STAFF BIOGRAPHIES

Richard studied the Piano, Saxophone and Trombone in his schooling years in Melbourne. He has been accompanying since 1993 and began working professionally as a performing musician, composer/arranger and music educator in 1997.  Richard moved to Brisbane in 1999, completed a Bachelor of Music in composition at QUT.  He teaches multi instrumental music in primary and high schools and currently lectures in aural studies and arranging at QUT.  Richard is often called upon as a brass and woodwind clinician.  As a conductor he has been MD for various musicals and shows - Les Misérables, Fiddler on the Roof and other local productions.  Richard enjoys regularly performing locally, nationally and internationally.  He loves to be in the studio recording music for various artists. Richard's eclectic skill set has afforded him the privilege of working with many and varied artists, such as James Morrison, Pete Murray and Gerry Connelly. He is the founder, director and arranger for his big band The Empty Chair Project.  Richard has a deep passion for musicians, especially his three beautiful children.

She has four plays published by Playlab, including Lysa and The Freeborn Dames which debuted at La Boite in 2018. She has had the great joy of directing Michelle Law's smash hit comedy Single Asian Female since 2017.

Her debut novel Beautiful Mess won the Text Prize in 2016 and was released in 2017. Her second novel It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake, a contemporary adult fiction romance, was released in 2020 through Text Publishing. 

Her experience includes performances of both originals and cover music in the London and Sydney pop culture scenes and tertiary studies in Music Theatre at the Central Queensland Conservatorium, Contemporary Music at JMC Academy and Jazz Music at the renowned Jazz Music Institute. Mandi has made a solo EP with well-known producer - Eric J (Art Vs Science, Chet Faker) and has been a session vocalist on numerous local and interstate acts' albums. 

Mandi was a dedicated backing vocalist with the established, Soul/Jazz band - Ladi Abundance Project - with whom she toured and regularly performed festivals and larger venues including the Hifi, The Bearded Lady, Woodford Folk Festival, Earth Frequency Festival and Manifest. Immersion in this talented group of Jazz musicians, ignited Mandi's passion for Jazz which soon became the forefront of her music career pulling her towards completion of tertiary studies - Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) from The Jazz Music Institute. Mandi's most recent notable performances include the QPAC Green Jam where she performed her own original arrangements and DooBop Jazz Bar where she performed alongside renown Jazz singer Belinda Monroe.  

Mandi is passionate about sharing the joy of music to others and regularly teaches Music, Voice and Songwriting to children and adults of all ages and musical ability.