Stiff Gins, comprising of Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta woman Kaleena Briggs and Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson, stand as Australia’s longest currently performing all Indigenous female group. With a rich history of music spanning over two decades, Stiff Gins share their love for music, culture, and language with audiences worldwide. Recognized for their outstanding contributions, they continue to evolve creatively, with Kaleena and Nardi actively involved in nurturing upcoming First Nations musicians. Their musical journey reflects a blend of cultural depth and artistic growth, paving the way for impactful connections in the music industry globally.
Matthew Doyle was born and raised in Sydney, he is a Descendant of the Muruwari People from Northwest NSW. Studied at NAISDA College 1985-88 and then became a founding member of AIDT the Company. Matthew is a Dancer ,Musician , Composer,Songman, Didgeridoo player, Cultural Consultant and Educator with over 35 years experience in the Performing Arts across all genres. He has toured Extensively in Australia and Abroad performing in many Countries as both a Soloist and a Collaborator. He has Performed in Major events such as 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games as well as the Sydney 2000 Opening and Closing Ceremonies, ABC Millennium Broadcast on top of the Sydney Opera House ,Opened the Indigenous Gallery Musee Du Quay Branly in Paris, World Expo Japan, I am Eora Sydney Festival Production(Wesley Enoch), World Youth Day Welcomed the Pope and has Welcomed Members of the Royal Family to Sydney.Opened the New Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, With Djakapura Munyarryun and William Barton He has recorded several Cds of his own music and has co composed and has been Cultural Consultant for Bangarra Dance Theatre on 2 Productions. Has also worked with Grandmaster Shakuhachi Player Riley Lee, James Morrison, Colin Offord, TAIKOZ, Legs on the Wall, Sydney and Queensland Symphony Orchestras and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, ABC(Play School)Currently works with Jannawi Dance Clan ,The Gamay Dancers and appeared on the Voice this year with Jessica Mauboy.Matthew has also been working in the Indigenous Arts in Education for the last 20 years and is a panel member of the Indigenous Advisory Panel for the City of Sydney Council. Is a National Ambassador for the Leukemia Foundation and currently works part time at NIDA as the First Nations Uncle in residence .
Sara Kian-Judge is a Walbunja-Yuin autistic artist. Her work aims to generate conversation and change around the recognition of personhood, self-determination, and intrinsic rights of existence frequently stripped from marginalized people, places, and species. Sara’s work is guided by her relationships with animals and nature, her Indigenous cultural education, and her lived experience of sensory synesthesia and autism.
Sophia Hunt is a proud Wiradjuri and Barkidnji woman. She grew up on Dharawal Country before moving to Gadigal Country this year to commence her bachelor’s in jazz performance on trumpet at the Sydney Conservatorium. She has been surrounded by music since a young age, and her years at the Wollongong Conservatorium fostered a love for many genres including world, folk, wind ensembles, classical, Latin and jazz. She hopes to continue pursuing her love of music as a full-time musician after her studies and continue teaching other keen learners.
Laura Case is a proud Wiradjuri woman and lecturer in musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She completed her PhD at the end of 2023 and is passionate about using music to reframe Indigenous histories and reclaim Indigenous knowledge. Laura is a classical violinist with over 25 years of performing and teaching experience. She has performed with pioneering Indigenous hip hop artist Rhyan Clapham (DOBBY), Aboriginal country singer Uncle Roger Knox and is a member of Deborah Cheetham Fraillon's Ensemble Dutala - Australia's only Aboriginal chamber ensemble. In 2024, Laura performed on stage with Ensemble Dutala at the annual Garma Festival in East Arnhem Land.
Barayagal is an intercultural collective of singers that gathers to sing to the place we are in and to the places we all come from. Directed by Yuwaalaraay songwriter Nardi Simpson, and comprised of both First Nations and non-indigenous singers, their aim is to bring people of mixed cultures and First Nations people together to create a harmonious gathering place, and share songs and stories of culture. Barayagal is supported by musicians from Sydney Conservatorium of Music, is jointly administered by the Con, Last Minute Productions, and YARN Australia, and performs regularly at festivals and cultural events.
Kevin Hunt is a jazz pianist-composer who has performed regularly in the Sydney jazz scene since 1979. He has taught jazz studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2005, and his 2016 PhD analysed the unique sound produced by the Australian made Stuart & Sons piano. From 2012 to 2016, Kevin produced the inaugural OUR MUSIC workshop-festivals, an intercultural, collaborative musical exchange between Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander musicians and Con students and academics. Kevin performs regularly with vocalist Emma Pask and pianist Simon Tedeschi, and collaborates with Yuwaalaraay songwriter Nardi Simpson through Barayagal, an intercultural First Nations community choir.