Our People
The North Queensland Orchestra is supported by a dedicated team of musicians, leaders, and volunteers committed to bringing live orchestral music to our region.
Patron
Bill Tweddell AM
Artistic Director
Theodore Kuchar
Management Committee 2025/2026
The following executive and committee was elected at the AGM on 15th May 2025.
| President | Dene Olding AM |
| Vice-President | Judy Hunter |
| Secretary | Janet Askern |
| Treasurer | Neil Renison |
| Committee | Andrew Ryder |
| Ioana Bowden | |
| Miles Devlin | |
| Sue Darrigan |
Operations Team
Arts Administrator Sally Frewen-Lord
Orchestra Manager Jessica Winton
Logistics Officer Noel Price
Life Members
Simon McConnell
Life member since June 2020
Simon McConnell agreed to be President in 2006 when the Orchestra was in danger of folding
Annette Elliss
Life member since June 2020
Annette Elliss had the role of Treasurer from 2004 until 2015. In that time she …
Carol Dall’Osto
Life Member since July 2010
Carol has been a leading figure in music performances in Townsville for many years…
Jacinta Payne
Life Member
Jacinta has been in BRO since 2000, playing 1st Clarinet at the first performance…
Stephen Frewen-Lord
Life Member since 2015
Stephen has been involved with the Barrier Reef Orchestra since its inception in 2000…
Donna McMahon
Conductor / Life Member
Donna was one of the prime movers in the formation of the BRO…
Suzanne Darrigan
Life member since June 2020
Barrier Reef Orchestra stalwart Suzanne Darrigan was excited to be playing horn with BRO i
Guest Conductors
Peter Morris
Conductor
Professor Peter Morris is a distinguished conductor and educator whose career …
Richard Davis
Conductor
Richard Davis regularly conducts orchestras such as Queensland Symphony and BBC Philharmon
Theodore Kuchar
Conductor; Viola
The multiple award-winning conductor Theodore Kuchar is the most recorded conductor …
Patrick Pickett
Conductor
Patrick Pickett is owner, Artistic Director/Conductor of the Queensland Pops Orchestra…
Mario Dobernig
Conductor
Mario Dobernig is Conductor in Chief and Artistic Director for the Art of Sound Orchestra.
Raymond Yong
Conductor / Piano
Raymond has been a regular guest with the Barrier Reef Orchestra since 2011…
Gyula (Jules) Cseszkó
Conductor
Jules studied with the Late Professor John Hopkins and has a lot of conducting experience.
Gwyn Roberts
Conductor
Gwyn Roberts has had a very active career as a cellist, conductor and music educator…
John Hopkins OBE
Conductor
Professor John Hopkins OBE was involved with the Orchestra from its earliest days…
Mark Shiell
Conductor
Mark has guest-conducted ensembles including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra…
Craig Johnson
Conductor
Lieutenant Colonel Craig Johnson, born and raised in Sydney, NSW, joined the …
Sean O’Boyle
Conductor
Sean O’Boyle is a composer, arranger and conductor of many Australian and overseas orc..
Richard McIntyre OAM
Conductor
Richard McIntyre has a long and distinguished career as bassoonist, educator, conductor…
Joshua Dos Santos
Conductor
Joshua Dos Santos is a Venezuelan-Portuguese conductor forging a vast international career
David Lawrence
Conductor
David conducted BRO with the Spirit of the Voice Choirs in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in 201
Guest Artists
Megan Billing
Oboe
Megan studied music from an early age, first with the flute, taking up the oboe at 18…
James Morrison
Trumpet
James Morrison is a global jazz icon who has performed with many of the legends of jazz…
Domenico Taraborrelli
Accordian
Domenico is one of Brisbane’s most experienced and versatile multicultural entertainers.
Ji Won Kim
Violin
Ji Won Kim has performed extensively as a soloist in Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy…
Kim Kirkman
Tenor
Kim has sung with the Victoria State Opera, Opera Queensland and for EssGee Entertainment.
Matthew Rigby
Violin
Matthew Rigby, born in Townsville in 1985, developed a love of music at an early age…
Adam Lopez
Vocal
Adam Lopez has undoubtedly got one of the most fascinating vocal instruments on the planet
Sarah Calderwood
Singer
A charismatic solo artist in her own right, Sarah’s vocal style is incredibly varied…
Cassandra Wright
Soprano
Cassandra Wright is a versatile soprano with diverse performance experience…
Lyubov Dika
Contralto
Lyubov Dika became a full-time member of the Lviv National Opera of Ukraine in 2004…
Leah Li
Harp
Townsville-based Leah Li enjoys a diverse career as an orchestral and chamber musician…
Kevin Higgins
Irish flute and uilleann pipes
Kevin plays with Irish band Sasta and is regularly seen on the national festival circuit..
David Hudson
Guitar & Vocal
David Hudson is a renowned musician, composer, actor, artist and entertainer…
Rebecca Chan
Violin
Rebecca Chan was the winner of the 2009 North Queensland Concerto and Vocal Competition.
Bronwyn Douglass
Mezzo-Soprano
Bronwyn is a mezzo-soprano who graduated with a Masters in Operatic Performance in 2014..
Tanya Christensen
Mezzo-Soprano
As a professional singer, Tanya has performed nationally and internationally with major…
Yoshika Masuda
Cello
Yoshika Masuda started to play the cello at age five and won 1st prize at ACVC in 2012…
David Griffiths
Clarinet
David Griffiths is a leading Australian clarinettist, with an illustrious performance and teaching career.
Rebecca Cassidy
Soprano
Rebecca Cassidy has been the recipient of many prestigious Awards and Prizes including…
Bruce Grice
Piper
Bruce Grice discovered his passion for piping at the age of 12. His debut performance…
Sally Walker
Flute
Sally Walker has been hailed as a master of both the early wooden and the silver flute…
David Wakeham
Baritone
David has established an international reputation with critically acclaimed performances..
Benjamin Martin
Piano
Pianist/composer Benjamin Martin has become known as an artist of exceptional versatility.
Our Sponsors & Partners





































































