Dr. Judith McLean (Chair)
Phillipa Birkett
Michael Barnes
Tania Frazer
Kevin Power OAM
Dr. Judith Mc Lean has extensive experience in the Performing Arts, Education and Health sectors where she has worked variously as a lecturer, curriculum devisor, CEO, chair and consultant.
Her responsibilities include: Company Director, Queensland Events (2009-); Company Director, Asia Pacific Screen Awards (ASPA) (2009-); Inaugural Chair Major Brisbane Festival (2003-2007); Chair, Queensland Theatre Company (2000-2003); Chair, Queensland Minister for Justice and the Arts Cultural Advisory Council (1999-2002); Member, theatre Board & Promoting the Value of the Arts (PVA) Strategy, Australia Council (2000-2002); Member, Steering Committee, Review of the Program of Assistance - QLD Parliamentary Inquiry (2000).
Judith also works as a director and creator of Theatre and has published in the areas of aesthetic education, and the role of collaboration in the development of new artistic work. Her research interests include aesthetic education, arts and cultural policy, neuroscience and emotionality in the corporate world. She is currently working with Queensland Health facilitating a series of workshops for senior staff on strategic direction and leadership. She is also an adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology (Creative Industries) and teaches leadership studies (MBA, Complex Project Management, Canberra) for the Australian Defence Force.
She lives between Brisbane and Wylie Creek (via Stanthorpe).
Michael Barnes
Michael Barnes is the inaugural state coroner appointed on 1 July 2003. Prior to that he was Head, School of Justice Studies at the Queensland University of Technology, a post he took up after 9 years as the chief officer of the complaints section at the Criminal Justice Commission.
Michael began his legal career in 1980 in a small suburban law firm in Brisbane. He was a partner in that firm for 5 yrs until he moved to the Aboriginal Legal Service.
He became interested in the coronial system when appearing for the relatives of people whose deaths were investigated by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody which highlighted the inadequacies of the coronial processes of that time.
He has since specialised in criminal and administrative law and undertakes research and teaching in corruption and organised crime investigation and death investigation.
Michael was a member of the inaugural Queensland Biotechnology Advisory Council and the Child Death Review Committee. He is currently a member of the Police Education Advisory Council, and the Expert Reference Group for Suicide Prevention. He is the Queensland Regional Convenor of the National Judicial College of Australia and an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Law at QUT. He chairs the Brisbane Water Polo Judiciary Panel.
Phillipa Birkett
Phillipa Birkett was on the Board of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music for a term of five years and during this time also acted, when necessary as the General Manager of the AFCM. Phillipa is a subscription member of the ACO and has developed and is involved in a range of networks within the Arts.
With a backgroun in education, Phillipa has acted in support roles within the NSW Tertiary Education system and was a member of the University of New South Wales’ fundraising body, the U Committee, for a number of years.
Phillipa is a resident of Sydney and has two children. Phillipa’s interests include music, wine, cooking and entertaining family and friends. Phillipa brings a knowledge of music, art, event management and planning and her broad network within the NSW Arts community to the Board of the Southern Cross Soloists.
Tania Frazer
Born in Australia,Tania Frazer completed both her postgraduate degrees with David Theodore at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London on full scholarship.Following graduation she performed with the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestra for three years working closely with some of the world’s greatest musicians including Lorin Maazel, Rostropovich, Solti and others.
At the age of 23 Tania was invited by Zubin Mehta to perform with the famous Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under his direction. Tania has since appeared with the IPO on many occasions under Zubin Mehta, Valery Gergiev and other celebrated conductors. Tania has performed with many fine orchestras including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony, the Jerusalem, the Stavanger Symphony in Norway, the Montreal Chamber Orchestra and was principal English Horn of the Sydney Symphony orchestra for a season.
From 1997-2001 Tania held the position of principal oboe with the prestigious Israel Opera in Tel Aviv. In this capacity she toured Europe and performed and recorded a number of oboe concertos, most recently the Strauss Oboe Concerto.
Tania has appeared as a soloist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra on a number of occasions including the ACO’s 2006 tour of Europe performing Bach Cantatas alongside American Soprano Dawn Upshaw at some of the continent’s most prestigious festivals and concert halls.She has also performed over 100 concerts as principal oboe with the ACO Australia-wide including live radio broadcasts, streaming video productions and CD recordings.
A recipient of numerous prizes and awards, Tania won first prize at the Coleman International Competition in L.A, the Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Award in London, the Philharmonia Orchestra Martin Award and was recently included in the “Who’s Who of Australian Women” in recognition of her contribution to the arts.
Kevin Power
Kevin Power is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music where he studied piano with Nancy Weir. A successful solo pianist, he has always had a great interest in accompanying and chamber music as well, and was a member of the Conservatorium’s accompanying staff while still a student. After graduation he spent five years living in the UK where he continued his studies while working professionally as a solo pianist and accompanist. He performed at that time throughout the UK and also in Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain.
Since returning to Australia he has continued to work as a solo pianist, accompanist and chamber musician, appearing as soloist with the Queensland Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras and in solo broadcasts for ABC radio. He has made a number of CD recordings including the Piano Concerto by Australian composer Stephen Cronin, which was written for him.
Formerly a member of the teaching staff of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Kevin is now a freelance teacher and is well known through his work at vacation music schools and as an adjudicator of music competitions including the ABC Young Performers Award. He has been an examiner for the AMEB since 1980 and is a past president of the Music Teachers’ Association of Queensland, the Accompanists’ Guild of Queensland, and the Bach Society of Queensland.
Kevin Power is also well known as a choral conductor and has been Chorus Master of the Queensland Choir since 1981. He has conducted many of their major concert performances himself, including those of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Haydn’s The Creation and The Seasons, the Requiems of Mozart and Faure, Orff’s Carmina Burana and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. He was awarded the OAM for his services to choral music in 1995.
