Evan has been serving the music industry for over thirty years, both as a professional musician and music teacher. He is an alumni of the Talent Development Project (1993), has worked with many popular touring artists and has written and recorded songs featured on the Australian top 40. Having a deep appreciation for music and musical instruments, Evan also builds, repairs and services guitars and other stringed instruments.
As a musician, Blake is a prolific composer, performer and educator. Having trained as an entertainer in Sydney, Blake has worked as a magician for children’s theatre festivals, corporate events, in pubs and on Television (Channel 9). Blake brings his skills as a children’s performer (theatre, puppetry, magic, clowning, musicianship), into his music curriculums, pedagogy and teaching style, to ensure that the love of music is fostered at a very early age. Blake has worked as an Early Childhood Music Specialist for the Hume Conservatorium since 2017, having taken his brand of edu-tainment to over 400 young musicians in pre-schools and daycare centres across the LGA. In addition to his work in the district, Blake has delivered early childhood sessions in Sydney and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
In addition to his music and education work, Blake is the current Artistic Director of the locally and internationally recognised Lieder Theatre Company.
In the world of theatre, Blake grew up performing in Shakespeare festivals at Glen Street Theatre in Sydney (in association with Bell Shakespeare). During this time he made a name for himself as a regular street performer (magician / clown), becoming a mainstay among the Manly Corso and Circular Quay busking circuit at 12 years of age. He went on to be awarded the Contribution To Performing Artsrecognition by Mater Maria in 2011. In 2013, Blake developed a season of performances for the Moresby Arts Theatre in Papua New Guinea, producing and starring in seasons of Shakespeare, as well as designing and directing adaptations of new works.
With Goulburn Mulwaree Library’s renowned Mighty Playwrights Program, Blake has directed 18 short plays, along with lighting design, set design and construction, composing music, and editing the documentary, Mighty Playwrights 2020 and the program’s filmed performances. In Collaboration with Andy Picker and Greg Angus, Blake co-developed and served as a mentor for Hume Conservatorium’s partner program, Mighty Tunesmiths in 2022. Blake and the Mighty Playwrights Executive Team received the 2020 Australia Day Event of the Year Award and the Southern Tablelands Arts President’s Award for Creative Merit.
Performing in over 30 Lieder productions, Blake’s most recent credits include the roles of Winston in George Orwell’s 1984, followed by a series of world premieres, namely as Edward Abell in The Interesting Mrs Abell and Jarvis in the perambulatory outdoor performance of Journey Through Country. Blake also performed as an on-stage A/V technician for the grant-funded piece, Prophecy for which he also created a suite of video projections and practical special effects. His film of the show was accepted and screened internationally at an online theatre festival by Association Internationale du Théâtre Amateur in Paris, France. Blake’s directorial debut with the Lieder was Pavel Kohout’s Fire in the Basement in 2019.
More recently, in 2021, as an executive and production team member, Blake performed in and created a suite of audio/visual elements for ReEntrance, the grand opening performance of the new Goulburn Performing Arts Centre, for whom he has also worked as a casual back-of house technician.
Blake is also a freelance graphic designer, sculptor and film producer with his visual arts company, Limepot Design.
Blake is an early childhood music specialist, delivering classroom music to students in primary schools, pre-schools and daycare centres across the LGA. His lessons are play-based and individualised with an emphasis on ensemble-building and creative collaboration as means to increase the confidence and empowerment of our youngest artists. Areas explored include rhythm, pitch, melody, composition and harmony – featuring ukulele, mixed percussion, xylophone, pan pipes, boom whackers, world instruments, melodica, body percussion and more. Oh, and puppetry.
Blake endeavours to introduce his young students to all genres of music, from jazz, pop, R&B and rock, to musical comedy.
A self-taught musician (guitar, ukulele, piano, saxophone, mandolin, bass), Blake cares deeply for the healing power of music, both on an individual spiritual level, and as a means of great personal connection and collaboration within communities.
His proudest career highlight, in 2018, Blake toured to the United States with the Lieder Theatre Company to perform as an actor and acrobat in the Australia’s entry into AACT’s Festival in Paradise.
There he was awarded the Outstanding Performance in a Central Role recognition, one of 6 industry accolades awarded to the theatre’s original performance piece, Monochrome, directed by Chrisjohn Hancock. Blake composed music and soundscapes for the piece, while contributing greatly to its visual identity, including costume design and special effects.
Blake also performed in the touring company of the Lieder Youth Theatre’s Acrobatic Fire Show in Florida.
Blake reprised his Monochrome role at the Lieder’s international Festival of Theatre for Social Change, Periphery, 2019, for which he was also a musician in Polish theatre company Teatr Brama’s Ghost Dance. His role in Monochrome made a comeback that same year at the Bramat Festival in Goleniow, and again for the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts, Poland.
Catherine by Don Ross, covered by Tommy Gauthier and Antoine Dufour
Lean On Me by Bill Withers, covered by Jacob Collier
Halo by Beyoncé, covered by Scott Bradley’s Post Modern Jukebox
Charlie is a dedicated music teacher at Hume Conservatorium with a Diploma of Music Composition from Central Queensland University. His musical journey began at the age of 10 on the drums, later expanding to guitar and piano. Under the guidance of Carmel Ryan and tutelage in composition by Dr. Joanne Burrows, Charlie fostered his talent and knowledge of music. Charlie is committed to making music education accessible, fun and social, and culturally relevant to today’s audience. Focusing on creativity, self expression, and musicianship skills, Charlie believes in fostering a lifelong love for music. Charlie also has three years of experience as a freelance composer and audio engineer.
Richard Lane was born in Australia and has appeared in concert with many organisations in New South Wales as a soloist including Opera in the Valley, Jamberoo, Opera Afloat on Sydney Harbour and Opera in the Vineyards. Also, performing with the Wollongong Symphony Orchestra in their Classical Spectacular and the Tenor soloist for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. and tenor soloist for Verdi’s Requiem. He was also the featured soloist for the Australian Movie Soundtrack “Gabriel. Richard has performed the Rosemary Canticles an Australian work written by Dr Paul Paviour. He has performed Opera in the Gaol Berrima with Cheryl Barker and a concert celebrating the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein with Nicholas Hammond.
His repertoire spans the major tenor roles of Puccini, Britten, Verdi, Wagner, Strauss and Beethoven, including Florestan from Fidelio, Peter Grimes, Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Canio in Il Pagliacci and the tenor soloist for Verdi’s Requiem. Richard has performed across Australia and the UK. Richard was recently based in Cardiff, where he studied with Dennis O’Neill at the International Academy of Voice, Cardiff University. Master classes: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Josephine Bairstow, Della Jones, Carlo Rizzi, Jonathon Fisher, Susan Bullock, Antony Negus Graeme Clark, Elisabette Mattos, Robin Stapleton, Richard Bonynge and Joseph Rolleau. Richard is the Founder and Creative Director of the Vocal Muster. A NFP Charity with DGR status advancing singing and self-esteem for secondary school students. He is the recipient of the YMF Foundation Cathy Avdiev award.
Richard’s passion is helping young people discover their voice running with the philosophy that everyone can sing.
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We acknowledge the traditional Custodians of this Land, where the Aboriginal People have performed age-old ceremonies of storytelling, music, dance and celebration. As a traditional meeting place, many first nations peoples came to this region. Underneath our buildings and roads this Land always will be traditional Aboriginal Land. in the same way, all music making genres and practices come from our musical elders, so we acknowledge those on whose skills and wisdom we draw.
