Conductors

Passionate about the arts and choral education, Suzzie’s high-energy workshops and dynamic choral programmes have gained her an international reputation, working with singers of all ages. In demand as a soprano, choral director and vocal coach, Suzzie has run projects in Uganda, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand, the USA and across Europe, with recent visits to Ireland, the Netherlands and Kenya.

Suzzie directs and sings with international a cappella quintet Papagena, conducts the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain and has been a guest conductor for vocal ensembles including Ex Cathedra, Manchester Chamber Choir and London Voices. Recent collaborations have seen her working with: the London Symphony Orchestra, CBSO, Vache Baroque, Sing for Pleasure, Sing Ireland, ABCD and the National Youth Choirs. 

Suzzie is Associate Artist at the University of Warwick, a vocal tutor on Ex Cathedra Education’s award winning projects: Singing Playgrounds, Singing Medicine and SingMaker. She is also Schools Programme Lead for the Music of Life Foundation and founded their SEND school choirs project over ten years ago. 

Her own compositions have been published in numerous publications, including OUP’s Carols for Choirs 6, and her multi-award winning warm up book ‘How to Make Your Choir Sound Awesome’, written with Lucy Hollins, was published by Banks Music Publications in 2022.

Website: www.suzzievango.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzzievan/

"Ralph Hultgren is currently the Artistic Director of the Australian International Music Festival – Sydney. He is a freelance teacher, composer and conductor having held tenured positions at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology, where he lectured in Composition, Conducting, Music Education and Instrumental Music Pedagogy. He also held an adjunct position at QCGU supervising Masters and Doctoral candidates.

Dr Hultgren has been invested into the Order of Australia as a Member in the General Division (AM). This esteemed national honour sits alongside his professional awards that include being Patron of the Maryborough Music Conference, becoming a recipient of the Midwest Clinic – Chicago, International Award, and was awarded the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association’s Citation of Excellence, alocated along with Life Membership in ABODA.

Dr Hultgren is a member of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, a full writer member of the Australasian Performing Right Association and the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society. His compositional output ranges from educational and amateur performing groups to the professional studio and stage, and his conducting credits are equally broad. He continues to conduct, by invitation, across Australia, the Asia Pacific region and North America. Dr Hultgren enjoys annoying the members of his church, and loves to read to and play trains with his grandchildren.

Website: https://hultgren.com.au/conductor/