2025 Australian Music Foundation
Classical Awardees
The Australian Music Foundation has presented awards to nearly 300 young Australian musicians to help support their studies overseas since 1975.
The demand was greater than ever this year. It highlights the impact your donations and support make on our Awardees’ development and careers.
The Awards would not be possible without the generosity of our major donors: The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust; The Goodridge Foundation; Maestro Richard Bonynge AC CBE, the Breen Foundation, the Donus Australia Foundation and the Lynn Foundation to whom we are most grateful.
Meet our 2025 Awardees
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Megan Yang
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James Emerson
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Hayley Lau
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Anna Rabinowitz
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Emmalena Huning
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Lewis Blanchard
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Leanne McGowan
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Eklavya Mudgil
ACCOMPANIST
RICHARD BONYNGE AWARD
don by Maestro Richard Bonynge AC CBE -
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Victoria Wong
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Bernice Chua
PIANO
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION TRUSTEES AWARD
supported by the Trustees of the Australian Music Foundation -
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Ella Orehek-Coddington
MEZZO SOPRANO
YVONNE KENNY ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD
supported by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust -
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Josephine Chung
Our Awardees Biographies
VIOLIN
OVERSEAS STUDY AWARD
supported by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust
Sydney-born violinist Megan Yang is currently a String Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she mentors undergraduate quartets and represents the Academy in performances, following the completion of her Master of Arts (Distinction) under Dr. Robin Wilson. She has appeared as a soloist with the Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra and was invited as the Australian Music Foundation Awardee to perform for His Majesty King Charles III at St James’s Palace.
A passionate chamber musician, she co-founded the award-winning Karelia String Quartet, prize-winners at Wigmore Hall’s CAVATINA Competition and set to join the Danish String Quartet Academy and ECMA in 2025. In addition to the quartet, Megan has collaborated as chamber musician with esteemed artists including, Anthony Marwood MBE (at Wigmore Hall), Anna Vinnitskaya (at Köln Philharmonie) and appeared at UKARIA Festival 2023 with principal members of the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Equally avid about orchestral music, Megan has performed with leading ensembles such as London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Age of Enlightenment, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Australian Chamber Orchestra Collective.
The Australian Music Foundation Overseas Study Award will assist Megan with the costs of tuition and living in London and also enable her to pursue international masterclasses, competitions and festivals.
Megan Yang
BARITONE
YVONNE KENNY AWARD
supported by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust
James Emerson is an Australian baritone from Melbourne who is currently studying for a Master of Performance (Vocal) at the Royal College of Music in London. He is honoured to be the recipient of the Yvonne Kenny Award from the Australian Music Foundation, sponsored by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. This prestigious award will support James with his studies and expenses.
James has performed in numerous productions, including Victorian Opera’s Il Mago di Oz and The Butterfly Lovers, and recently appeared in the RCM’s productions of The Merry Widow and contemporary operas in Revolutions. He is also a sought-after soloist for recitals, concerts, and masterclasses.
James holds a Master of Music (Opera Performance) from the University of Melbourne and has received several accolades, including the Arnold Matters Scholarship and awards from the Ringwood and Warrnambool Aria Eisteddfods. In 2021, he was a finalist in the Herald Sun Aria competition and in 2022/2023 was a scholarship artist with Melba Opera Trust, further establishing his notable reputation in the Australian classical vocal music scene.
James Emerson
VIOLA
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION CLASSICAL AWARD
supported by the Goodridge Foundation
James Emerson is an Australian baritone from Melbourne who is currently studying for a Master of Performance (Vocal) at the Royal College of Music in London. He is honoured to be the recipient of the Yvonne Kenny Award from the Australian Music Foundation, sponsored by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. This prestigious award will support James with his studies and expenses.
James has performed in numerous productions, including Victorian Opera’s Il Mago di Oz and The Butterfly Lovers, and recently appeared in the RCM’s productions of The Merry Widow and contemporary operas in Revolutions. He is also a sought-after soloist for recitals, concerts, and masterclasses.
James holds a Master of Music (Opera Performance) from the University of Melbourne and has received several accolades, including the Arnold Matters Scholarship and awards from the Ringwood and Warrnambool Aria Eisteddfods. In 2021, he was a finalist in the Herald Sun Aria competition and in 2022/2023 was a scholarship artist with Melba Opera Trust, further establishing his notable reputation in the Australian classical vocal music scene.
Hayley Lau
FLUTE
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION CLASSICAL AWARD
supported by the Goodridge Foundation
Adelaide-born clarinettist Lewis Blanchard is currently a Master of Music candidate at the Sibelius Academy, studying with Christoffer Sundqvist, Principal Clarinet of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He previously studied with Paul Dean at the Queensland Conservatorium and David Thomas at the University of Melbourne, graduating with First Class Honours.
Lewis has served as Principal Clarinet with the Adelaide, Queensland, and Australian Youth Orchestras. In 2025, he toured internationally as Principal Clarinet with the Australian Youth Orchestra, performing at major venues including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Sydney Opera House. He has also performed with the Adelaide, Melbourne, and Queensland Symphony Orchestras.
Performance highlights include a tour of Germany and Austria with the Queensland Youth Symphony performing Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, a recital with pianist Konstantin Shamray, and masterclasses with Philippe Cuper and Yehuda Gilad.
He gratefully acknowledges the Australian Music Foundation for supporting his studies and living costs during his degree.
Anna Rabinowitz
VIOLIN
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION CLASSICAL AWARD
supported by the Goodridge Foundation
Emmalena is a violinist from Perth currently studying at the Curtis Institute of Music on the Master of Music program with Benjamin Beilman and Erin Keefe after having completed her undergraduate degree with honours at the Royal Academy of Music with Jack Liebeck and Gyorgy Pauk. She is a major prize winner at multiple national and international competitions including the Osaka International Music Competition and the Royal Overseas League International Music Competition, as well as being a semifinalist in the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
Emmalena has appeared live on BBC Radio 3 playing alongside James Ehnes and has been professionally recorded on multiple occasions at Abbey Road Studios in London.
The Nora Goodridge Developing Artist Award and the generous support of the AMF will assist Emmalena with the associated costs of continuing her international studies, and enable her to pursue other invaluable endeavours such as masterclasses, competitions and festivals along the way.
Emmalena Huning
CLARINET
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION CLASSICAL AWARD
supported by the Breen Foundation
Adelaide-born clarinettist Lewis Blanchard is currently a Master of Music candidate at the Sibelius Academy, studying with Christoffer Sundqvist, Principal Clarinet of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He previously studied with Paul Dean at the Queensland Conservatorium and David Thomas at the University of Melbourne, graduating with First Class Honours.
Lewis has served as Principal Clarinet with the Adelaide, Queensland, and Australian Youth Orchestras. In 2025, he toured internationally as Principal Clarinet with the Australian Youth Orchestra, performing at major venues including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Sydney Opera House. He has also performed with the Adelaide, Melbourne, and Queensland Symphony Orchestras.
Performance highlights include a tour of Germany and Austria with the Queensland Youth Symphony performing Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, a recital with pianist Konstantin Shamray, and masterclasses with Philippe Cuper and Yehuda Gilad.
He gratefully acknowledges the Australian Music Foundaiton for supporting his studies and living costs during his degree.
Lewis Blanchard
VIOLIN
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION CLASSICAL AWARD
supported by the Breen Foundation
Leanne McGowan hails from Brisbane, Australia and will be using her award to support her Masters’ studies at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik Berlin with Professor Stephan Picard. She previously studied with Robin Wilson at the Australian National Academy of Music. She has performed around Europe, Asia, Australia and the USA as a soloist and chamber musician at festivals such as Kronberg Academy “Chamber Music Connects the World”, Gstaad String Academy and Villars Music Academy, performing with musicians such as Antje Weithaas, Gidon Kremer, Miklós Perényi, Philippe Graffin, Henning Kraggerud, Tessa Lark and Arnaud Sussman among others.
Leanne has also performed in many professional ensembles including touring with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and substituting regularly with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Leanne McGowan
ACCOMPANIST
RICHARD BONYNGE AWARD
supported by Maestro Richard Bonynge AC CBE
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Collaborative Pianist Eklavya Mudgil holds a Master of Music (Studies) and a Bachelor of Music (Performance) degree with First Class Honours from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music (SCM). Previous teachers include Dr Theresa Leung, Ms Natalia Ricci and Dr Paul Rickard-Ford. He has also collaborated with Alexandra Osborne, violin (Associate Concertmaster, Sydney Symphony Orchestra), Rachel Siu, cello (Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra) and Liisa Pallandi, violin (Australian Chamber Orchestra).
The Australian Music Foundation Richard Bonynge Award will support Eklavya’s tuition fees during further studies at the New England Conservatory in Boston, USA, with Ms Vivian Hornik Weilerstein and Dr Cameron Stowe.
Eklavya Mudgil
VIOLIN
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION CLASSICAL AWARD
supported by the Australian Music Foundation and the Donus Foundation
Praised for her “technically flawless playing“ and her “"refined playful sensuousness“ (Peter Korfmacher, Leipziger Volkszeitung), Sydney-born violinist Victoria Wong is one of the finest musicians of her generation. She is currently undergoing her Konzertexamen studies with Nora Chastain at the University of the Arts Berlin, for whom she is also assistant teacher since 2023.
Victoria is a prizewinner of several international competitions such as the Mirecourt, Michael Hill, Arthur Grumiaux and Max Rostal competitions. As a soloist, she has performed with prestigious orchestras such as the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin, the Jenaer Philharmonie and the Szimfonikusok Szolnok. She also performs regularly as a substitute with the Berlin Philharmonic.
She plays on a violin from Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (Turin, 1772), which has been kindly loaned to her by the German Musical Instrumental Fund.
Victoria is especially thankful for the ongoing support from the Australian Music Foundation and this Award will contribute greatly towards furthering her musical studies and further upcoming projects.
Victoria Wong
PIANO
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION TRUSTEES AWARD
supported by the Trustees of the Australian Music Foundation
Pianist Bernice Chua is currently studying a Master of Arts Degrees in Piano Solo Training at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria under Professor Jacques Rouvier. She recently graduated with a Master of Arts in Chamber Music and Song Accompaniment (2025) under Professors Connie Shih, and Donald Sulzen.
A Canberra native, Bernice studied under Marie Cull, and later under Dr. Bernadette Harvey before moving to Salzburg at the age of 15 where she completed the pre-college program (2018) and her Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance (2023) under Professor Andreas Weber. She has also undertaken many masterclasses with many renowned pianists including Amandine Savary, Eva Pobłocka, Michael Kieran Harvey, Michał Białk, Óscar Martín and Benedicte Palko. Bernice was the winner of the 2015 ArtSound Young Virtuoso of the Year Award and a finalist in the MBS National Young Virtuoso Awards. She was also a scholar at the Wesley Music Centre, Canberra Girls Grammar School, and the ANU School of Music.
In 2024, Bernice was a recipient of the Ian Potter Emerging Artist Grants and the Australian Music Foundation Nora Goodridge Young Artist Award.
The 2025 Australian Music Foundation Trustees Award will directly contribute to her expenses while living in Austria.
Bernice Chua
VIOLIN
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FOUNDATION CLASSICAL AWARD
supported by the Australian Music Foundation and the Lynn Foundation
Ella Orehek-Coddington is a mezzo-soprano from Sydney. This academic year she will undertake her final year of studies on the opera course at RAM in London as one of their Bicentenary Scholars. She is a young artist with the Accademia dell’opera italiana, and in the summer she attended the Bayreuth Festival as a Richard-Wagner-Stipendiatin. She previously studied at Sydney Conservatorium. She performed roles such as Donna Elvira, Mrs Grose and Dido, and in March will interpret the role of Rinaldo.
Ella plans to use the generous support provided by the Australian Music Foundation to fund her living expenses for this final and crucial year of studies
Josephine Chung
MEZZO SOPRANO
YVONNE KENNY ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD
supported by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust
Ella Orehek-Coddington is a mezzo-soprano from Sydney. This academic year she will undertake her final year of studies on the opera course at RAM in London as one of their Bicentenary Scholars. She is a young artist with the Accademia dell’opera italiana, and in the summer she attended the Bayreuth Festival as a Richard-Wagner-Stipendiatin. She previously studied at Sydney Conservatorium. She performed roles such as Donna Elvira, Mrs Grose and Dido, and in March will interpret the role of Rinaldo.
Ella plans to use the generous support provided by the Australian Music Foundation to fund her living expenses for this final and crucial year of studies
Ella Orehek-Coddington
Our previous Australian Music Foundation Awardees
Please visit the ALUMNI page for details of all previous Australian Music Foundation Awardees.