Ricardo Andino

Ricardo was born in El Salvador Central America. After graduating as Bachelor in Music he was a well known composer and music teacher in his country. In 1979 he joined the National Liberation Front against the ruling government, and was captured, tortured and put in jail for 3 months. Thanks to the International Red Cross he was freed and came to Australia as a Refugee in 1985. Since then Ricardo has been working, teaching and performing in Sydney and all around Australia. He is the founder of the Solidarity Choir. He also worked as Composer in Residence for 3 Years with the Margaret Barr Dance Drama Group, and Head of the Vocal Department of the Australian Institute of Music for 5 years. He was a Member of Papalote music group for 9 years. At the moment he works teaching and performing with his wife Jane Butler, Classical and Jazz pianist.

Garpa

Nyima Tashi and Dawa Dolma are highly accomplished graduates of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in Dharamsala (North India), the main body which preserves Tibetan culture in exile through the teaching and performance of Tibetan arts. Nyima taught dance and music at the Institute from 1990 to 1998 while Dawa was a senior performer from 1989 to 1998. During this time, their international performances spanned from the USA to Scandinavia to Japan. Together, they have now settled in Australia with the aim of teaching and performing Tibetan music and dance. They have performed to critical acclaim since arriving here, with performances at the Art Gallery of NSW and the Australian Institute of Eastern Music's Festival of Asian Music and Dance.

Nguyen Ngoc Anh

Ngoc Anh graduated from the school of music conservatorium in Saigon in 1968, where she remained as a lecturer for more than seven years, teaching the Dan Tranh (zither). During that time she was the leader of the traditional music group, Lac Hong, which performed traditional and folkloric songs. After 1975, due to her family background connecting her to the former Government, she transferred to teach at the drama & theatre school. During her time of teaching, she also joined the Cai Luong troop called Tran Huu Trang to tour nationally from 1975 to 1978, when she migrated to Australia as a refugee.

Wanderlust

This six-piece contemporary Australian jazz outfit brings together a collection of musicians whose individual work has gained them many accolades. Wanderlust is led by Miroslav Bukovsky, long recognised as one of Australia’s finest trumpeters and composers, and a refugee from the former Czechoslovakia. The group has toured Europe in 1996, 1997 and 1998 and their debut CD, Wanderlust, won the ARIA Award for Best Jazz Album 1994. They have since released two new CDs, including Border Crossings, and Song and Dance.

Fabian Hevia is also a refugee, being born in Sewell, Chile, and fleeing to Australia with his family. He has studied classical percussion at the University of Wollongong and Jazz Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium.