Nora Lewis, Paolo Fabris and Greg Anderson
Nora’s music-making experiences began very early, being focused in church and gospel music, and piano lessons. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and Music from Auckland University and Diploma of Teaching from Auckland Teachers Training College, she taught music in high schools, and after hours, sang in the New Zealand Dorian Choir which made two international tours. In Australia since 1978, Nora has developed further expertise in choral training by attending summer schools with the Royal Schools of Church Music and the Australian National Choral Association, and conducting skills in workshops with John Hopkins and Jerry Nowak. While Principal of the NT Music School, she was the NT Manager of the Musica Viva in Schools Program, Music Director of “The Beat”, and the NT’s involvement of Music Count Us In.
Nora has directed a youth choir in Darwin for many years, taking them to a choral festival in Townsville in 2010, but her main contribution to community music in Darwin has been with the Darwin Chorale. After being appointed Music Director in 2001 she led the Chorale at numerous community events and in major performances, including The Messiah, African Sanctus, Carmina Burana, Missa Criolla, and Faure’s Requiem, as well as dramatized productions of Les Misérables, HMS Pinafore, and Jesus Christ Superstar. At the end of 2016 Nora was made Emeritus Music Director of the Darwin Chorale and now guest conducts the Chorale on request.
Nora has composed several works on commission, including the Savannah Suite in 2005 for the Darwin International Guitar Festival, and Ola Timor for the 2008 Darwin Festival, involving Singers from Dili, East timor. She was commissioned by the Darwin Festival in 2011 to write a choral piece – entitled Breath of Earth for a combined multi-cultural choir, in an event called Northern Voices. This choir included singers from the Indonesian, Philippino and Greek communities in Darwin, the Strong Women Tiwi Choir from Bathurst Island, as well as the combined Timorese choir and the Darwin Chorale. In 2012 she composed a three-movement work for the Darwin Symphony Orchestra called Onsight, being inspired by three works of local art, and last year her work Vagarie was part of a piano recital by James Teh.
In March 2003 Nora received the Chief Minister’s “Women’s Achievement Award” for services to music in the community. On Australia Day 2011 Nora was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the performing arts in the Northern Territory as a composer and director, to the Darwin Chorale, and to music education.
Paolo has been involved with choral music since he was a toddler. He then earned his Diploma of Jazz Singing in the 90’s from Centro Professione Musica (CPM) in Milan, Italy, under Francesca Oliveri and Paola Folli. He was introduced to Estill Voice Training during the 2000 course, where he studied under Jo Estill, Jim Heiner, Anne-Marie Speed and later Elisa Turla’.
With a passion for Musical Theatre, Paolo studied acting in Stanislavskij's Method and has worked with several major companies in Italy playing leading roles in Fame, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Sound of Music and directing productions of Wicked, The Lion King, Notre Dame de Paris, Sarafina and Jesus Christ Superstar. During his career, Paolo has given his voice to several animated movies, TV series and Radio advertisements.
Paolo started lecturing in Vocal Studies at Charles Darwin University in 2009. He conducts four choirs for the Academy of the Arts: Growing Voices, Mixed Youth Choir, and Still Belting Out! (Senior Citizens Choir) and the CDU Students Choir.
Greg Anderson was first trained in choir conducting as a teenager through the Royal School of Church Music Australia. In Darwin, he conducted the Centre for Youth Music Boys Choir in the early 2000's and was a guest conductor with the Darwin Chorale. His experience as a choir singer includes Darwin Chorale, Sydney Philharmonia Chamber Singers, and numerous church choirs. Greg is the Anglican Bishop of the Northern Territory.
