Meet the Music Team

Sebastian Bonilla is a highly skilled and experienced musician with extensive conducting and teaching experience across a variety of settings, including primary and secondary schools, music academies, conservatoriums, universities, and governmental programs.

 

He has taught and conducted ensembles in several countries and in multiple languages, highlighting his versatility as an educator. Sebastian is proficient in a wide range of orchestral and popular musical instruments, including woodwinds, strings, keyboards, percussion, and vocals, and is also highly accomplished in composition, orchestration, music theory and harmony, counterpoint, and music technology.

Currently, Sebastian serves as a conductor and instrumental tutor for the Amadeus Music Education Program at Sydney Catholic Schools, as percussion ensemble and choir conductor at Lycée Condorcet – The International French School of Sydney, and as conductor of the Junior Band and Intermediate Big Band Jazz ensembles at the Instrumental Music Program of Sydney Secondary College. His broad experience conducting symphonic orchestras, concert bands, choirs, and chamber ensembles at various international levels demonstrates his strong leadership in music.

 

Sebastian’s diverse background and passion for nurturing musicians from beginner to professional levels make him a valuable and inspiring figure in the music education community.

Originally from Orange in rural NSW, Rachel is a freelance conductor, cellist and string specialist with a particular interest in ensemble pedagogy. She studied ‘cello with Susan Blake at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Anthea Scott-Mitchell at Newcastle Conservatorium.

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Rachel has played as principal cellist with the Christ Church Camerata, Orange Symphony Orchestra, Newcastle Conservatorium Orchestra, Lake Macquarie Philharmonic and Scots Kirk Band. For many years, Rachel performed as part of alt-rock/folk band ‘Hudson Arc’.

Since relocating to Sydney in 2005, she spent many years conducting Sydney Youth Orchestras, was Head of Strings at Burwood Girls High School, conducted orchestras at Fort St High School, Sydney Girls High School and Annandale North Public School. In 2019 Rachel was the recipient of the Louise Crossley Scholarship through the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra which enabled her to work with Elana Schwarz in their Australian Conducting Academy. In 2013, as Artistic Director of NIMA (Newcastle Improvised Music Association) Rachel helped to establish the Newcastle Youth Orchestra. She also teaches ‘cello and chamber music at the Sydney Conservatorium High School, runs workshops for primary and secondary string orchestras throughout greater Sydney and maintains a wonderful studio of private cello students at Newtown Performing Arts High. 

Rachel is currently head of the music program at Leichhardt Public School. 

Lesa has taught students across junior and senior schools and at a university level, guiding students to succeed in various music programs.

Passionate about creativity and excellence, Lesa’s diverse career spans conducting school and university level ensembles, performing with orchestras and jazz bands, and collaborating with musicians across genres, both nationally and internationally.

Andrew Chubb is a Newcastle based composer, pianist, conductor, teacher and AMEB examiner. He currently teaches piano both in Newcastle and Sydney (The Kings School) but in earlier years, had extensive experience as violinist and violist as both a chamber music and orchestra player.

He has experience as an orchestral conductor and for many years, was a conductor in the Hunter Strings ensemble programs at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music. 

Benjamin has conducted the Tallis Scholars and the Pacific Boy choir (double Grammy award-winning), orchestrated and conducted a film score for Daniel Johns, performed with Guy Sebastian, Silvie Paladino and The Idea of North and recently won four gold medals in 12th and 13th World Choir Games. Benjamin has played on multiple ARIA award winning albums and his compositions and performances have won international competitions.

Benjamin has led musical groups on eleven international tours, performing at The Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City, Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts, the deck of Aircraft carrier USS INTREPID (New York), Saimdang Hall (South Korea), Government House (Tasmania), Disneyland (California) and DisneyWorld (Florida) and conducted mass at St Mary’s Cathedral (Sydney).

As Brass Tutor and Deputy Guest Conductor, Kevin brings decades of experience in nurturing young musicians to the Newcastle Youth Orchestra. His extensive background includes directing the award-winning Newcastle Grammar School Symphony Orchestra and leading successful youth ensembles across Australia and internationally. A passionate educator and composer who writes specifically for student ensembles, Kevin understands how to bring out the best in developing musicians.

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Kevin has had the privilege of collaborating with some of Australia’s most distinguished musicians and composers, including Stuart Greenbaum, Katy Abbott, Paul Jarman, George Ellis, John Morrison, Jacki Cooper, Ed Wilson, and James Morrison. Recently semi-retired from Newcastle Grammar School, he now focuses on composition and mentoring young musicians in the broader Newcastle community, making him an invaluable guide for our brass players and the orchestra as a whole.