Graeme Leak’s background is in classical, experimental and contemporary music. He also embraces instrument making, theatre and composition in his genre-defying practice, working as a performer, conductor, composer and installation artist. HIs career highlights include 10 years of international touring as a co-creator of The Spaghetti Western Orchestra, with productions at the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Royal Albert Hall; premiering over 100 newly commissioned solo and ensemble works with contemporary music groups Flederman and Synergy in the 90s; extensive touring of solo recitals and original shows such as From Africa to the Kitchen Sink, LISTEN! and The Lab (with Linsey Pollak); and glockenspiel soloist in From the Canyons to the Stars at the Sydney Opera House in 1988 in the presence of Olivier Messiaen. 

Eco Opera started during lockdown – Graeme turned to creating and installing instruments in his surroundings that are ‘played’ by nature, in effect handing over performing responsibilities to the wind, the rain, sheep, birds, cows and rabbits. The animals are mostly enthusiastic collaborators but some have a bit of attitude.

Hazel is an experienced filmmaker with a background in fine arts and stills photography, possessing a keen and unique eye. She has experience across a wide variety of TV, film and video productions. After completing a degree in Photography, Film & Television, Hazel became a drama Camera Trainee as well as filming and editing content for the Edinburgh Festivals.

She then branched out as a freelance Camera Operator into the world of live broadcast television, filming for channels such as the BBC, Channel 4, TVNZ and Netflix.

Hazel has accumulated knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of genres including sports, documentary, music, arts, news, reality, commercial, drama and short film-making. She also has experience of filming from helicopters, motorbikes and while on roller-skates.

She currently works on projects such as Formula One racing, Formula E, Extreme E, Wimbledon and the Olympics, in between creating wildlife, music and art projects such as Eco Opera. 

Patrick is a musician, sound designer, composer and creative producer with a background in festivals, installations, theatre and national & international touring productions.

As a performer he has worked with a number of companies including Melbourne Theatre Company, Chamber Made Opera, The Men Who Knew Too Much and Melbourne Workers Theatre and along with Graeme Leak, the Spaghetti Western Orchestra which presented its unique take on film music at venues and festivals around the world.

As a musician, Patrick’s interests have taken him from swing to latin to ska and electronica, playing with bands such as Texicali Rose, Dr Hernández, Sally Ford and the Idiomatics and the multi-ARIA award-winning Melbourne Ska Orchestra.

In theatre he has worked collaboratively in composition and sound design on productions for Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Workers Theatre and Chamber Made Opera and in his own right has created work for the Red Stitch production of American Song by Joanna Murray-Smith; The Red Arcade installation for Wyndham City Council; Sonica Botanic for Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, We’re all Ears, an oral history project in regional Victoria; Bunker Tapes with Neil Thomas and Cajon Soundscape with Zimbabwean/Australia musician Tawanda Gadzikwa.

Patrick has also been a creative producer and program co-ordinator for festivals and events including Melbourne Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne and Centenary of Federation.

Cobie has been engaged with the moving image for over 15 years.  She creates meditative works for screen centred around the body in motion, nature and the everyday.   These works manifest as independent projects as well as collaborations with choreographers and composers such as Sandra Parker, Jude Walton, Lost Few and Thomas Meadowcroft. They have screened in galleries, theatres, cinemas, foyers, personal computers or on building facades. Commissions have come from programs within diverse art organisations including Ensemble Offspring, Speak Percussion, Chamber Made, Next Wave festival and Dancehouse. 

Her video work also exists in performance and installation contexts exploring the interplay between forms in both large-scale participatory events and intimate solo experiences. Many of these projects are made in collaboration with visual artist Louise Lavarack and have resulted in durational performances presented at The Festival of Live art and MAPPING Moreland, as well as being shortlisted for Arts Northern Rivers, “Your Big idea”.

Sound artist, Aviva Endean, is another creative ally who together with Cobie have been investigating modes of communication and notation through video scores employed in collective sound making experiences. These have been designed for personal devices encountered in isolation, as well as live participatory installations.

Alongside her creative practice Cobie is also committed to the documentation of artistic work coming from fields such as dance, contemporary music, theatre, visual art and design. 

Stephanie heads up Scissor Kick, a team producing work nationally and internationally as well as offering general management services for independent artists. Prior to forming Scissor Kick in 2021, Stephanie was known for working as a producer within the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (a post she continues to hold) and as an independent producer.

As an independent producer she has produced the national and international tour of Drone, the Fringe First winning LipSync for Cumbernauld Theatre Company, and the development of new work by emerging collective Bandwidth. Alongside this work, Stephanie has supported organisations and networks to develop their strategic framework for new projects and leading sector wide change of working environments and standards. These experiences act as the foundation which Stephanie will use to lead Scissor Kick towards its main aim.