SUNSET SALON 3
Rebecca Cassidy Soprano & Mark Connors Pianoforte
Date & Time
Sunday, 15 November
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Venue
Aqua Vista Penthouse
64 Sixth Ave, Maroochydore
Kabi Kabi Country
sunset salon 3
Soprano Rebecca Cassidy hails from Townsville and is a Graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. Rebecca has won considerable acclaim, winning the Wagner Prize and the Trinity College London Award and impressing audiences with her musical versatility and passion.
Rebecca has completed her debut Album, “Homegrown”, with acclaimed pianist Alex Raineri, performing Art Songs which are all the works of female Australian Composers, this venture supported by Creative Australia.
In appearances with Opera Queensland and Southern Cross Soloists, Rebecca has already left an indelible mark on the Queensland music scene; other appearances have been with Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Youth Orchestra and Ensemble Q. Rebecca is delighted to be headlining our third and final ‘Sunset Salon for 2026.
Mark Connors needs no introduction, having studied classical piano under the tutelage of Oleg Stepanov and having graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium in 2016. At ‘The Con’, Mark won the Hilda Woolmer Scholarship which funded his participation in the 2016 International Art Song Academy and again the following year.
Mark is in demand throughout Brisbane as a repetiteur and accompanist and this performance marks his second appearance for the Sunshine Coast Chamber Music Festival.
These two outstanding Queensland Artists have cooked up an entertaining programme to send us all the way to the Festive season!
Rebecca Cassidy (Soprano)
Rebecca Cassidy, hailing from Townsville, is celebrated for her exceptional soprano voice characterised by a delightful richness and agile top notes, as lauded by Limelight magazine. A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU), she has garnered acclaim and accolades, including the prestigious Wagner Prize and the Trinity College London Exhibition Award.
Most recently, Rebecca has created bespoke concerts and operatic activations for Brisbane City Council, Esk Civic Centre, Soroptimist International, Star Brisbane, International Women’s Day at Hanworth House, W Hotel (Sydney) and many more as well as her continued performances with Underground Opera in Brisbane and Rockhampton.
Rebecca recently released her debut album of Australian Art Song by female Australian composers called “Homegrown” with renowned pianist Alex Raineri thanks to a generous grant from Creative Australia.
With a diverse repertoire spanning major operatic roles to commanding concert performances as a featured soloist, Rebecca has left an indelible mark on the Queensland music scene. Noteworthy highlights include her engagements with Opera Queensland and Southern Cross Soloists, where her performances were met with high acclaim.
Her appearances as a soloist with esteemed ensembles such as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Youth Orchestra, Opera Queensland and Queensland Music Festival’s Opera at Jimbour with EnsembleQ further attest to her musical versatility and passion.
In 2023, Rebecca made a memorable national television debut as a headline performer for the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols, captivating audiences with her spellbinding performance.
Mark Connors (Pianoforte)
Mark Connors is a graduate of Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU), where he was awarded the Hilda Woolmer Scholarship Prize for piano accompaniment.
As an undergraduate, Mark began an ongoing collaboration with the Underground Opera Company as pianist/musical director. For several years he worked with Brisbane City Opera (BCO), for whom he conducted Handel’s Apollo & Dafne and the Australian premiere of Opera Galactica.
He has worked with Voxalis Opera as a performer and musical director, as well as other arts companies Little Match Productions, Springboard Opera and Topology. He continues to be in demand as a studio pianist/collaborative artist.
Mark plays regularly for school and community choirs and works as a studio accompanist for classical voice at QCGU. In 2019 he was engaged as the Children’s Chorus Master for Opera Australia’s national tour of Madama Butterfly. Mark is part of the music staff on a casual basis with Opera Queensland (OQ). With OQ he has been repetiteur for several productions, including the 2022 season of La Traviata, repetiteur/harpsichordist for their 2023 season of Cosi fan tutte and 2024 season of Dido and Aeneas. 2024 Also saw Mark perform with London-based tenor, Paul Tabone, as an associate artist, a collaboration he continues in 2026.