We are excited to welcome our special guest mentor for tomorrow night’s episode, Andrew Wailes!  Tune in to hear the Finale Episode on 103.5 FM or watch it live streamed on the 3MBS website.

The inaugural winner of the prestigious Australasian International Choral Conducting Competition, Andrew Wailes began his musical studies as a flautist, and as a chorister in various Royal School of Church Music choirs, later studying advanced orchestral conducting and classical voice. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree and Certificates in Applied Music (Orchestral and Choral Conducting) at Monash University, and following studies in Political Science and Law, concentrated on his musical career, also studying conducting and rehearsal technique with leading international choral specialists including Simon Halsey, and John Rutter (UK), Jo-Michael Sheibe, and Rod Eichenberger (USA), Stefan Parkman (Denmark) as well as some of Australia’s leading conducting pedagogues. Andrew has been Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra since 1998, regularly working with many of Australia’s finest soloists, and having appeared at many high-profile events and conducting hundreds of performances and recordings.

For over 30 years Andrew has also directed the 100 voice Melbourne University Choral Society and the Box Hill Chorale, and currently also directs the Star Chorale, and is a regular Seasonal Music Director and Guest Conductor of the Sunshine Coast Oriana Choir in Queensland. For over twenty years Andrew was Artistic Director and Conductor of The Australian Children’s Choir (from 1999 to 2020), and in 2023 formed and directed a professional children’s chorus for Opera Australia. He is also a former Principal Guest Conductor of The Australian Classical Players Orchestra, and the Chamber Strings of Melbourne and has directed hundreds of performances with various ensembles in Europe, Northern America and Asia, including some 60 opera and orchestral concerts in China. Andrew has taught or conducted ensembles at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Music, the School of Music at Monash University, the Melba Conservatorium of Music, and the Victorian College of the Arts. For ten years he was a lecturer in conducting and director of choral studies at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne and has also lectured in Music History and performance acoustics at the SAE Institute.

He is a past Green Room Award nominee (Best Opera Conductor), and has appeared as guest conductor with groups including the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Camerata Academica Freiburg, and Orchester der Universität Stuttgart (Germany), Guangzhou Philharmonic (China), Yale Glee Club (USA), Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum (USA), and Australian ensembles such as the State Orchestra of Victoria (Orchestra Victoria), Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, The Sinfonia of St Andrew’s, Royal Australian Navy Band, The Choir of Trinity College Melbourne, Stonnington Symphony, and Melbourne Opera Orchestra. A trained singer, he has appeared as both chorister and soloist with many groups including Opera Australia, Past Echoes Early Music, IHOS Opera, and is a former member of the National Youth Choir of Australia. He has also appeared with international artists including Josh Groban, Kiss, Michael Bublé, and most recently Andrea and Matteo Boccelli.

Tune in to The Talent every Tuesday night at 7pm to 103.5FM 3MBS Melbourne. You can also stream the live broadcast at 3mbs.org.au or catch up later on our podcast! Just search for “The Talent 3MBS“ in your favourite podcast app and subscribe.