Our Teachers

Kathryn Connors began her career by founding the Klaviermusik school of music for piano, violin and music theory, in 2003 and continues her position as principal teacher to this day. Her students range from 3 years old to adult and she prepares students for AMEB examinations up to and including diploma. She has a special interest in teaching ESL and gifted students, students with learning difficulties as well as ongoing education and mentoring for other teachers. She is an examiner for the Australian Music Examinations Board and adjudicated the piano section of the 2019 Sunshine Coast eisteddfod and will be adjudicating the piano section of the 2022 Gold Coast Eisteddfod. Previously she has worked at multiple primary and secondary colleges and for the past 7 years has enjoyed her current role as a specialist lecturer at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University with the Young Conservatorium Developing Musicians program. Kathryn studied music at Queensland University of Technology and the University of Queensland, along with studying education at the University of Southern Queensland. She feels that music is a gift for life and should be enjoyed and nurtured at all ages

Mark Connors graduated from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) in 2016 with a Bachelor of Music studying classical piano, under the tutelage of Oleg Stepanov. While studying at the conservatorium Mark developed a passion for collaborative performance, with a particular focus on vocal accompaniment. As an undergraduate Mark assisted as a repetiteur for QCGU's 2016 production of Albert Herring, directed by Bruce Beresford. During his studies he was the winner of the Hilda Woolmer Scholarship Prize for piano accompaniment at QCGU. This prize funded Mark’s participation in the 2016 International Art Song Academy at WAAPA, where he worked with the renowned accompanist Dr Graham Johnson. He returned to participate again in 2017. 2016 was also when Mark was first invited to perform with the Underground Opera Company, and has since become their musical director. He was engaged by Opera Q as repetiteur for their 2017 season productions of The Pearl Fishers and Ruddigore, or the Witch's Curse, as well as their 2018 seasons of Peter Grimes and Don Giovanni. Mark has given a number of recitals in Brisbane alongside talented up and coming classical singers, often with Brisbane City Opera(BCO), with whom he has worked in 2019 as musical director. With BCO he has conducted Handel’s Apollo & Dafne as well as the Australian Premiere of Richard Ferguson’s Opera Galactica. He is in demand as an accompanist for school and community choirs throughout Brisbane, and plays regularly for The Queensland Choir. In 2018 he commenced working as a regular studio accompanist for the classical voice department at QCGU. In 2019 Mark was a finalist in the Sydney Song Prize, together with Soprano Louise Keast. He was also engaged as the Children’s Chorus Master for Opera Australia’s regional touring production of Madama Butterfly.

Mark’s piano tutoring experience goes back to 2014, while completing his Bachelor of Music. He has also attained AMEB grade 6 musicianship theory and Associate of Music Australia (AmusA) with distinction.

DMA (Candidate)., MMus.st., B.Mus., A.Musicol.ASMC. Research (Hons)., A.Dip.SCSM. Research (Hons)., A.Dip.SCSM. Perf (Hons).

Lucas D. Lynch is pianist, composer, conductor, musical director and producer. He studied his Bachelor and Masters of Music degrees from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and is now completing his doctorate. 

He is the owner, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Cadenza Chamber Players frequently performing works from the classical, ballet, musical theatre and operatic cannon. He is also co-owner and Producer of the theatrical partnership, Lynch & Paterson (LUSH, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Pirates of Penzance). Lucas has also been the producer and musical director of Gateway Theatre Productions (Jesus Christ Superstar and The Wizard of Oz). 

In 2019, he was guest pianist and assistant conductor for Queensland Ballet's Dangerous Liaisons. Lucas has been a regular class pianist for Queensland Ballet, Queensland University of Technology, Australian Ballet and Bolshoi Ballet Academy. His current research is on the specialised skillset of ballet conducting.

Sai Chung Lee began studying piano at the age of four. Since then, he has gone on to achieve his AmusA (2018) and LmusA with distinction (2020) under Kathryn Connors. Sai Chung has been admitted into Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University to study a Bachelor of Music (Performance) in piano, where he was the recipient of a full scholarship. He currently studies under Natasha Vlassenko. He has had success in competitions, notably winning the Diploma (2021, 2022, 2023) and 18 years and under (2022, 2023) sections at the Queensland Piano Competition. Sai Chung is also a keen accompanist, having experience playing in instrumental and vocal competitions, as well as AMEB examinations for various instruments up to diploma. Sai Chung has prepared students for AMEB examinations up to and including diploma.