up his appointment as Co-Artistic and Administrative Director of the National Boys’ Choir of Australia.
Jane Matheson
Performing Choir Accompanist
Jane is an accomplished and versatile Melbourne-based pianist. She completed B-MUS(Piano)/BA(French/Linguistics) at The University of Melbourne and has studied further as a répétiteur with The Opera Studio Melbourne and The Centre for Opera Studies in Italy.
Jane has worked in recent years as a répétiteur and performer with Opera Australia, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra chorus, Melbourne Opera, Victorian Opera, Gertrude Opera (répétiteur and assistant conductor) and Lyric Opera of Melbourne (répétiteur and musical director) She has toured in China several times with the Australian International Opera Company.
Jane has extensive experience as a performer and accompanist, chamber musician, educator and entertainer. She is the Senior Accompanist with the National Boys Choir of Australia and has been the organist at the Immaculate Conception Church in Hawthorn for 20 years. She regularly plays for musical theatre companies and cabarets and has worked as a cocktail pianist for Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Jane is a passionate teacher of piano, music theory and interpretation and has been involved in workshops with Independent Schools Victoria.
Jane has been awarded scholarships which have allowed her to pursue her love of languages and the opera repertoire in France, Italy and Germany.
MANDY LYN BROOK BA/BMus (Hons), MTeach
Director and Conductor of Elementary and Junior Choristers
Mandy Lyn Brook graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Music (Honours)/Arts in 2008 with voice and drama majors. In 2009 Mandy took up a place at the Opera School Melbourne for a year of intense opera training and performance. She went on to both Opera Australia and Victorian Opera and had a year performing in the United Kingdom.
Mandy’s Operatic Repertoire includes Olympia Hoffman’s Heart, (encapsulation of the Tales of Hoffmann), Sandman’s Hansel and Gretel, Milly Goat Figatroll (Caraher: after Rossini), Queen of the Night The Magic Flute, Venus Orpheus in the Underworld, Drusilla The Coronation of Poppea, Tash Contact, Little Red Little Red Ridinghood an Opera for Children and the Witch The Frog Prince and Opera for Children. She has performed as a soloist with the Monash University Piano Ensemble and recorded the Peer Gynt Suite for four hands with 3MBS as part of this association. Mandy has also performed as a soloist for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Government House and Choice Hotels and continues to bring music to the older generation with specialist concerts in nursing homes.
In addition to her work with the National Boys Choir of Australia, Mandy is a sought-after vocal teacher, director and vocal coach. Mandy is excited to be a part of the Wesley College music department teaching voice and continues to liaise for primary school musicals, as a classroom music teacher and as a solo vocalist. Mandy is delighted to continue her association in 2020 with the National Boys Choir of Australia, directing the training choirs where she oversees their vocal development and liaises closely by tutoring with the Performing Choir.
IRIS ZAVOU BMus, BA, Assoc. Mus (AMUSA), MTeach
Elementary and Junior Tutor
Iris studied a bachelor of music (classical voice) at the Australian Catholic University. The university recognised Iris’ musical talent by awarding her a scholarship to undertake post-graduate study in music teaching, which saw her performing as a soloist as a member of the University Choir. As a singer, Iris has been involved with groups such as Opera Scholars Australia, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Citi Opera, Victorian Youth Opera, Hamer Singers, Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Australian Catholic University Choir and 3MBS. Other performance highlights include The Boy from Oz with Hugh Jackman and Channel Nine’s Carols by Candlelight. Iris has also held several scholarships to sing at St John’s Anglican Church East Malvern.
Iris has also worked as a choral conductor at the Australian Girls Choir, Wattle Park Chapel, Manningham Council and Burwood Heights Primary School. She has also completed her AMUSA in classical voice and is completing LMUSA this year.
BEN TAYLOR B.Mus (Hons)
Elementary and Junior Accompanist
Ben recently completed a Bachelor of Music with Honours at Monash University, studying piano under Darryl Coote. Aside from his position with the Choir, Ben works as a performing musician, piano teacher and freelance accompanist. As a vocalist, Ben performs as a member of Gian Slater’s ‘Invenio’ – an improvising choir whose recent work includes collaborating on Barney McAll’s ARIA award nominated album, ‘Graft’.
Ben also works as a dramatist, teacher and composer with 3dArts Company, a not-for-profit arts company providing school and community performing arts classes, and staging theatre and dance productions. Recent on-stage roles have included those in The Importance of Being Earnest, and The 39 Steps.
More of our dedicated team for 2024 includes:
- Mandy Lyn Brook
- Sam Collins
- Maddy Connellan
- Jan Eldred
- Judy Hooper
- David Loci
- Wayne Merrry
- Tania Pearce
- Alexandra Boemo
- Craig De Wilde
- Reuben Johnson
- Keith Mortimer
- Charles Wong
- Liz Woods
- Kristen Wright
- Iris Zavou
Profiles and additional information about our staff will be added shortly.
About Our Choir
Founded in 1964 by Kevin Casey, the National Boys Choir of Australia has established itself as one of Australia’s finest treble choirs. Choristers develop vocal production based on the traditional European bel canto style. They attend regular rehearsals and music workshops, enabling them to perform a diverse repertoire, from early motets to contemporary works.
The Choir frequently collaborates with major organisations like Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia, and Victorian Opera, performing significant works such as Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mahler’s Symphonies, and Britten’s War Requiem. They also appear in major events like the Sydney Olympic Games, Melbourne Commonwealth Games, and Carols by Candlelight.
Internationally, the Choir has toured extensively, performing in venues from Disneyland to St Peter’s in Rome. Nationally, they tour across Australia, contributing to the country’s rich cultural identity.
For more details, please read the About section.