Welcome to Country and Stories of Country - Barry Gilson 

Barry is a Wadawurrung man - and a local legend. He tells and sings his stories with heart, passion and honesty. In 2020 he became an award winning poet when he took out the Melbourne Spoken Word poetry event. His musical piece for the Sovereign Hill show ‘Aura’ narrates and story-tells the history of his people. Barry continues to sing at events and in 2022 his band MENINYAN has played at Meredith Music Festival and Beyond the Valley. He creates songs from Wadawurrung language and engages with people to hear the sounds of long ago. We are honoured to have Barry back at Turramurra once more. 

Ensemble - Son Quba 

Notorious for getting the party started at Turramurra and beyond, Son Quba are an infectious 9 piece outfit bringing the rhythms and spirit of Cuba to Australian audiences. Band leader Steve Breheny first travelled to Cuba in 2011 with the Cuban Cultural Alliance, formed to share donated instruments and spare parts with students and musicians in Cuba. Stephen fell hook, line and sinker for the sounds and stories of this place. Since then, Steve, with the whole of Son Quba in tow, has returned many times to learn intensively from local musicians. The only thing they love more than immersing themselves in Cuban culture is sharing this beautiful rhythm with the world. 

Singing - Strat & Lyndal 

Trained teachers and community music champions Brian Strating and Lyndal Chambers are Turramurra stalwarts. Both fine musos in their own right, together they are more than the sum of the parts with the capacity to get a room full of players, from beginner to veteran, fully engaged in music and art making. They have toured and worked collaboratively on countless musical projects around Australia and overseas. Currently they lead street bands: ‘Invy Horn Jam’ and ‘Boomulele’, perform as a duo, deeply discuss community music making, run music camps, present workshops, lead parades and play on the porch! 

Ukulele - Sarah Carroll 

Multi-instrumentalist Sarah Carroll, AKA ‘The Ukulele Queen of the Bellarine’ teaches uke and guitar to kids and grown ups around the peninsula and has even led a ukulele-lovers tour to Hawaii. As a performer she has rocked most of Australia’s high-profile festivals and best pubs with GIT, The Pirates Of Beer, The Junes, The Cartridge Family and more! She is known for her earthy, wry and heartfelt songs, driving guitar and ukulele rhythms and calm, clear delivery.

Beginner Fiddle - Cathy Blake 

Cathy began playing fiddle at 6 yrs with her family & community orchestras. Then she discovered the folk music world, particularly Irish music, a tradition she has since shared with her own 4 daughters.  She is now an instrumental violin & viola teacher in Geelong. An award winning performer and contributor to the folk music scene, she performs regularly with the Melbourne Scottish Fiddlers.

Cathy is passionate about encouraging players of all ages and stages on their musical journey. Fiddle class participants will be taught tunes by ear, with sheet music handouts available to take away.

Intermediate fiddle - Tess and Lulu Hickey 

Sisters Lulu (Fiddle) and Tess (Cello) Hickey hail from suburban Melbourne and have been playing in the Australian folk scene for most of their lives. Both with backgrounds in the Classical and Jazz genres, the two have found a home in the creativity and liberty of the folk world using their many musical influences to shape their playing style and propell the innovative sound of their trio Apolline. Their playing takes inspiration from the likes of Natalie Haas, Hanneke Cassel and The Fretless and they are keen to share all their knowledge and music with any who want to learn.

Beginner Guitar - Cat Canteri 

Have a chat to Cat Canteri and you’ll realise this woman can do anything! Not only a fierce drummer and super talented singer and songwriter, Cat’s passion for sharing the joy of music shines through in everything she does. Her family’s migration story and her childhood in Melbourne’s north have shaped her music and her understanding of the world. Cat has played with the likes of Kutcha Edwards, Mick Thomas, The Waif’s Vikki Thorn and we are thrilled to have her bring her magic touch to Turra. 

Intermediate Guitar - Justin Bernasconi

Originally from Cambridgeshire England, Justin Bernasconi is now known as one of the city’s finest guitarists and songwriters.  He draws from a deep well of influences. The classical world, indie folk and world-wide cultures all inform Bernasconi’s compositions. Justin will guide you the intermediate guitarists through intricate arrangements of classic songs and inspire anyone to level up their playing.

Music for Preschoolers - Sal Kimber

After delighting kids big and little at Turra 2023, Sal is back. to share the joy and fun of music. Through expression and connection Sal will entertain and engage participants through interactive music games, a sing along with some well known kids songs and the introduction of some awesome new songs. Songwriter, singer, guitar and banjo player, music mentor, and occasional kids music entertainer, Sal has performed at many music festivals around Australia and Internationally, both solo and with her five piece band. 

Beginner Whistle and flute – Lynelle Moran

Lynnelle has been playing and performing traditional Irish music since childhood. As a flautist, tin whistle player and vocalist, she has played in various ensembles over the years, performing at festivals throughout Australia and overseas. Having taught trad tin whistle and flute for many years, including at the Lake School of Irish Music as well as the Turramurra and Roses Gap Music Camps.

Art - Steph Hughes 

Steph Hughes is a much-loved illustrator, musician, printmaker, community art facilitator from Naarm, Australia. The whole thing began with making gig posters for her bands and friends' bands – and has rolled on to diverse workings with the Arts Centre, Melbourne Museum, the TAC, the ABC, Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, Golden Plains Festival and many many more. Steph loves the process of collaborating/building drawings for all occasions, and is a big sketchbook nerd. She is so excited to share with Turra her experience of building large-scale communal artworks with school kids.

Alice Glenn - dance 

Alice Glenn is a dancer, a teacher, and non-stop community organising machine. She is also the founder and the Director of the global dance sensation, No Lights No Lycra which started a movement in 2009 when they encouraged people to come together and dance free-style with the lights off, to encourage wildly uninhibited moves! NLNL now operates in more than 75 communities globally. Alice is also the CEO of the not for profit No Lights No Lycra Education improving the mental health and wellbeing of young people through social connection, music and movement.