ROB HUGHES - PIANO / VOICE

Rob has a BEd (Music) majoring in Piano and Voice.  His performance background covers a wide range of genres: from pop/funk/60s/rock bands; to choral music and opera. Rob has recorded with Wendy Matthews, Roger Mason and the Sydney Chamber Choir, and appeared in a 1988 MTV World Premiere of So Wrong, co-written with The Hungry I’s. As part-time chorus member of the Australian Opera from 1992–1996, he performed in L'incoronazione di Poppea, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (minor principal role), Madama Butterfly, Turandot, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Fidelio and Der Fliegender Holländer.

From 1995 – 2005 Rob was conductor of the choir of St Mary’s, Waverley. In 2003 and 2007 he toured internationally with the choir of Christ Church Saint Laurence, singing solos in Westminster Abbey and St Killian’s in Würtzburg. He composed a work for the choir’s 2007 tour, which was premiered in Westminster Abbey; performed in Canterbury Cathedral; and in venues in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He is a long-time member of the Sydney Chamber Choir, frequently featuring as tenor soloist in performances including Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb, Handel's Israel in Egypt, Mozart's Requiem, Granger’s Brigg Faire and works by contemporary Australian composers. He has performed in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, PNG, USA, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Rob has played keyboard in and/or musically directed a number of school shows including Fiddler On The Roof, West Side Story, Merrily We Roll Along, Guys and Dolls, Cabaret, Stories in the Dark, Little Shop of Horrors and Pippin. He was Musical Director and vocal coach for Pigs Fly Productions’ 2019 season of Company, for which he received a CAT Awards nomination. Rob performed in the ensemble of the Furey Theatre Company’s 2020 production of Mamma Mia! the Musical. Rob was overjoyed to be MD for the Highland Theatre Group’s 2020–22 production of Jesus Christ Superstar.