About Us
The Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra is committed to sharing world class classical music on the Gold Coast.
Established in 2011 to fill a gap in the classical music scene on the Gold Coast, professional musicians from the community were brought together to share their love for the genre with like-minded enthusiasts. Featuring many extraordinary and talented musicians, the passionate ensemble displays explosive power and driving energy, performing a diverse repertoire ranging from classical to modern day masterpieces and new commissions. Check out our musicians.
Each year, the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra performs in various venues locally and regionally within the QLD and NSW regions including Maleny, Tweed Heads and Maroochydore always inspiring audiences with talented guest artists, composers and conductors.
In such a fast-paced technology-driven world revolving around the individual rather than the community, we believe what we do is more important than ever before. We pride ourselves in our passion for what we do and hope to reach audiences of all ages particularly appealing to the younger audiences of this generation.
The Orchestra does not support itself on ticket sales alone. As a not-for-profit organisation, the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra is registered with the Australian Government as a cultural organisation – donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. The players and the committee are very appreciative of past donations that have enabled the Orchestra to continue to develop and would be very thankful for any financial support that you might give.
To keep updated with news of our performances please join our Mailing List.
If you would like to offer your services to the Orchestra please contact us here.
OUR STORY
The Chamber Orchestra has been inspiring the Gold Coast with classical music for the past 14 years with over 120 performances
A Message from
Our Founder,
Anna Stoddart.
As the founder of the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra, I have been privileged to be part of the Orchestra since its humble beginnings in 2011.
Over the past 14 years, we have selected unique programs and performed over 120 concerts. We have established a solid audience base which is growing rapidly in the Gold Coast region and beyond.
As part of our journey in 2024, we invited a variety of special guest artists to perform with the orchestra. Firstly, we had “Luminous Strings” in March. We invited two extraordinary Russian violinists who flew from London on their way to a tour in NZ stopping off in Gold Coast for this concert. It was very successful.
Our next concert, in May 2024 was called “Heart and Song’ and we had guest vocalist Gaynor Morgan.
In June 2024, we had our next concert which was titled “Coastal Dreaming” and for this performance we invited renowned didgeridoo player William Barton who was named Queensland Australian of the year in 2023. The acclaimed Orava quartet was also part of “Coastal Dreaming” and this dream team plays regularly with GCCO and their commitment to our orchestra has been steadfast.
Our 2024 end of year concert “BACHitecture” was an exciting project. We invited young dancers from Burleigh Heads Dance School giving a great opportunity for the young dancers to perform with a professional orchestra. We also had Guest oboist Tania Fraser perform a Bach concerto.
In July this year, GCCO presented a recital and a concert. “Imagine” was with soloist Karol Kowalik, an extraordinary cellist who gave a sublime performance of Haydn’s concerto and Bruch’s Kol Nidrei.
At the end of July 2025, there was a collaboration with Southern Cross soloists. This was themed on music of the Bee Gees, titled “Bee Gees Re-Imagined”. This was a huge success and left our audience wanting more.
For our 2025 end of year concert, GCCO will be presenting “Vivaldi Madness” featuring some wonderful works by Vivaldi. We have programmed a mandolin concerto plus the powerful and passionate work “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” re-imagined by Piazzolla.
For GCCO’s 15th birthday in 2026 we will be celebrating with concerts featuring music from many different Countries which will be marketed as “Classical World Tour.” We will begin on 15 March 2026 with an amazing show, “Celtic Celebration.
All of these wonderful performances are keeping our players and administrators of GCCO very busy, but I can’t think of a better way to bring JOY and PEACE to a forever quarrelling world.
Welcome from new Leader and Co-Artistic Director, Margaret Blades.
It is an absolute pleasure for me to be joining the GCCO as their new Leader in 2024. Since 2017, I have been playing with the GCCO as a guest leader and soloist, and every year I have watched the orchestra make remarkable leaps forward artistically. In 2023 I made the decision to relocate to the Gold Coast, enabling me to work with the brilliant and visionary Anna Stoddart, and to commit myself to this community. Anna, herself a professional flautist and teacher, founded GCCO in 2012, with a vision of bringing classical and art music to the Gold Coast. Brilliant innovative programming, combined with securing world class guest artists, has made the GCCO into one of the most exciting arts companies on the GC and beyond.
I look forward very much to working towards a sustainable future for the GCCO. Securing a partnership with Bond University in 2022 has been a thrilling development, and bringing audiences onto the wonderful campus is an important step in developing the artistic culture of the Gold Coast and creating an energising, life giving space for the community.
BOARD MEMBERS
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Dr John Kearney & Elena Kearney
OUR PATRONS
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Derek Murphy
PRESIDENT / Former Chairman of the School Council at The Southport School (TSS)
Mr Murphy has degrees in Arts and Laws from the University of Queensland and a Master of Laws degree from the University of London. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors and a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. He was admitted as a Barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Federal and High Courts of Australia. Before practicing as a Barrister in Brisbane for some years, he was the Queensland partner of ABS White and Company, a Sydney based stock broking firm.
During a twenty (20) year career in Hong Kong, he was a Crown Counsel, Deputy Commissioner for Securities and Commodities Trading, Managing Director of what is now HSBC Asset Management, one of the largest fund management companies in Asia and Group Vice President, Corporate Communications, of First Pacific Company Limited, a publicly listed conglomerate with interests in telecommunications, food, property and health care.
Derek is a director at Hayco International Limited and the former Chairman of the School Council at The Southport School (TSS).
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Anna Stoddart
VICE-PRESIDENT / Founder & Artistic Director
Anna’s musical journey began at a very young age, starting piano lessons at just three years old. She continued her studies until enrolling at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 1970, where she added flute as a second study. Within two years, flute became her primary instrument, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with Distinction in flute performance. In 1976, she toured the world with the Queensland Youth Orchestra (QYO) under the baton of Conductor John Curro.
Anna was a founding teacher in the Education Queensland instrumental program and subsequently taught in Toowoomba and the southern region of Brisbane for 20 years. During a teaching sabbatical in 1983–84, she also performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO).
In 2000, Anna formed Carisma, a flute, harp, and cello trio, recording three CDs for ABC under the Atmospheres label. In 2011, she founded the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra (GCCO) with the goal of providing the Gold Coast with a professional chamber orchestra and fostering music education in the region.
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Dr Hugh Won
VICE-PRESIDENT
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.
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Catherine Marks
SECRETARY / Vice President Engagement, Bond University
Catherine Marks joined Bond University as the inaugural Vice President of Engagement, a role to further develop Bond’s reputation and profile. Catherine has over 25 years of experience in leading advancement and engagement functions, and award-winning activity in UK Higher Education, including at the University of Edinburgh, the University of South Wales and more recently as Director for Global Advancement at Swansea University.Catherine is a trained Economist and holds a master’s in international marketing from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has held positions and board memberships with police forces, the Audit Commission, within the global HE sector and with Welsh Rugby. Catherine and her family have settled on the Gold Coast to continue their love and enthusiasm for the outdoors on land and on the water. Catherine was previously a Senior Crew member of her local lifeboat station in Wales, conducting search and rescue operations in some of the most challenging waters in the UK.
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Paul Steer
TREASURER / Former Managing Partner of KPMG on the Gold Coast
Paul Steer was born in Brisbane and raised on the Gold Coast. In 1978 he graduated from Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree. In 1981 he was admitted as a member of the institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.
Paul professional career was predominately with KPMG and specialised in audit and advisory services. In his early career he worked in the Brisbane and London offices and for the past 36 years was based on the Gold Coast. In his professional career he has been a registered company auditor, tax agent and licensed Securities Adviser.
In the past 36 years since returning to the Gold Coast Paul has been an active member of the community and has been involved with various roles for not-for-profit community organisations including Gold Coast Tourism Corporation, Founders Forum, The Southport School and Bond University.
He currently is a director of a private consulting firm in8capital focusing on the strategy of privately owned corporations.
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Dr Jens Tampe
Consultant
Jens is executive with deep knowledge and experience in leading engagement between industry and their partners in tertiary academic institutions, government and philanthropy. With more than 25 years of track record in tertiary academic institutions, industry and publicly funded research institutions in Australia and overseas, he is a proficient translator of innovations, from engagement to closing the deal, to ensure that products and services enter the market and create substantial socio-economic benefits.
As Director of Tampe Consulting Pty. Ltd., Jens is providing services to a number of clients, including Bond University, Gold Coast City Council, Gold Coast Health, Apop Biosciences Pty. Ltd, and AusBiotech. He is Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at Griffith University, and a member of the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation.
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Brett Walker
Bond University
Mr. Brett Walker has worked in Australia higher education since 1994, when he first commenced at Bond University. After completing a Bachelor of Arts (Modern Asian Studies) in 1992, he spent two years in Japan teaching English and learning Japanese.
He has since worked at the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, in International Admissions, Tropical North Queensland TAFE, Cairns, Australia, as Director of Business Development, and at Bond University on three occasions, as Manager International Programs, General Manager International, and currently as Director Engagement and Development.
In his current position as Director Alumni, Development and Engagement at Bond University, he is responsible for Bond University’s Alumni Relations, Fundraising and Community Engagement.
Brett has a keen interest in international relations and anthropology and is passionate about Bond and the opportunities international education offers students.
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Rob Whiddon
Queensland-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Rob is a highly experienced senior executive and board member with proven success leading through periods of growth, change and transformation. Since completing his six-year appointment as Managing Director of Trade and Investment Queensland, Rob has continued to focus on trade and investment, with major emphasis on Latin America and Japan. He currently is Vice Chair, Queensland, Australia Latin America Business Council Member, Management Committee, Queensland Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Member, Industry Advisory Board, Department of Business Strategy and Innovation, Griffith Business School, Griffith University Community Ordinary Member, and Bond University Limited Member.