Mood Music Musicians
Sunday, 24 April 2011 23:54
Bios on some of our musicians
Kathryn Sander - PIANO
Toowoomba-born Kathryn studied piano with Brachi Tilles, then Stephen McIntyre and Roy Shepherd at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. Currently working as a freelance pianist & keyboardist - at the Conservatorium, Southbank Institute & University Music Dept as an accompanist - teaching at Stuartholme School, Brisbane Girls' & Boy's Grammar Schools. Memorable performances have been on the Vatican Organ and as pianist for a master class with legendary violinist Maxim Vengerov. Extensive contemporary work highlights include - Frank Sinatra - Liberace - Dionne Warwick - Grace Knight - with years spent in latin and jazz bands, forming Mood Music Entertainment over the last 20 years. Kathy also performs in the theatre pit - latest shows have been "Dusty" "Miss Saigon", "Phantom of the Opera" and "Mamma Mia". She has performed with the Fine Arts Trio, resident pianist with "Queensland Pops Orchestra" since 2006, has worked recently with Brisbane-based group Topology in 2009, and is audition pianist for "The Queensland Orchestra" and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
Barry Sutton - DRUMS/PERCUSSION
In 1987 Barry Sutton returned to Australia after 15 years of commuting between London, Majorca, and Sydney, where he had played Percussion on many different projects. He also returned to Australia to head the pilot touring programme for Musica Viva in Sydney. Then in 1990 Barry moved to Queensland where he performed for 5 years with the Queensland Arts Councils’ Schools Touring Program. During the last few years Barry has performed at the “Manly Jazz Festival”, “Thredbo Jazz Festival”, “Noosa Jazz Festival”, and the “Sydney Festival”. Recently, Barry has worked with Anita Thomas and John Morrison, John Nicol, Don Burrows, Janet Seidel, Don Raider, Bruce Poulson, Bill Saragih, Gary Lee, and Cory Sea. At 2003 “Manly Jazz Festival” and the“Australian Jazz festival” in Canberra he performed with Cicilia Kemezys and Steven Scott in their Brazilian/Cuban group. Barry started playing Latin Percussion in Sydney around 1965 and by the time he left for London in 1972 he had worked with Shirley Bassey, Trini Lopez, Lou Rawles, Billy Preston, and Sammy Davis Jnr. In 1980, while back in Sydney for a short period he worked with Tommy Emmanuels’ Band and Bette Midler at the State Theatre as part of her world tour. Barry plays drum kit, latin percussion, and is also known as the singing drummer.
Bryan Pearson - ACOUSTIC & ELECTRIC BASS/VOCALS
Born and educated in the United Kingdom, Bryan worked extensively overseas, including stints with the Tommy Watt Orchestra, with whom he recorded and broadcast for the BBC., and toured the world on P & O Passenger Liners for Hubert Warren Orchestras. Coming to Australia he performed with many bands and orchestras and began teaching music in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions. Recent overseas professional work includes playing in the show bands on MV Mercury, MV Diamond Princess & the Star Princess in 2008 - as well as a contract with the resident orchestra on RMS Queen Mary 2 in its inaugural year. Currently working as an Instrumental Music Specialist Teacher for Education Queensland, Bryan plays with the "Queensland Pops Orchestra", and also works as a free-lance jazz performer. Bryan is an integral member of the Mood Music Team, bringing his wide-ranging experience and passion for all genres of music to our groups, “Empire Salon Orchestra” , the “Bazkatz” and his piano and bass duo with Kathryn - “The Amica Duo”.
Gabriel Vatavu - SAXOPHONES
Born in Bucharest, Romania, Gabriel brings a wealth of musical experience to the Mood Music Team. With a background in classical music, and now a cross-over to Jazz, Swing and Latin styles, and with more than a passing interest in playing
the music people want to listen to. Latest experience - Former Saxophone, clarinet player and arranger for “ Jimmy Styles And The Easy Company ” band (recently winner of TRIPLE “ J “ UNEARTHED). Saxophone player for“ Culturebank ” Theatre Company, in the jazz band “ The Romanian Swing Brothers ”,“ The Jazz Poets “ band. Formed the jazz band “Jazz Catz”, recording a CD. Working as a studio musician for the “Digital Archives Network“.Teaching saxophone and clarinet + woodwind repairs for Billy Hydes Music. Numerous performances in hotels, resorts, restaurants and clubs in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
Christopher Patrick - CELLO
A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane, Christopher has performed on numerous Australian pop and classical recordings, as well as in live performances with artists such as the Electric Light Orchestra, Rod Stewart and Dionne Warwick. Since 1985, Christopher has been a cellist with the Queensland Pops Orchestra, which has toured to the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Concert Hall in addition to its ever-popular Brisbane subscription series. The QPO regularly accompanies Opera Australia’s touring musical theatre productions, and in 2007 played for ‘The Southern Hemispheric Premiere’ tour of Eric Idle and John Du Prez’s NOT THE MESSIAH, a comic oratorio inspired by Monty Python’s LIFE OF BRIAN. Christopher is one of three musical siblings, all professional musicians who play strings. Together with brother Cameron and sister Fiona he established a family chamber ensemble, The Patrick String Quartet, in 1982. Christopher has also arranged many soundtrack themes and popular repertoire for chamber ensembles and symphony orchestra, and is an integral member of the Mood Music Team.
Sally-Ann Djachenko - VIOLIN
Sally-Ann grew up in Scotland and played the violin and piano from a young age. She studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the Royal Academy of Music (London), and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. From 1995-2000 Sally-Ann was 2nd violinist in the Bingham String Quartet with whom she toured, recorded and broadcast widely. She has freelanced with many ensembles in the UK, Switzerland, Finland and Australia, often as Principal Violin or Concertmaster. Orchestras which Sally-Ann has performed with include the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and the European Union Chamber Orchestra, and most recently the "Camerata of St Johns". Sally-Ann also has a Masters in Children’s Literature.
Yuri Djachenko - VIOLA/VIOLA
studied violin and viola at the Queensland Conservatorium, the University of Tasmania, and the University of Queensland. He has performed as a member of the former Queensland Symphony and Philharmonic and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. Yuri has freelanced throughout Australia, the UK and Finland. In 2005, he was Guest Concertmaster of the Lentua Sinfonietta based in Kuhmo. More recently, he has appeared as Guest Principal Viola with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, and as Guest Concertmaster of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra. Yuri is known internationally for his research on English bows and bowmakers, and also as a violin pedagogue teaching young children using the Colourstrings system developed in Finland.
Craig Martin - SWING VOCALIST
Craig has a strong musical background having performed with many original and cover bands in his late teens and early twenties in the UK. He developed throughout this time a keen interest in musical theatre and finally realised his ambition of performing in a big budget production, when he was offered a role in Bill Kenwright's West End production of “Ferry 'cross the Mersey”, starring alongside merseybeat legend Gerry Marsden.
Craig loved the theatre and the theatre loved him! He performed nightly, winning acclaim for his portrayal of the young Gerry Marsden. The show toured the UK, Ireland and South Africa and Craig continued to develop as an all round entertainer. Since exploding onto the Queensland music scene in 2010, Craig Martin and his Big Swing Band have now performed at many top venues, including Twin Towns, Redland Performing Arts Centre, Jupiters Casino, The Broncos Leagues Club, Kedron-Wavell Services Club and Brisbane Jazz Club.
Lucy Reeves - HARP
Lucy Reeves (nee Gallup) has a great deal of experience performing at weddings and providing beautiful background music for all the major hotels and venues in S.E Queensland. In London, she performed on a number of occasions for HRH Princess Anne, in addition to regular engagements at Harrods, the Park Lane Hilton and Mayfair hotels. Lucy performs around Australia and New Zealand as Guest Principal and second Harpist with Orchestras including the ACO, TSO, QSO, MSO, WASO, AOBO, and NZSO. In addition she also enjoys playing chamber music for concerts and radio broadcasts with some of Australia’s finest musicians. Lucy was born in England and began playing the harp from the age of 6. She trained as a Foundation Scholar at the Royal College of Music, London, before moving to make Australia her home in 2000.
Russell Bayne - GUITAR
Russell Bayne is a professional musician ,composer,music producer, band leader and entertainer. He has played guitar with the best of national and international stars, musicians and entertainers of the highest calibre... His musical adventure has taken him on many paths. From the beginnings of Australian rock and roll co-forming the Australian Velvet Underground which later became The Ted Mulry Gang to Pyramid who rode the charts nationally with the Easybeats composition Cant Wait For September... Mention the names Chuck Berry, Pavarotti, Shirley Bassey, Jerry Lewis, Davy Jones and The Monkees, Rolf Harris, Ricky May ,Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent, Don Burrows, Tina Arena, Normie Rowe, Ted Mulry, John Paul Young, Tommy Tycho, James Morrison, Billy Fields, Bon Scott [from AC/DC], Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Sophie Monk, Dame Kiri Ti Kanawa, Gina Jefferies, Michael Fix, Judith Durham [The Seekers] etc, etc. Russell has shared the stage with them all. His guitar is heard on numerous recordings, radio and television jingles as well as stage shows such as 42nd street, The Great Moscow Circus, The Black and White Minstrel Show, Hello Dolly, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat ,Hot Shoe Shuffle , Porgy and Bess, Rhapsody in Blue,etc, etc. The musicians and performers,venues,gigs Russell has encompassed are just too numerous to mention.
Some of our other talented musicians
Mark Pradella Sammy Pace Eugenie Costello
