The National Flute Association’s 53rd Convention
Pre-Gala Concert featuring the Australian Flute Ensemble
Monash Lal - Featured Composer
Monash Lal is a professional flute player and multi-instrumentalist based in Brisbane, Australia. He frequently performs in a variety of genres and styles, from classical music, to heavy metal, and has a particular passion for flute ensemble. Monash currently coordinates a high school band program and is affiliated with the University of Queensland School of Music as composer in residence.
Visit Monash's website: https://www.monashlal.com/
Monash Lal is a professional flute player and multi-instrumentalist based in Brisbane, Australia. He frequently performs in a variety of genres and styles, from classical music, to heavy metal, and has a particular passion for flute ensemble. Monash currently coordinates a high school band program and is affiliated with the University of Queensland School of Music as composer in residence.
Visit Monash's website: https://www.monashlal.com/
Joanna Sullivan
Joanna Sullivan is an accomplished Australian flutist with a rich and diverse performance career spanning more than four decades. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, she performed extensively with the Victorian State Opera before relocating to Queensland, where she continued her freelance work with leading ensembles and orchestras.
Her international career includes an acclaimed collaboration in India with Sarod master Arman Ali Khan, as well as annual chamber music performances in France as part of a piano trio. She currently holds the position of Principal Flute with the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra, where she continues to perform a wide-ranging repertoire.
In addition to her performance work, Joanna has taught flute at the Queensland Conservatorium and in leading independent schools. Her long-standing interest in flute pedagogy led her to complete a Master of Music at the University of Queensland, where she explored the teaching philosophies of professional flutists.
Visit Joanna's website and purchase her beginner flute books: https://thefabfluteplayer.com.au/
Joanna Sullivan is an accomplished Australian flutist with a rich and diverse performance career spanning more than four decades. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, she performed extensively with the Victorian State Opera before relocating to Queensland, where she continued her freelance work with leading ensembles and orchestras.
Her international career includes an acclaimed collaboration in India with Sarod master Arman Ali Khan, as well as annual chamber music performances in France as part of a piano trio. She currently holds the position of Principal Flute with the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra, where she continues to perform a wide-ranging repertoire.
In addition to her performance work, Joanna has taught flute at the Queensland Conservatorium and in leading independent schools. Her long-standing interest in flute pedagogy led her to complete a Master of Music at the University of Queensland, where she explored the teaching philosophies of professional flutists.
Visit Joanna's website and purchase her beginner flute books: https://thefabfluteplayer.com.au/
Mark Xiao
Mark Xiao has won prizes throughout Australia and Europe. He holds three Master’s degrees from the Zurich University of the Arts and the Munich University of Music and Theatre and was a former guest member of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. He is currently the Managing Director of Flutes & Flutists, the Australian Flute Festival and president of the Flute Society of NSW.
Visit Flutes & Flutists online: https://flutesandflutists.com/
Mark Xiao has won prizes throughout Australia and Europe. He holds three Master’s degrees from the Zurich University of the Arts and the Munich University of Music and Theatre and was a former guest member of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. He is currently the Managing Director of Flutes & Flutists, the Australian Flute Festival and president of the Flute Society of NSW.
Visit Flutes & Flutists online: https://flutesandflutists.com/
Merryl Neille
Merryl Neille (DMA, University of Michigan) Merryl performs regularly in the flute section of the Metropolitan Orchestra. Her Winter Solstice for Flute and Piano has been recorded on a South African Music Award winning album, African Bird. Merryl was former principal flutist of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and doctoral assistant to Amy Porter at the University of Michigan. Merryl is the director of the Australian Flute Festival and operations manager at Flutes and Flutists.
Visit Flutes & Flutists online: https://flutesandflutists.com/
Merryl Neille (DMA, University of Michigan) Merryl performs regularly in the flute section of the Metropolitan Orchestra. Her Winter Solstice for Flute and Piano has been recorded on a South African Music Award winning album, African Bird. Merryl was former principal flutist of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and doctoral assistant to Amy Porter at the University of Michigan. Merryl is the director of the Australian Flute Festival and operations manager at Flutes and Flutists.
Visit Flutes & Flutists online: https://flutesandflutists.com/
Aaron Smart
English born Australian, Aaron started playing the flute at the age of 7 and was taught by Bournemouth Flautist Alan Melly. Aaron completed his ABRSM Grade VIII at the age of 14, under the tuition of former Principal Flautist of the Royal Opera House Carol Bacon-Harty. Aaron continued tuition with the Principal Flautist of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Laurie Beers and obtained his Performer's Degree from the Royal College of Music.
Throughout his music career, Aaron has performed with orchestras and ensembles at the Edinburgh Festival, The Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall-South Bank Centre and the Royal Albert Hall. Aaron has played in theatre groups as a multi-woodwind player and has played flute and piccolo with the Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra. Aaron performed at NFA last year with the Wollongong Conservatorium Flute Ensemble.
Teaching at all levels, he has a passion for sharing his musical knowledge and regularly assists High School students in their preparation for exams. Today, Aaron works full time in the Vocational Education Training (VET) sector and lives in Bowral located in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW, approximately 75 miles from Sydney.
English born Australian, Aaron started playing the flute at the age of 7 and was taught by Bournemouth Flautist Alan Melly. Aaron completed his ABRSM Grade VIII at the age of 14, under the tuition of former Principal Flautist of the Royal Opera House Carol Bacon-Harty. Aaron continued tuition with the Principal Flautist of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Laurie Beers and obtained his Performer's Degree from the Royal College of Music.
Throughout his music career, Aaron has performed with orchestras and ensembles at the Edinburgh Festival, The Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall-South Bank Centre and the Royal Albert Hall. Aaron has played in theatre groups as a multi-woodwind player and has played flute and piccolo with the Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra. Aaron performed at NFA last year with the Wollongong Conservatorium Flute Ensemble.
Teaching at all levels, he has a passion for sharing his musical knowledge and regularly assists High School students in their preparation for exams. Today, Aaron works full time in the Vocational Education Training (VET) sector and lives in Bowral located in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW, approximately 75 miles from Sydney.
Minwu Hu
Freddy Branson
Simone Maurer (she/her)
Flutist | Educator | Researcher | Movement Analyst
Simone Maurer is a classical-contemporary flutist, tertiary educator, researcher of music psychology, and a Certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst based in Melbourne (Naarm), Australia.
Artistically, Simone pursues chamber music and contemporary solo flute repertoire, frequently collaborating with local and international composers to assist the composition of new works for/with flute.
Simone researches within the broad fields of music psychology, performance studies, and music education. Using her Certified Laban Movement Analysis training, Simone researches the embodied cognition and body language of flute players. By categorising, tracking, and analysing movement patterns, she is able to understand the connection between how flute players cognitively understand the music they play and how they externally express that on stage.
As an educator, Simone applies her movement analysis research into teaching by coaching the embodiment of musicians, actors, and dancers. She also teaches music psychology, aural musicianship, music theory, and movement analysis at three universities.
Photography credit: Daniel Rabin
Artistically, Simone pursues chamber music and contemporary solo flute repertoire, frequently collaborating with local and international composers to assist the composition of new works for/with flute.
Simone researches within the broad fields of music psychology, performance studies, and music education. Using her Certified Laban Movement Analysis training, Simone researches the embodied cognition and body language of flute players. By categorising, tracking, and analysing movement patterns, she is able to understand the connection between how flute players cognitively understand the music they play and how they externally express that on stage.
As an educator, Simone applies her movement analysis research into teaching by coaching the embodiment of musicians, actors, and dancers. She also teaches music psychology, aural musicianship, music theory, and movement analysis at three universities.
Photography credit: Daniel Rabin
National Flute Association Convention 2025:
Workshop: Optimize Onstage, Thursday 7th August
Click the button below to download the workshop handout.
Workshop: Optimize Onstage, Thursday 7th August
Click the button below to download the workshop handout.