Meet our Artists
Conductor Kim Worley
Since returning to Adelaide from Melbourne in 2017, Kim has worked as conductor and director with many organisations around Adelaide, including Big Sing McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus, Kapelle Singers and the choir of Pilgrim Uniting Church. He currently holds the position of Choir Director at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and is a regular director for the Adelaide Cantata Band, which he also co-manages. Kim has been Chorus Master for productions of Don Pasquale and Dido and Aeneas for the Elder Conservatorium, and in 2023 was assistant Chorus Master for State Opera of South Australia’s ‘G&S Fest’.
In addition to his work as a conductor/director, Kim is a freelance cellist, singer and music educator.
Organist Stephen Van Der Hoek
Stephen van der Hoek, after having strangely been born in Florence Italy, grew up in Adelaide. He took up piano at an early age, and studied privately with Irina Lioubimova. During his teenage years, he won various first prizes for piano and composition, including the Adelaide Eisteddfods, the Young Composers’ Award, and the McDonalds Performing Arts Challenge. He also studied harpsichord and organ, and has conducted various choirs in the Adelaide area.
Classical Bass singer Pelham Andrews has been a soloist for over 25 years with major opera companies and orchestras in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Recent highlights include performances in: Romeo et Juliette, Lucia di Lammermoor and Macbeth for State Opera South Australia, Watershed - The Death of Dr Duncan for Opera Australia, and Glyn Lehmann’s As the Universe Expands.
Mezzo soprano Meran Bow has sung as a principal, understudy and a member of the chorus with the State Opera of SA since 1992. Roles include: Mrs Partlett, (The Sorcerer), Third Lady (The Magic Flute), Babet (La Chanson de Fortunio), Pitti-Sing (The Mikado), and The Mother in Mavra. She has covered the roles of Grimgerde (Die Walkure), Marcellina, (The Marriage of Figaro), Larina (Eugene Onegin) and Dorabella (Cosi Fan Tutte ) among others. For Co Opera she has sung Azucena in Il Trovatore, Larina/Fillipyevna (Eugene Onegin), Zita (Gianni Schicchi) as well as La Zia Pricipessa (Suor Angelica) with Mopoke Productions.
Baritone Christian Evans
Gianna Guttilla is a Master of Music Studies graduate from Griffith University and of a Bachelor of Music in Classical Voice + Honours from the Elder Conservatorium. She has performed the roles of Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi, Co-Opera) Eurydice (Underworld, QCGU), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel, Voxalis Opera) and Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica, QCGU). Gianna is the recipient of the 2023 Doreen Ord and Lyceum Club Prize, Elizabeth Muir and Linda Edith Allen Postgraduate prizes (2024) and was a Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program 2024 artist. Gianna has since performed the role of Juniper in The Frog Prince (2025 SOSA school tour) and is the 2025 Dawn Wallace Award recipient. She has recently performed in their 2025 productions of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette (SOSA chorus).
Fiona McArdle is a mezzo soprano recognised for her versatility and depth of expression across opera, concert, and oratorio repertoire. Fiona made her professional debut with State Opera South Australia in 2017, appearing as La Ciesca in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Recent highlights include the Minskwoman in Flight, Third Lady in The Magic Flute, and Miss Jessel in Turn of the Screw. Fiona has been featured in concert performances such as Accent on the 20th Century with Adelaide Hills Chamber Players and Songs for a Muse with State Opera South Australia. She is also an experienced oratorio soloist, having performed in Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s Gloria.
Callum McGing is a graduate of the Elder Conservatorium of Music (2020), where he studied under Rosalind Martin. He has since continued his vocal development with Kyle Stegall and participated in the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program in 2024. Since 2018, Callum has performed regularly with State Opera South Australia, appearing in both chorus and principal roles. His roles with the company include the titular role in The Frog Prince for their schools production and the 1st Armoured Man in The Magic Flute. In 2023, he received the Dawn Wallace Award at the Adelaide Eisteddfod. Callum also teaches voice and music theory in Adelaide and is involved in organising multicultural music events, including performing for Shandong Television’s 2025 Chinese New Year special.
Tenor James Nicholson graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Classical Voice) from the Elder Conservatorium of Music in 2014. He made his professional debut as Tony in Terrence McNally’s play Masterclass. His principal debut with State Opera was in the musical gala Bright Lights and Big Dreams in 2022. James’ other roles include Damon in Acis & Galatea and Nanki Poo in The Mikado for CoOpera, and Box in Cox and Box for Elder Hall Concerts. He has performed as a soloist in various concerts and recitals throughout South Australia. James has also appeared in numerous leading roles for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of South Australia.
Bronwyn Palmer has sung at Clayton Wesley Uniting Church for many years. She has performed as a soloist for the Come and Sing Messiah in 2022 and 2023 as well as Sunday Worship and Christmas Eve services. Outside of Clayton Wesley, she has toured with CoOpera’s production of Onegin and performed several times with State Opera Chorus and in the Adelaide Festival Chorus. Trained in Jazz at the Elder Conservatorium and with a passion for music theatre, cabaret and acting, Bronwyn is a well-rounded performer and artist who has created her own successful cabaret (2014). While studying theatre in Paris in 2019, she sang in a cover duo in venues around the city. Clayton Wesley Uniting Church is a wonderful venue to sing in. It is a joy to perform in a place with such commitment to music.
Elizabeth Ponce is a Mexican soprano who studied at the Escuela Superior de Música de Bellas Artes, in Mexico, City. In her studies she worked with vocal coach Angel Rodriguez, Irena Sylia, and Viktoria Loukianetz. Before arriving in Australia two years ago, Elizabeth enjoyed 10 years of experience singing demanding operatic roles in various companies in a variety of countries, such as the United States of America, Panama, Peru, Spain, and Austria. In these countries, her roles constituted the peak of lyric soprano repertoire and have included Gilda (Rigoletto), the title role in Sour Angelica, Cio Cio San (Madama Butterfly), and the Countess (The Marriage of Figaro). This year, she debuted in Australia with the role of Valencienne (The Merry Widow) for Co-Opera.