CASTALIA Vocal Consort – exquisitely uplifting voices for modern Australia.
Artistic team Amy Moore and Stephanie Dillon lead CASTALIA with a focus on beauty of sound and a fearless approach to repertoire old and new. With internationally and nationally acclaimed Australian singers, CASTALIA combines exquisite vocal artistry with dynamic programming, all led from within the ensemble.
Audiences of CASTALIA will hear our incredible artists in immersive, interesting and inspiring spaces, in experiences that provoke and delight. Working without a conductor, CASTALIA harnesses the incredible experience of our artists, performing avant garde repertoire alongside the most sublime music of the past.
CASTALIA combines the international and national experiences of our artists to contribute to, and enrich the professional vocal music landscape in Australia. CASTALIA aims to cultivate emerging talent and increase professional opportunities for musicians to aspire to in Australia.
Artistic Directors
Amy Moore, Soprano
Lyric Soprano Amy Moore moved to Australia from the UK in 2015 following a successful career encompassing a wide variety of repertoire particularly in the early and contemporary music arenas. Accomplished as both a soloist and ensemble singer, Amy worked with virtually all the leading UK ensembles, appearing regularly in concert and featuring on dozens of CD recordings.
Amy performed solo radio broadcasts with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (Boyce's Solomon), The Gabrieli Consort (Purcell's Odes) and the RTÉ Orchestra (Fauré Requiem). In concert Amy has appeared with the Bochumer Symphoniker (Handel's Messiah), the Irish Baroque Orchestra (Bach’s St Matthew Passion), the Hanover Band (Bach's St John Passion and Handel’s Messiah), the London Contemporary Orchestra (Jonathan Cole’s Assassin Hair), Ensemble Intercontemporain, Paris (Enno Poppe’s Interzone, directed by Susanna Mälkki) and with performances of Monteverdi’s Vespers, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and Verdi’s Requiem.
As a member of Norway’s Edvard Grieg Kor from 2012-14, Amy took the roles of Mrs Paskova in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen, and Iseut in Frank Martin’s Le Vin Herbe, as well as appearing performances of Marco Polo, The Golden Cockerel and Fidelio with Bergen Nasjonale Opera.
In Australia, Amy has performed solo concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Messiah), Australian Brandenburg Orchestra (Mozart Requiem and Handel Dixit Dominus), Bach Akademie Australia (Ascension Oratorio BVW 11), The Choir of St James’ King Street (Haydn Creation, Handel L’allegro, il penseroso ed il moderato, Messiah, St John Passion), Victoria Chorale Melbourne (Haydn Nelson Mass), Trinity College Choir Melbourne (Messiah), The Australian Bach Society (Lutheran Masses), Willoughby Symphony Orchestra (Haydn The Seasons, Brahms Requiem), and Australian Baroque Brass (Jauchzet, Gott BWV 51).
Amy performed a number of concerts in the 2019 Canberra International Music Festival, receiving warm reviews for her performances in Bach’s St John Passion and the role of Vikki in Andrew Schultz’s chamber opera, The Children’s Bach.
Amy is a Principal Artist with The Song Company and has recently performed Messiaen’s grandest song cycle, Harawi, Chants d’amour et de mort, with Artistic Director Antony Pitts, in a number of live performances and on Melbourne Digital Concert Hall.
Amy has performed in concert with Pinchgut Opera and was to have made her solo operatic debut in their (postponed) 2020 performance of Medée and Platée in 2021.
Stephanie Dillon, Mezzo Soprano
Mezzo soprano Stephanie Dillon was born and raised in Moree, NSW, and is now based in Sydney. Stephanie is a versatile singer, showcasing her “distinctively edged sound” (Sydney Morning Herald) and “full-bodied mezzo warmth” (Fever Pitch Magazine) in repertoire ranging from the Baroque to contemporary periods. Stephanie enjoys a varied career, both as a soloist and ensemble singer.
Stephanie has been a member of the Choir of St James’ King Street, Sydney since 2017. Stephanie enjoys regular collaborations with professional organisations in Australia, including Bach Akademie Australia, the Song Company, Pinchgut Opera, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Cantillation, and St Mary’s Cathedral Choir. Stephanie was a Principal Artist with The Song Company from 2020-2022 and is the co-Artistic Director of new vocal ensemble, CASTALIA Vocal Consort.
Notable 2023 engagements include Bach St John Passion with Christ Church St Laurence Sydney, Bach Magnificat in D with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Bach at Easter with Bach Akademie Australia, and concerts with CASTALIA Vocal Consort for Musica Viva’s ‘Morning Masters’ concert series.
In 2022, Stephanie performed in various projects with Bach Akademie Australia, tours with the Song Company and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and two programs with Pinchgut Opera, including Monteverdi’s Vespers. Stephanie also performed in four programs with CASTALIA Vocal Consort in their inaugurate year. Other professional highlights include Arvo Pärt’s Passio at the Tapestry of Sacred Music Festival in Singapore, 150 Psalms project at the 2020 Adelaide Festival, Handel's Messiah with various orchestras, plus education work with Gondwana Choirs and Moorambilla Voices.
In addition to her work as a performer, Stephanie has worked in arts administration and arts education in some of Australia’s leading arts organisations. In 2022, Stephanie attained a Master of Teaching (primary) and works as a primary school teacher when not on the concert platform.
Artists
Chloe Lankshear, Soprano
Chloe Lankshear is a Sydney-based Soprano who enjoys a varied career of performative mediums from operatic productions to classical contemporary recitals and premieres of commissioned works.
Chloe has performed with State Opera South Australia, Pinchgut Opera, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Bach Akademie Australia, is a Principal artist with The Song Company, and permanent member of St James Choir Kings Street.
Her debut lead operatic role was in Ensemble Polypheme's production of 'Acis and Galatea' in 2019. Recently Chloe has performed as a soloist for Paul Stanhope's premiere of his work 'Requiem' at City Recital Hall, as well as Pinchgut Opera's program of Monteverdi's 'Vespers'. More recently she performed the role of 'Cupid' in a chamber production of Purcell's 'King Arthur'. In June she collaborated with The Australian Chamber Orchestra for their StudioCast program 'Baroque Revelry'. set for release in December.
Chloe was recently named the inaugural 'Taryn Fiebig Scholar' with Pinchgut Opera, and appeared in their production of 'Platée' in 2021.
Philip Murray, Bass
Philip Murray trained originally as a flautist, completing a Bachelor of Music at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, and doctoral studies at the University of Western Australia. He later studied singing with Molly McGurk, and has performed for many years as both a freelance flautist and an ensemble and consort singer.
He sang for many years with numerous ensembles in Perth, including the WA Opera Chorus, the Giovanni Consort, and the St George’s Cathedral Choir. He has been a member of the Choir of St James’ in Sydney since 2011, and has sung regularly with Cantillation, the Australian Brandenburg Choir, Sydney Antiphony and St Mary’s Cathedral Choir.
Philip has appeared as soloist in a number of choral performances, including Handel’s Messiah and Acis and Galatea, Bach’s St John Passion, Faure’s Requiem, Haydn’s Theresienmesse, Arvo Pärt’s St John Passion, and Dvorak’s Mass in D. He currently maintains a busy teaching schedule at several Sydney schools.
Aidan O’Donnell, Bass
Bass-baritone Aidan O’Donnell is a passionate and animated performer whose love for storytelling is conveyed through his singing. Having completed a BMus degree majoring in classical vocal performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Aidan is now undertaking a Masters of Opera Performance in Sydney under the tutelage of David Greco.
Aidan has participated in a range of performances and positions including his current positions as a Lay Clerk at St James King Street and St Paul’s College, and deputy Lay Clerk at St Mary’s Cathedral. Other notable music organisations Aidan has worked with include the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra as a featured artist and chorister, and The Song Company as an associate artist.
As well as choral singing, Aidan has been a part of many performance productions, masterclasses and competitions from a young age. Some examples include participating in musicals and eisteddfods in high school. Most notably, he attended and participated in the ‘Melbourne International Festival for Lieder and Art Song’ in 2019 conducted by Professor Graham Johnson. In 2020 and 2021, Aidan was awarded as a finalist in the ‘Demant Dreikurs Song Competition’ and had the privilege of being featured as part of the young stars of Australian Opera in the Carols in the Domain in consecutive years.
Louis Hurley, Tenor
After completing a Bachelor of Music and Graduate Diploma of Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), tenor Louis Hurley furthered his studies, as a Hazell Scholar, with a Master of Music at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London under the tutelage of Adrian Thompson. Whilst in London, Louis performed at both the Wigmore Hall and the Barbican Hall.
In 2022, Louis will make a number of important debuts including Messiah with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, 1st Prisoner (Fidelio) with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Simone Young and in Haydn’s ‘Nelson Mass’ with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. He will also return to Pinchgut Opera to perform the roles of Acis (Acis and Galatea), Arcas (Medée), and Tibrino (Orontea).
Most recently Louis has been heard at the Adelaide Festival in the role of Flute in Neil Armfield’s production of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and in the Montverdi Vespers with Pinchgut Opera. Further roles include the title role in Albert Herring and Pluto/Mercure (Orpheus in the Underworld) for Melbourne Conservatorium; Jaquino (Fidelio) and Don Basilio (The Marriage of Figaro) for Melbourne Opera; Giuseppe (La Traviata) for West Australian Opera, and Older Son (Dead Man Walking, Heggie) at the Barbican, London.
On the concert platform he has been heard in Dvorak’s Requiem and Mass in D, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, and in song cycles of Schubert (Die Winterreise), Schuman (Dichterliebe), Beethoven (An die ferne Geliebte), Brahms (Liebeslieder Waltzer) and Britten Canticles.
Christopher Watson Tenor
Christopher Watson has been Director of Music at Trinity College, Melbourne, since January 2017. Before moving to Australia he spent 20 years working as a freelance singer and conductor, based in the UK.
He made his debut with The Tallis Scholars in 1998 and went on to make over 500 appearances with them. In 2007 he made his debut at Carnegie Hall with Theatre of Voices, giving the world premiere of David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Little Match Girl Passion, their recording of which won a Grammy Award in 2009. He returned to Carnegie Hall with Theatre of Voices in February 2015 to perform Stockhausen’s Stimmung.
Christopher also sang regularly with Tenebrae, Gallicantus, Alamire and Collegium Vocale Gent and was active as a soloist in Europe, particularly in the Passions of JS Bach. He has made over 100 recordings of repertoire by, among others, Dufay, Josquin, Tallis, Byrd, Lassus, Bach, Berio and Pärt.