To date, the AMF has presented awards to nearly 300 young Australian musicians, to help support their studies overseas.

AMF Awardees 2023/24

Charlotte Miles - Cello
AMF Nora Goodridge Developing Artist Award

A postgraduate student of Prof. Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt at the Hochschule für Musik “Franz Liszt” in Weimar, Germany, and a recent graduate of the University of Melbourne and the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) where she studied with Howard Penny, Melbourne-born cellist Charlotte Miles was the winner of both the 2021 ANAM Concerto Competition and the 2021 ANAM Best Recital Performance Prize. Awarded over 100 competition prizes, including at the 2018 Gisborne (NZ) International Music Competition and the 2020 “Anna Kull” International Cello Competition in Graz (Austria), she has benefitted from masterclasses with Jean-Guihen Queyras, Nicolas Altstaedt, Clemens Hagen and Alban Gerhardt. In 2019, Charlotte was the winner of both the 3MBS Radio Young Performer of the Year and the MBS National Young Virtuoso Awards. She has performed across Australia at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music and the Sanguine Estate, Bendigo Chamber, Melbourne Cello and Vasse Felix Festivals, and has toured nationally with both ACO Collective and the ACO. The Nora Goodridge Developing Artist Award will assist Charlotte tremendously with the costs associated with her postgraduate studies in Germany, and enable her participation in invaluable masterclass and competition experiences throughout Europe. 

 

Samantha Hargreaves - Soprano
AMF Nora Goodridge Developing Artist Award

Soprano Samantha Hargreaves was born in Melbourne and studied at the University of Melbourne before relocating to London to undertake an Artist Masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In May 2023, she created the role of Sarah-Marie in Three Marys, a chamber opera by Australian composer, Andrèe Greenwell, that premiered at the Sydney Opera House. Samantha was a 2022-2023 scholarship recipient with Melba Opera Trust. She is incredibly grateful to have received the AMF Nora Goodridge Developing Artist Award and will use the funds to assist with living expenses and recording audition videos.

Sebastian Pini - Double Bass
AMF Nora Goodridge Young Artist Award

Sebastian Pini is currently in his final year of studies with world renowned soloist Božo Paradžik in the University of Music, Freiburg, and has attended masterclasses with other celebrated musicians such as Dorin Marc, Matthew McDonald, and Janne Saksala. He has been involved in music his whole life, previously studying for 12 years under Alex Henery, performing in the chamber music series Pini, Hazelwood & Friends from age nine, and being awarded the Licentiate Diploma of Australia with distinction at fourteen. He was a prize winner at the Gisbourne International Music Competition, received first prize in the Melbourne Bass Day competition, played as a soloist with the Baden-Baden Philharmonie, and been awarded the AYO fellowships with the ASO and MSO. The AMF Nora Goodridge Young Artist Award will support him greatly as he continues his studies in Germany.

William Shi - accompanist and collaborative pianist
The AMF Richard Bonynge Award

Brisbane-born pianist William Shi completed undergraduate studies at the University of Queensland and his Masters at the Mannes School of Music, where he also performed at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall. William has been supported by the AMF since 2021 and is incredibly grateful to receive the inaugural AMF Richard Bonynge Award which he plans to use towards tuition fees for the Spring semester. William is currently the teaching assistant for Dr. Ran Dank with whom he is undertaking a DMA in Piano Performance & Literature, alongside an MM in Piano Accompanying & Chamber Music with Dr. Andrew Harley.

Nathan Bryon - Tenor
AMF Yvonne Kenny Award - donated by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust

Nathan Bryon is an Australian tenor hailing from Dubbo, NSW. He is currently studying an Artist Diploma at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of César Ulloa. He is a San Francisco District Winner of The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (2023), as well as the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship (2022). Upcoming engagements include Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) with SFCM Opera, Tamino (The Magic Flute) with Livermore Opera and ‘A Symphonic Christmas’ with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Melba Opera Trust. Nathan plans to use his AMF Award to support his final year at SFCM and pursue auditions in the United States and Europe. Nathan is grateful to the Australian Music Foundation and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust for their support. 

 

Megan Yang - Violin
AMF Overseas Study Award - donated by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust

Born and raised in Sydney, violinist Megan Yang will commence her postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music with Dr Robin Wilson in 2023/24, having previously studied with Dr Robin Wilson and Sophie Rowell at ANAM in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Megan is one of the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s 2023 Emerging Artists and has recently, through ANAM partnerships, performed chamber music alongside musicians of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra at UKARIA as well as performing as Principal 2nd Violin in Strauss’s Capriccio under the direction of Simone Young AM. Megan is incredibly grateful to the AMF for the overseas award donated by The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, which will support her studies at the Royal Academy of Music as well as assist with covering costs of living and applications for festivals throughout Europe. 

jonathan Lee - Organ

AMF Guy Parsons Award
donated by the Portland House Foundation


Jonathan Lee is currently Senior Organ Scholar at Trinity College Cambridge where he regularly plays the renowned Metzler organ and is closely involved in the world-famous choir’s services, tours, concerts and recordings. Jonathan began his organ studies in Australia on scholarship at Canberra Grammar School then at the ACT Organ School before moving to the UK as Organ Scholar at Hereford Cathedral. Jonathan received the Nora Goodridge Young Artist Award in 2022 and in 2023 receives the AMF Guy Parsons Award which directly contributes to the living expenses of studying in Cambridge.

Emmalena Huning - Violin

AMF Award (The Goodridge Foundation)  


Emmalena Huning, is a 22 year old violinist from Perth, currently studying at the Curtis Institute of Music on the Master of Music program with Benjamin Beilman. She completed her undergraduate degree with Honours at the Royal Academy of Music with Jack Liebeck and has performed as a soloist with countless orchestras around Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Emmalena has been a major prize winner at multiple national and international competitions, as well as broadcasting live on BBC Radio 3 side-by-side with James Ehnes, and making professional recordings on multiple occasions at Abbey Road Studios in London. This AMF Award coincides with a new chapter of Emmalena’s life and, as well as funding living costs to support her studies, it will be crucial in aiding her applications and travel costs to the many competitions and programs she hopes to take part in over the coming year as she begins to build her career in the US.

Raphael Masters - Viola

AMF Award (The Goodridge Foundation)  

Sydney-born violist Raphael Masters is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree at the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles, under the tutelage of Tatjana Masurenko. His impressive professional experience includes performing with renowned orchestras such as the LA Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony, LA Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, and as the No. 2 Viola of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Raphael has also performed solo at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall in New York. Notably, he's been featured as a Chamber Artist at the Edinburgh International Festival, recorded with Ensemble Apex, and performed with the Verbrugghen Ensemble and Colburn Chamber Music Society. Raphael is grateful to the AMF for supporting further study in Europe and assisting in acquiring a new instrument.

Bella Marslen - Soprano

AMF Award (Portland House Foundation)

Bella was born in Perth, Western Australia. Her love for opera began in 2010 when she performed with West Australian Opera in the children's chorus of Pagliacci. After studying a Bachelor of Music (vocal) from 2017-2020 at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Bella went on to be accepted into the 2022/2023 West Australian Opera Westfarmers Arts Young Artist Program. Bella is currently studying in the Master’s of Performance (vocal and opera) program at the Royal College of Music in London. She plans to use her AMF Award to help support her tuition fees and living costs.

Thomas Waller - Percussion

AMF Award (Portland House Foundation)



Thomas Waller is a percussionist and drummer from Sydney Australia. In 2021 he completed a Bachelor of Music at the University of New South Wales, studying with David Lockeridge and Shaun Trubiano. He is currently undertaking a Master of Music at CODARTS Rotterdam, where he is studying with Chris Leenders and Ramon Lormans. Thomas was a recipient of the 2022 AMF award, which supported him in his studies. In 2022, Thomas was principal percussionist of the Australian Youth Orchestra. He is also a casual musician with the Canberra Symphony and Willoughby Symphony, was Musical Director for Catherine Alcorn, and played drums for Bobby Fox (Riverdance) and Alex and Jonsi (Sigour Ros).

 

Nicolas Margarit - Piano

AMF Encouragement Award

Born in Brisbane in 1999, Nicolas Margarit commenced his musical education at the age of three with Joyce Bennet OAM. From 2017, he continued his studies under Dmitri Bashkirov until 2021 at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid, where he presently studies with Milana Chernyavska and was awarded the Diploma given to the most outstanding student of his chair in 2019 and 2020. Currently, Nicolas is immersed in preparing for upcoming international competitions. The Australian Music Foundation Award will play a crucial role in facilitating his ongoing studies and managing his living expenses overseas.

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AMF 2022/23 Awardees

AMF Life President Maestro Richard Bonynge with AMF Awardees at Australia House, London, for the AMF Spring Showcase concert, 9th March 2023. L to R Back: Waynne Kwon, James Blackford, Robert Hao. Front: Shakira Tsindos, Richard Bonynge, Katherine Allen

The AMF awards new prizes at the ABC Young Performers Awards in Sydney, November 2022

The Trustees of the Australian Music Foundation would like to congratulate the Semi-Finalists and Finalists for the ABC Young Performers Awards 2022. This competition is the premier Australian national competition for instrumentalists with a long history of promoting the best in young Australian talent. As the basic aims of the YPA and the AMF Australia are to assist and encourage the outstanding talents of the future, we had no

hesitation in awarding some extra prize money to four of the top six contestants to assist them in some small way as they begin their artistic journeys.

These awards were made in recognition of those wonderful young musicians who may have not secured the top financial prizes on offer for the YPA on this occasion, but whom we have no doubt will go on to very successful careers in the music industry. Our congratulations go to Jason Henery (Double Bass), Edward Walton (Violin), Yebin Yoo (Violin) and Tony Lee (Piano) for their Australian Music Foundation Awards.


 

AMF 2018 Awardees

AMF 2018 Awardees at Australia House, London, with Chairman Yvonne Kenny AM and HE the Hon George Brandis QC, High Commissioner for Australia, March 2019. L to R: Rohan Dasika, Samantha Clarke, Courtenay Cleary, Yvonne Kenny, George Brandis, David S…

AMF 2018 Awardees at Australia House, London, with Chairman Yvonne Kenny AM and HE the Hon George Brandis QC, High Commissioner for Australia, March 2019. L to R: Rohan Dasika, Samantha Clarke, Courtenay Cleary, Yvonne Kenny, George Brandis, David Soo, Victoria Wong, Robbin Reza.

AMF 2015 Awardees

AMF 2015 Awardees after the Spring Showcase concert in the Downer Room, Australia House, 25.11.15L to R: Alexandra Flood, soprano; Sonya Pigot, piano; Emily edmonds, mezzo-soprano; Lauren Fagan, soprano; Yvonne Kenny AM (Chairman); Emily Sun, violin…

AMF 2015 Awardees after the Spring Showcase concert in the Downer Room, Australia House, 25.11.15

L to R: Alexandra Flood, soprano; Sonya Pigot, piano; Emily edmonds, mezzo-soprano; Lauren Fagan, soprano; Yvonne Kenny AM (Chairman); Emily Sun, violin; Andrey Lebedev, guitar; Stephanie Jones, guitar; Andrew Todd (Deputy High Commissioner).

Please visit the ALUMNI page for details of all previous AMF Awardees