With Coady away, this week we are delighted to welcome guest mentors Dean Sky Lucas and Peter Mander to the programme! Continue reading to learn more about Dean and Peter.

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Dean Sky-Lucas

Outstanding collaborative accompanist on all keyboard instruments and singer, Dean Sky- Lucas has performed all over the world. Widely broadcast in Australia on ABC FM, Radio National and on Radio New Zealand, Dean has often performed live as a pianist and countertenor.

During his appointment from 2010 until 2016 as the Coordinator and Lecturer of Collaborative piano at the University of Auckland, Dean appeared on radio New Zealand as their regular Opera critic and he was a much sought after accompanist with the New Zealand Choral organisation, Choirs Aotearoa, with whom he accompanied Voices New Zealand – the professional ensemble, and toured often with the National Youth Choir throughout the North and South Islands and internationally through Europe and the United Kingdom with this repertoire broadcast on the BBC.

Dean has performed in the Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane International festivals as a pianist and singer and he has performed with the MSO, Orchestra Victoria and TSO on organ, harpsichord and Celeste.

His recordings have received critical acclaim including a 5-star review from the New Zealand Herald for his recording with Ben Hoadley (bassoon) of a CD of works from the 20th and 21st centuries for bassoon and piano.

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Peter Mander

Peter studied classical voice at Melbourne University, and undertook further graduate studies in Germany in Stuttgart, Hamburg and Munich under some of the world’s most distinguished musical educators including Prof. Georg Jelden, Prof. Naan Pölt, Prof. Hanno Blaschke and Prof. Micheal Dixon. 

Peter holds a Bachelor of Music Education (University of Melbourne), and an Associate of Music Australia – Singing (AMEB). 

As a performer, Peter has held the following professional positions: Solo and Chorus, Victoria State Opera, and in Germany from 1982-1994 as Character-Tanz Buffo Tenor, Stadttheater Lűneburg, Principal Character Tenor, Stadttheater Pforzheim, Principal Character Tenor, Stadttheater Kaiserslautern, Principal Spiel Tenor, Städtische Bűhnen Augsburg, performing over 50 roles in opera, operetta and musical theatre, as well as covering a vast concert repertoire.

As a teacher he has had an exemplary career over 48 years, and has taught at such schools as: St. Michael’s Grammar School, St. Kilda, Peninsular School, Mornington Toorak College, Mt. Eliza and Lauriston Girls School, and has recently retired as the Senior Voice Teacher at Scotch College after 19 years.   At a tertiary level he has taught at:

Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music – Sessional Voice Teaching (also German Language and Diction), Australian Catholic University –  Sessional Voice Teaching, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne – (also German Language and Diction until 2017)

Monash University – Sessional Voice Teaching (also German Language and Diction until 2015), where was Coordinator of Voice from 1999 -2001.

He is a Voice examiner for the AMEB and has adjudicated many Eisteddfods throughout Victoria.

Peter also published his book “German Phonetics for Australian Singers, Accompanists and Students of German” in 2012.

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