Featured artists
Roman Ponomariov, Coordinator of Brass
Roman Ponomariov’s work as a teacher, academic, and performer is driven by a dedication to artistic excellence. He has performed with all major Australian symphony orchestras and has been recognised with multiple awards for his contributions to music and education, including nominations for the Monash Student Society Award for Teaching Excellence, the Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, and the Monash University Arts Faculty Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education. An advocate for chamber music, Roman collaborates regularly with both local and international artists. He has recorded for 3MBS and ABC and has appeared as a soloist with ensembles including the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Roman holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Music from Rice University, USA, and has studied with Darryl Poulsen, Geoff Collinson, Barry Tuckwell, and William VerMeulen. Since 2018, Roman has held the position of Coordinator of Brass and Lecturer in Classical Performance (French Horn) at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance at Monash University. Beyond his university commitments, he is a dedicated mentor to young musicians, tutoring with the Australian Youth Orchestra and Melbourne Youth Orchestra, presenting guest masterclasses, and performing with Orchestra Victoria and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Peter Luff, Lecturer, ANAM and Monash University
Peter Luff served for 25 years as Associate Professor at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University (QCGU), where he trained numerous horn students who have gone on to secure permanent positions in leading national and international professional orchestras. He holds a Bachelor of Music Performance (Honours) from the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide and a Master’s degree in Conducting from Griffith University. He currently serves as President of the International Horn Society. Formerly Associate Principal Horn with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Peter has performed with many of Australia’s and the region’s leading orchestras and ensembles, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian World Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. He was a founding member and solo horn of the internationally acclaimed chamber ensembles Ensemble Q and Southern Cross Soloists, which have toured extensively throughout North America and Asia. He has also broadcast and recorded widely for ABC Classic and 4MBS FM. Peter has conducted a wide range of orchestras and ensembles, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Ballet, Opera Queensland, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Brass Ensemble, Bangalow Festival Orchestra, and the Queensland Conservatorium’s Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, and Brass Ensemble. As a band director, he has led the Brisbane Excelsior Band and Brisbane Brass, with whom he also performed and competed as a solo tenor hornist. Peter currently lectures in horn and brass studies at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and Monash University. He maintains an active and distinguished career as a performer, educator, and conductor.
Karina Filipi, Acting Principal Tuba, Orchestra Victoria
Karina Filipi completed her Bachelor of Music in 2010 at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide under Peter Whish-Wilson and continued her musical studies at the Sydney Conservatorium under Steve Rosse, graduating in 2013 with a Masters in Music Performance. Karina was principal tuba with the Australian Youth Orchestra from 2011-2013 and performed regularly during this time with the Adelaide, Queensland and Sydney Symphony Orchestras. In 2012 she was a semi-finalist in the Arnold Jacobs Mock Orchestral Audition category at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference. Following this, Karina was accepted to study at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK) in Zürich, Switzerland. She completed her Master of Arts in Music Performance in 2015 under Professor Anne Jelle Visser and is near completing her Masters in Music Pedagogy. Internationally, Karina held an internship with the Biel Solothurn Orchester (CH) throughout 2014 and performed regularly with the Philharmonia Zürich, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, the Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen (CH) and the Südwestdeutsch Philharmonie Konstanz (DE).
Timothy Francis, Associate Principal Trumpet, Orchestra Victoria
Timothy grew up in Brisbane and was given his first trumpet lessons by his father at the age of six. He earned a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University studying under Phil Ryan, an Advanced Studies Diploma from the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg studying under Professor Wim Van Hasselt and a Master of Music from the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin studying under Professor William Forman and Professor Martin Wagemann. Timothy was a member of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestral Academy, Praktikant with the Staatsorchester Braunschweig and also a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra for their 2013 European Tour. Prior to joining Orchestra Victoria, Timothy was on contract with the Philharmonisches Orchester Landestheater Coburg as their second trumpet for two and a half years. He has also had the opportunity to play as a guest with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Philharmonisches Orchester Freiburg, Ensemble Resonanz, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Timothy joined Orchestra Victoria as their Associate Principal Trumpet at the start of 2020.
Richard Shirley, Trombone, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Richard is a New Zealand born trombonist. He grew up in brass bands and spent his formative years in the Westport Municipal Band before joining the New Zealand Army Band straight out of school. After six years with the Army, Richard went to the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington to study Performance Trombone under Dr Rodger Fox and David Bremner’s guidance. After graduation, Richard crossed the ditch to study towards his Masters of Performance at the University of Melbourne under Michael Bertoncello. Prior to securing his job in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2016, Richard held positions with the New Zealand Army Band, Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Airforce, Orchestra Wellington and New South Wales Police Band. Richard has also appeared as a guest musician with Orchestra Victoria, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic. Richard joins his partner Abbey in the brass section and offstage they have two young children, Benjamin and Harriet, who keep them on their toes.
Mike Szabo, Principal Bass Trombone, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Michael Szabo joined the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as Principal Bass Trombone in 2014. He has previously held positions as Bass Trombonist with the Sjællands Symfoniorkester in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra in Honolulu, Hawaii. He has given recitals, masterclasses, made guest soloist appearances, and performed with chamber music ensembles such as the Royal Danish Brass, Aventa Ensemble, and the Honolulu Brass Quintet. Michael has also recorded for several movie scores, most notably performing on the soundtrack to the 2013 movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug