Performers

With 40 overseas tours and 7 CDs under their belt including Europe, Asia and USA, Melbourne’s Pot-Pourri presents their unique and innovative blend of music theatre, cabaret, opera, magic, didgeridoo and comedy in a superbly entertaining show that is so hot it sizzles! These talented artists hit those high C’s in Opera, belt out Broadway, seduce with song, dance up a storm, create magic and stir your soul with haunting ballads! Described as brilliantly talented, funny, fresh, moving and must-see… do not miss them!

Recently named Australian Event Entertainers of the Year by BT Publishing, Pot-Pourri is Tania de Jong AM (soprano), Rebecca Bode(soprano), Jon Bode (tenor), Jonathan Morton (baritone) and Rebecca Chambers (pianist). These 5 talented artists have all performed with Australia’s major musical and opera companies and performed internationally as soloists. Pot-Pourri has an extensive touring schedule and has appeared at major venues such as the Melbourne Concert Hall, Sydney Town Hall, Burswood and Wrest Point Casinos. The group has toured throughout many parts of the USA, Europe, New Zealand and Asia.

They were selected as one of the companies to represent Australia internationally for the Reaching the World program of The Sydney Olympic Games and were invited to perform at the World Expo 2000 in Hannover as a result of a standing ovation at the Australia Germany Association Conference Gala Dinner in Brisbane. Pot-Pourri also create tailor-made performances for your conferences, dinners, awards nights, launches, private and special events.

“Sublime musicality is what Pot-Pourri is all about: their voices, the evergreen songs they choose and their pianist are all world class. Pot-Pourri harmonies are spine-tinglingly glorious to hear and they are beautiful and inspiring.  Their show is a joyous thing to experience!” ArtsHub

www.pot-pourri.com.au

Composer in Residence

Melbourne pianist, conductor and composer Stefan Cassomenos completed his tertiary studies on full scholarship at the University of Melbourne and the Australian National Academy of Music, majoring in piano performance. His main piano teachers were Margarita Krupina and Stephen McIntyre. Stefan has appeared as a soloist in St Petersburg, Tallinn, Warsaw, Krakow, Rhodes, Athens, Rome, Milan, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Tokyo, and throughout the United Kingdom and Australia. His 2007 London debut was described, in a Musical Opinion review by John Amis, as ‘alive, passionate, and dramatic … a prodigious London debut by a formidable talent.’ He was recently a grand finalist in the 2012 Rhodes International Piano Competition, and he has been shortlisted following international auditions as a participant in the 2012 Sydney International Piano Competition, to be held in July. Stefan gives regular solo recitals throughout Australia, and frequently performs concertos with orchestras, which have included the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Youth Philharmonic Melbourne, and several other youth and community orchestras.

Stefan has been writing music since the age of seven, and his compositions were performed by the Symphony Orchestras of Melbourne and Adelaide when he was still a high-school student. He has recently written music for The Yarra Trio, the Melbourne International Brass Festival, the Australian Music Association, Orchestra 21, Patma Music, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir, and the Curro String Quartet. As Composer-in-Residence for Creative Universe’s CI-2010 Conference, he premiered his Piano Concerto No 3, The Art of Thought, at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Stefan is also active as an Artistic Director and Conductor. He was the Artistic Director of the 2007 Melba Festival in the Yarra Valley, Guest Artistic Director of Melbourne’s Piano Landmarks festival 2009-10, Conductor of the Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra 2010-11, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Chamber Strings of Melbourne for 2011, and founding director of Creativity Australia’s ‘Our Community Sings’ Choir for 2011.

Stefan is generously supported by Kawai Australia, Creative Universe, and the Youth Music Foundation of Australia.