Our Musicians
Meet the talented musicians of the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra! Each member brings a unique passion and artistry to our ensemble, creating a rich tapestry of sound that captivates audiences. With backgrounds in prestigious conservatories and diverse performance experiences, our musicians are dedicated to delivering exceptional interpretations of classical masterpieces. Together, they foster a collaborative spirit that enhances every performance, making each concert a truly unforgettable experience. Join us in celebrating their artistry and the magic they create on stage!
Violinist Margaret Blades has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader nationally and internationally throughout her distinguished career. As a soloist, she has performed on several occasions with the Adelaide, WA and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, the Auckland Philharmonia, Fremantle Chamber Orchestra and Adelaide Chamber Orchestra. She has premiered new works for solo violin and orchestra by esteemed Australian composers Ross Edwards, Richard Mills and James Ledger, and has appeared alongside superstar Nigel Kennedy in Vivaldi Concerto for 2 violins. Highlights of her career include playing Concertmaster for the Australian premiere of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, conducted by Sir Jeffrey Tate, and performing with orchestras including the Australian Chamber Orchestrra, Sydney Symphony and Australian World Orchestra in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls including Musikverein (Vienna), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) Wigmore Hall and Royal Albert Hall (London). She has held the Associate Concertmaster position with both the Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. Since 2017 Margaret has been Guest Leader of the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra, and recently performed with QSO in Wagner’s Ring Cycle for Opera Australia. Margaret has taught violin at the University of WA, has been on the faculty of Elder Conservatorium (Adelaide), the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and the WAAPA. She has tutored and directed at Australian Youth Orchestra programmes and has built up a strong violin pedagogy practice in her private studio. She has broadcast many recitals for ABC Classic FM and played in chamber music recitals at the Adelaide and Perth International Arts Festivals.
Margaret Blades – Violin
Hugh obtained his Associate Diploma in 1991 whilst studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He won the National Youth Concerto Competition in 1992 and was a finalist in the 2MBS-FM Young Performers Award and a state finalist in the ABC Young Performers Award. Hugh played in the Australian Youth Orchestra and took part in seven international tours. He was also Concertmaster of the Sydney Youth Orchestra for two years. Professionally, he has played in the Australian Chamber Orchestra and for professional theatre productions in Sydney.
Dr Hugh Won – Violin
Elias Kokkoris is a dedicated double bassist who rediscovered his passion for the instrument at the age of eight. His early talent earned him a music scholarship to Emmanuel College, followed by a Bachelor of Music from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU). His versatility extends to performances with the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra, Australian Session Orchestra, Camerata - Queensland Chamber Orchestra, George Ellis Orchestra, Ministry of Sound Orchestra, Perth Symphony Orchestra, and is the touring bassist for Australian soprano, Mirusia. His contributions to the musical community were recently recognized when he was named a finalist for Artist of the Year at the 2023 Gold Coast Music Awards.
Elias’s musical style is deeply rooted in classical traditions, enhanced by contemporary techniques. He excels in interpreting works by composers who challenge the boundaries of the double bass, infusing both modern and traditional repertoires with energy and emotion. As one reviewer aptly described, “Pride, passion, and pure joy danced across his face as he and his bass appeared to dance their way through the evening – his engagement and evident pleasure enhanced the entire performance.”
Elias’s relationship with the double bass is one of profound connection and expression. A defining moment in his career was studying under the legendary double bassist François Rabbath in Paris, an experience made possible by funding from the Australian Arts Council. This period of intense study not only shaped his own playing but also informed his approach to teaching, where he passionately shares his knowledge with the next generation of musicians.
Elias Kokkoris - Principle Double Bassist
Hyewon Chang, originally from South Korea, began her cello studies at the age of 18 and attended Kyungwon University, where she served as the assistant principal cellist of the KU Symphony Orchestra. After two years, her passion for music led her to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in the United States, where she studied under a scholarship with Jean-Michel Fonteneau, graduating early.
Hyewon's musical journey includes solo performances at prestigious festivals such as the Miami Summer Music Festival and the Texas Summer Orchestra Music Festival, both on full scholarships. Since relocating to Australia in 2018, she has expanded her professional repertoire, including roles as a casual cellist with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra and a tutor at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Her achievements include winning the Honorable Award in the American Music Talent Competition in 2021 and 3rd prize in the France Music Competition in 2022. Hyewon also received her master’s in teaching (Secondary) from Edith Cowan University in 2022. Additionally, she was selected to serve as a panellist for the string section at the Fremantle Eisteddfod Competitions in 2023 in Perth.
Hyewon’s musical style is characterized by a deep appreciation for both classical and contemporary works. She excels in performing pieces by composers such as Schumann and Tchaikovsky. Her performances are noted for their emotional depth.
Now based in Brisbane since July 2023, Hyewon continues to inspire through her role as a strings teacher with the Queensland Government Department of Education, while also engaging in chamber groups and orchestras as a cellist.
Hyewon Chang – Cello
In 2005 cellist Katherine Hopkins performed Peter Sculthorpe’s Requiem for Cello Alone at the Queensland Conservatorium to critical acclaim. Sculthorpe himself remarked that her playing “was wondrous and so assured in the way that it covered an enormous range of emotion…Rarely have I heard [the Requiem] played so well”.
Katherine began her cello studies at 8 years of age and at 14 she gained her Licentiate Diploma of Music. She was a finalist in the Queensland Youth Concerto Competition performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D with the Queensland Youth Symphony. At the age of 17 she moved to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music and later the Royal College of Music, where she completed her Performance Degree with Honours, learning with the noted cello pedagogue, Steven Doane.
Katherine was the principal cellist for Camerata, Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra for seven years. She has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, the Queensland Symphony and the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra.
Katherine is an experienced and dedicated teacher and has taught at many prestigious schools in Melbourne and on the Gold Coast, as well as running a busy and successful private teaching studio.
Katherine Hopkins - Cello
Evan Setiawan is a professional violinist with a diverse and dynamic career. His journey in music has taken him to stages across Australia, Asia, and the USA, where he has had the privilege of performing for world leaders, including former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and international dignitaries like the President of Vietnam and the Sultan of Malaysia. As a member of DeepBlue Orchestra, Evan became a finalist on Australia’s Got Talent in 2011. He has also played at prestigious events such as the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Evan's musical style is rooted in classical traditions, but he loves exploring a broad range of genres, from contemporary classical to cross-genre projects. He is particularly drawn to the works of Italian composers, whose intricate compositions and expressive melodies continually challenge and inspire him. Evan also enjoys modern composers who push the violin’s boundaries, creating pieces that resonate deeply with diverse audiences.
Evan’s journey with the violin began after he immigrated to Queensland from Java, Indonesia, in 1998. As he navigated the challenges of adapting to a new culture and language, the violin became his voice—a means of expressing emotions and connecting with others. Winning the 4MBS Musica Viva Prize in Chamber Music in 2007 was a defining moment, setting the stage for his future in music. Guided by remarkable teachers and mentors, Evan continues to explore the potential of the violin, both as a performer and an educator, with a passion for sharing the transformative power of music in his role as Head of Strings at a private school on the Gold Coast.
Evan Setiawan - Violin
From classical beginnings—including playing as a principal and soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra in its foundation years, and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra—Martin Lass went on to blaze a new trail with a solo career that crossed over into multiple popular genres—gypsy, jazz, Broadway, love songs, bluegrass, and his own original compositions, as well as blending Bach, Beethoven, and Vivaldi with rock and pop as one of the first “classical crossover” artists.
Martin has performed at several Royal Command Performances for the British Royal Family, shared the stage with such diverse greats as Pavarotti, Julio Iglesias, Yehudi Menuhin, and Olivia Newton John, and Joan Baez, and had his compositions performed by the BBC Symphony, Sydney Symphony, and Western Australian Symphony orchestras. He was seven times winner of the Australian Variety Industry Mo Award, was nominated for an Aria Award, and won an Adjudicator’s Prize in the Sydney International Piano Competition’s “Composing the Future” competition.
Martin’s approach to music and music performance is that by capturing an audience’s attention with riveting, emotionally compelling, musically informed, and even shocking renditions and reimaginings of music of all styles, from classical to contemporary, it will ensure the survival of the greatest art music, past and present, and provide people with joy and solace in a world that is increasingly complicated and full of difficult challenges. This ties in with Martin’s goal as a passionate music educator to draw young persons into the joy and love of music such that music will be a constant companion for them throughout their lives.
Martin Lass - Violin
Lisa Mason is a founding member of the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra and a versatile violinist and violist. With extensive experience performing with orchestras such as the Brisbane Chamber Orchestra, Northern Rivers Symphony, and the World Doctors Orchestra, she has graced stages in New York, Washington, and the Barbican in London. Her recent tours include performances across Spain and Portugal with the Australian String Teachers Association Orchestra.
From the great classical masters Bach, Beethoven and Mahler through to the contemporary film score composers John Williams and Joe Hisaishi, Lisa is inspired by a diverse range of musical genres. Her performances are well-regarded in both orchestral and chamber music circles.
Growing up in a musical family, Lisa’s passion for music was nurtured by her parents and further developed from age 7 under the guidance of the notable violinist Franz Schieblich and later Elizabeth Morgan at the University of Queensland where she completed her Bachelor of Music. She also studied voice, influenced by her mother, a trained soprano. As a dedicated educator, Lisa has established string programs and taught for over 34 years, bringing the joy of classical music to her community through both performance and teaching.
Lisa Mason - Violin
Jenny Dalseno - Violin
Jenny Dalseno's musical journey began in her home town on the Gold Coast. As a young student, she performed in local eisteddfods and was an active member of the Gold Coast Youth Orchestra, Queensland Youth Symphony and Australian Youth Orchestra. Jenny began her tertiary education studying a Bachelor of Music at the University of Queensland under the guidance of Patricia Pollett. After completing her Master of Music on full scholarship at the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music, Jenny returned to Gold Coast where she joined the innovative ensemble DeepBlue. Since then, Jenny has frequently toured both Australia and overseas, performing in Canada, Taiwan, Thailand and India. Jenny played a key role in the choreography and directing of DeepBlue’s ‘Who Are You’ show, which incorporates elements of music, dance, drama, visuals and audience-interactive technology. Jenny also regularly performs with Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra and the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra.
Jenny’s approach to teaching creates a caring environment in which the student is encouraged to explore the violin. She is passionate about teaching young children to play the violin in a creative, joyful, yet technically challenging environment.