Jayne Neilson – Instrumental Championship
Jayne is a young Warragul mother who is passionate about her music and giving young people the opportunities to explore their talents. The principal of Fiddlesticks Performing Arts, an enterprise that seeks to develop artistic abilities from early childhood onwards, she sees the arts capacity to transform regional areas and bring communities closer together in a positive, supportive environment
Growing up in Bendigo, Jayne studied violin under Jean Lehmann (O.A.M.), achieving A.Mus.A. in violin as well as learning piano and clarinet.
In 2001 she was awarded the prestigious Sandhurst Trustees Scholarship, then took her talents and her violin to the Melbourne Conservatorium (Melbourne University) where she graduated as a Bachelor of Music and Teaching with Honours.
Her passion to encourage young people led to Jayne becoming the music co-ordinator at Gippsland Grammar’s Bairnsdale campus, and to develop a strings and choral programme across all three campuses.
This was followed by a stint as Musical Director of the Chairo junior school.
Currently, Jayne is Concert Master of the Gippsland Symphony Orchestra. Among her many other musical achievements are Concert Master at the Victorian State Music Camp (2000), playing in contemporary groups, composing and arranging multi-instrumental works and recording session work state wide.
She is also the cowriter of the contemporary musical “NoName”.
Holly Norman is a musician, arts manager and educator based in Melbourne.
Some of her greatest career achievements have included being awarded an Australia Council JUMP Mentorship (2012), planning, executing and performing in an inaugural tour to the United States with Junkadelic Brass Band (Honk Fest West, 2015) and recording and releasing a solo EP (Hollypop) in 2013.
Holly initially majored in Classical Percussion at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, graduating in 2006 on exchange scholarship at the University of Miami, before developing a keen interest in drum set.
As an orchestral musician, she has performed at concert halls throughout Europe and the United States, shared the stage with The Cat Empire and The Panics, and appeared as a guest artist with the Australian String Quartet.
In addition to percussion and drums, Holly is a singer, songwriter and storyteller who actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with leading musicians.
She has produced and performed in multiple award-winning Fringe shows in Perth and Melbourne.
Holly currently splits her time between project management roles at festivals such as Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and performing as an active freelancer on percussion and drums.
Holly is a passionate and gregarious individual with an infectious zeal for her work.
She has maintained an active portfolio of self-initiated performance and touring projects whilst making valuable contributions to the planning and execution of major events for Darwin Festival, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Creating cultural experiences that are accessible to the wider community is one of Holly’s focus areas, and it is her goal to become an industry leader, specialising in the creation of opportunities for home-grown talent to engage Australian audiences.