The Alpha Crucis Ensemble is a young and vibrant chamber music group comprising current and former students of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. The repertoire includes an extensive amount of arrangements of works from the well known to the not so well known, specially done for the ensemble's performances, as well as standards for wind quintet and sextet. The group's instrumentation also allows for versatility in smaller combinations of quartets, trios, duos and solo works.
Originally formed in 2008, the group was an initiative of Paul Dean and the Southern Cross Soloists to form an ensemble with the two groups functioning side by side in a mentor/protige relationship. The ensemble was called Southern Cross Soloists 2.
SCS2 met with outstanding acclaim after their debut at the Bangalow Music Festival in late August 2008. In 2009 a decision was made by members to forge a unique musical identity whilst still paying homage to the origin of the ensemble. They became the Alpha Crucis Ensemble, named after the brightest star of the Southern Cross constellation.
Lyric Soprano Alicia Lee completed a Bachelor of Music Performance (Honours) degree at The University of Queensland in classical voice and conducting, followed by several years as a professional choral conductor in Queensland. An interstate move to Melbourne in 2003, led Alicia to Graduate Diploma studies at the Victorian College of the Arts, where she sang the role of Mother Goose in The Rake’s Progress with Richard Gill and performed in many showcase concerts.
Currently, Alicia is undertaking a Master of Music Studies Opera Performance degree at The Queensland Conservatorium of Music and is a member of Opera Queensland and 7-voice vocal ensemble Paisley Lane. In 2007, Alicia performed the role of Euridice in the QGCU’s main stage production of Orfeo ed Euridice and won the Nickson Prize for Voice and Accompaniment. Also in that year, Alicia was the soprano soloist in the QGCM’s 50th year Choral Celebration performance of Orff’s Catulli Carmina and sang at official celebrations at Government House for the honourable Quentin Bryce.
In 2008, Alicia performed the role of Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Queensland Conservatorium and sang as an ensemble member in Opera Queensland’s Turandot. In recent months, she has won two prestigious competitions at the Queensland Conservatorium, The Dr Francesco Castellano Italian Operatic Award and The Linda Allen Postgraduate Prize. Alicia is also the Creator/Director of Brisbane’s newest singing sensation 10divas.
On the concert platform, she has sung Mozart’s Missa Solemnis, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s HeiligMesse, several Bach cantatas and conducted Cavelleria Rusticana and Handel’s Messiah. Alicia has also performed with The Queensland Youth Symphony Chamber Orchestra, The National Youth Choir of Australia, St Stephen’s Cathedral Schola, The Beautiful Girls and hip-hop band Solotaro.
Armin studied horn in Italy and the Royal College of Music in London, after which he played second and subsequently principal horn in China’s Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra. While in China he also performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, toured Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand with GSO and Taiwan with BSO.
In 2007 Armin moved to Brisbane to pursue a Master of Music Studies degree at the Queensland Conservatorium, and has since played as guest principal with the Queensland Pops Orchestra, principal horn in the Gold Coast Symphony Orchestra, and done casual work with The Queensland Orchestra.
Throughout the years Armin has been working on arrangements for various sizes of horn ensembles, an interest that has led to an offer from the Conservatorium to undertake a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in this field from 2008 onwards. In 2009 Armin was selected as a member of the first ever YouTube Symphony Orchestra, travelling to Carnegie Hall in New York to perform with musicians from all around the world.
Under the tutelage of Gerhard Mallon, Catherine graduated in 2007 from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with First Class Honours in Advanced Performance and was awarded the University Medal. During her time at the Conservatorium Catherine played Principal Flute in the Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Orchestra. As a soloist, Catherine has performed Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with the Conservatorium Orchestra.
In 2008 Catherine commenced her Master of Music and mid-year, she toured Germany, France and Italy as principal flautist of the Queensland Youth Symphony. She also participated in a master class with Professor Andrea Lieberknecht as part of Crusell week in Uusikaupunki, Finland. As the flautist in SCS2, Catherine performed in the 2008 Bangalow Music Festival under the mentorship of acclaimed chamber ensemble Southern Cross Soloists.
During her studies, Catherine was awarded several prizes including the Ross Peters 4MBS Chamber Music Prize, Jim Massie Memorial Prize, QCGU Postgraduate prize and was twice the winner of the prestigious Queensland Flute Guild’s James Carson Flute Competition.
Recently, Catherine has been awarded a 2009 Postgraduate Fulbright scholarship which will assist her in her studies with a leading flautist at a US music institution.
John commenced oboe and Cor Anglais studies at age 12 and throughout his teen years learnt from a variety of reputable Brisbane based teachers such as Alexa Murray, Duncan Tolmie and Barry Davis before moving to Canberra to commence studies with David Nutall. John completed his Bachelor of music at the Queensland conservatorium with teacher, and Southern Cross Soloist member Tania Frazer. In 2007 he won the ‘Senior Accompanied Work’, ‘Senior Concerto’ and also ‘Best Overall Performer’ award at the Queensland Double Reed Competition and has been the winner of the Queensland conservatorium’s Rudolf Pekarek Oboe Prize in both 2007 and 2008.
John has participated in the Queensland Youth Symphony, Queensland Youth Symphony Alumni and Australian Youth Orchestras and is currently undertaking a Masters of Music Studies in oboe performance at the Queensland Conservatorium under the tutelage of Eve Newsome.
Prior to playing the bassoon, Melissa studied clarinet at the University of Queensland with her now friend and mentor Paul Dean who was gently supportive of her switch to bassoon. In 2006 she began bassoon studies with Leesa Dean at the Queensland Conservatorium for two years before beginning lessons with principal bassoonist of Sydney Symphony, Matthew Wilkie, and has in that time gained several Awards for Academic Achievement.
Melissa has played on appointment with The Queensland Orchestra since 2007 and is a regular performer at the Bangalow Music Festival, most recently as a member of Southern Cross Soloists 2. Her involvement at the Queensland Conservatorium extends to the symphony, chamber and opera orchestras, and she was among a small group of representatives of the Conservatorium on a trip to China to celebrate Shandong College’s 50th anniversary in 2008.
Melissa is currently principal bassoon with the Queensland Youth Symphony under the baton of the renowned John Curro and toured internationally with the orchestra in 2008. She has attended two Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camps and plays regularly in various chamber groups, while also teaching bassoon and clarinet at a number of respected schools around Brisbane. Melissa is currently in her final year of study at the Queensland Conservatorium undertaking a Bachelor of Music- Honours (advanced performance).
Melissa plays on a 1929 Series 6 Heckel.
Nick began playing the clarinet at the age of 9 at St Lukes Anglican School in Bundaberg, and under the tutelage of Robert Rotar he excelled throughout his schooling years. At the age of 15 Nick began lessons with internationally acclaimed clarinettist and director of the Southern Cross Soloists, Paul Dean. In 2005 Nick received his A.Mus on clarinet and the following year commenced studies at the Queensland Conservatorium. He is now in his fourth and final year studying a Bachelor of music (Advanced Performance), still learning with Paul Dean, and since commencing study there he has been involved in many ensembles of both a state and national level.
Nick is a regular participant in the Australian Youth Orchestra. 2009 has seen Nick again participating in the National Music Camp, the Australian Youth Orchestras Season 1 and the classical Style Workshop. Nick is also the principal clarinet of the Queensland Youth Symphony and in 2008 embarked on a European tour with the orchestra over the June-July holidays. Nick has received a number of bursarys and awards over the years for his clarinet playing, the most notable being a joint recipient of the Carl and Ruth Neilson Bursary in 2007.
Phillip is presently undertaking a Master of Music degree at the Queensland Conservatorium, studying piano under Max Olding, after previously being awarded the Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours (Advanced Performance).
Philip has performed both as soloist and chamber musician in numerous festivals throughout Australia, and is the recipient of many notable prizes and scholarships including 2nd Place in the 2008 Australian Concerto and Aria Competition Open section, 1st Place in the 2008 Queensland Piano Competition, 2nd place at the 2007 South-East Queensland Concerto and Aria competition, and 1st place in the Keys Festival of Australian Music, 2006. He was also awarded the Australian Student’s Prize in 2004.