THE GPS MUSIC SHOWCASE 2026
THURSDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2026
THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL
The GPS Music Showcase is an extraordinary day of music making culminating in performances by students from all nine GPS schools in Choir, Big Band, Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra.
The 2026 GPS Music Showcase promises to be a memorable musical extravaganza.
CONCERT LIVESTREAM
CONTENTS
Welcome Program
Conductors
GPS Choir
GPS Big Band
GPS Concert Band
GPS Sympony Orchestra
Acknowledments
WELCOME
As Chairman of the GPS Association for 2025, and on behalf of the nine GPS Headmasters and Principals, I am delighted to welcome you to the 2025 GPS Music Showcase. Tonight promises to be a wonderful evening celebrating the creativity, talent and dedication of students from across our GPS comunity. We alsopay tribute to the leadership and commitment of the teachers and professional musicians who inspire and develop our students, and our wonderful community of parents and families who provide invaluable support and encouragement. I look forward to sharing a magnicent evening of music with you all.
Mr Greg Pierce
Executive Principal Brisbane State High School, Chairman 2025, The GPS Association
2026 GPS MUSIC SHOWCASE PROGRAM
WELCOME SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Conductor Manager Operations
Introduction Chen Yang Theo Kotzas
Repertoire to be chosen from:
Beethoven Symphony 5 (first Movement)
John Williams “Superman March”
John Williams Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
BIG BAND
Conductor Manager
Introduction Joshua Hatcher Derek Rose
Repertoire to be chosen from:
Just Scratchin’ the Surface comp. Ellington (Essentially Ellington)
Miss Lucy comp. Ellington (Essentially Ellington)
Mambo Inn arr. Tito Puente (Lush Life)
CONCERT BAND
Conductor Manager Operations Introduction David Law Selena Sharp
Repertoire to be chosen from:
Existence Infinite - Rossano Gallante
Sailing - Yukiko Nishirmura
Lucid Dreams - Adrian B. Sims
Sahara - Patrick Glenn Harper
CHOIR
Conductor Manager Introduction Bob Stewart Peter Ingram
Repertoire to be chosen from:
Contate Domino by Mark Hayes (2:40)
Return Again by Thomas La Voy (4:30)
Down to the Water by Christian Gante (3:50)
VOTE OF THANKS
CLOSING COMMENTS
Symphony Orchestra Conductor
CHEN
YANG
Chen Yang is an active musician performing regularly as concert master and conductor with many Brisbane Community Ensembles. As violinist, he was a member of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and started his professional career as the concertmaster with the Queensland Theatre Orchestra.
He is a regular conductor with the Corda Spiritus Orchestra of Brisbane who performs regularly in the annual 4MBS Music Festival. He is also a regular guest conductor for the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia of St Andrews in Brisbane, The Brisbane City Pops Orchestra, Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra and has also appeared with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra and the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra.
Other musical interest includes performing in chamber music concerts and playing baroque music on period instruments.
A passionate advocate for music education he is a teacher, conductor and life member with the Queensland Youth Orchestra (QYO) organisation in Brisbane working with talented young string students with their Junior String Ensemble. At present, he is the string teacher and conductor at St Hilda’s School, Southport.
Big Band Conductor JOSHUA HATCHER
Joshua Hatcher is a Brisbane-based saxophonist, composer and music educator. He was a finalist in the 2016 National Jazz Awards (saxophone) at Wangaratta, and 2 selections from his album “Now and Then” were finalists in the 2016 QMusic Awards Jazz Category. He performs regularly with his own groups as well as playing with touring productions with diverse range of national artists including Darren Percival, Monica Trapaga, Phil Burton (Human Nature), Tom Burlinson, Peter Byrne, The White Album Concert project and more.
His big band compositions and arrangements were recorded by the Enthusiastic Musicians’ Orchestra on “One for B” (2011) and “Long Way Home” (2014) and he was the 2016 Composer-in-Residence for the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra. In 2018 he completed his Master of Music Research in composition at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
He has lectured in a range of subjects at Jazz Music Institute since 2012 including Saxophone, Improvisation, Theory and Ensemble Skills, and is the current director of the JMI Jazz Orchestra. He was the director of the 2025 MOST Big Band and has coached the QYO Big Band rhythm section since 2024. He is a regular clinician on improvisation, rhythm section, and big band ensemble playing around Queensland.
Concert Band Conductor
DAVID
LAW
David Law is a passionate supporter of youth and community music-making. He studied Euphonium at the Queensland University of Technology and has been playing piano since the age of eight. David is the founding president of the Queensland Wind Orchestra, an award-winning and internationally recognised ensemble that he also conducts within his role of Artistic Director. Additionally, David is in his 18th year of conducting the Queensland Youth Orchestra Wind Ensemble, and was the conductor of Brisbane’s Westside Orchestra for 20 years. David regularly works with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra, Ignite Choir and various community-focused instrumental and vocal ensembles as a guest conductor.
David has been an invited clinician, consultant and conductor for Queensland Music Festival’s Cape York Instrumental Program, Griffith University’s Australian Honours Ensemble Program, Griffith University’s State Honours Ensemble Program, and has been a sectional lecturer with the University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, David has adjudicated at state and national competitions including the West Australian Schools’ Concert Band Festival, Education Queensland’s Fanfare, the Queensland Catholic Music Festival and Queensland’s MusicFest. He has worked as Music Director, Conductor and Pianist with various musical theatre organisations throughout Brisbane and has trained in Music Direction at the multiple-Tony-Award-winning Goodspeed Musical Theatre Institute in Connecticut, USA. More recently, David has been an invited clinician as part of Opera Queensland’s Sing with Opera Queensland program.
As Head of Performance Music at Redeemer Lutheran College in Brisbane, David directs a number of award-winning primary and secondary bands, string orchestras, chamber ensembles and vocal ensembles.
Choir Conductor
BOB STEWART
Joshua Hatcher is a Brisbane-based saxophonist, composer and music educator. He was a finalist in the 2016 National Jazz Awards (saxophone) at Wangaratta, and 2 selections from his album “Now and Then” were finalists in the 2016 QMusic Awards Jazz Category. He performs regularly with his own groups as well as playing with touring productions with diverse range of national artists including Darren Percival, Monica Trapaga, Phil Burton (Human Nature), Tom Burlinson, Peter Byrne, The White Album Concert project and more.
His big band compositions and arrangements were recorded by the Enthusiastic Musicians’ Orchestra on “One for B” (2011) and “Long Way Home” (2014) and he was the 2016 Composer-in-Residence for the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra. In 2018 he completed his Master of Music Research in composition at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
He has lectured in a range of subjects at Jazz Music Institute since 2012 including Saxophone, Improvisation, Theory and Ensemble Skills, and is the current director of the JMI Jazz Orchestra. He was the director of the 2025 MOST Big Band and has coached the QYO Big Band rhythm section since 2024. He is a regular clinician on improvisation, rhythm section, and big band ensemble playing around Queensland.
GPS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Conductor: Chen Yang
Manager: Theo Kotzas
Operations
Introduction
GPS CONCERT BAND
Conductor
Manager
Introduction
GPS BIG BAND
Conductor
Manager
Operations
Introduction
GPS CHOIR
Conductor
Manager
Operations
Introduction
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The success of the GPS Music Showcase relies on the dedication of many people. We gratefully acknowledge the efforts and contributions of the following music staff, tutors, administrative staff and other key personnel who have helped to make the day so special:
GPS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Dr. Alan Campbell ACGS
Mr. Andre Casson BBC
Mr. Anthony Micallef BGS
Mr. Greg Pierce BSHS
Mr. Damien Fall GT
Dr. Adam Forsyth IGS
Mr. Scott Thomson NC
Mr. Andrew Hawkins TSS
Dr. John Kinniburgh TGS
GPS STAFF
Mrs Jodie Watson GPS Executive Officer
Miss Ashya Haug GPS Competition Manager
Mrs Samantha Bodimeade GPS Content Manager
Mrs Jenn Evans GPS Results Assistant
GPS SPORT & ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE
Mr. Trent Goodrick ACGS
Mr. Paul Woodford BBC
Mr. John Clancy BGS
Mr. Keiren Goltz BSHS
Mr. Matt Cocking GT
Mr. Shaun McLean GT
Mr. Nigel Grieve IGS
Mr. Jamie Pybus NC
Mr. Sam Smith NC
Mr. Bryan Hain TSS
Mr. Steve Fryer TGS
AUDIO VISUAL
Dan Helmstedt (BBC)
Raoul Carmody (NC)
Nudgee College past and present students
GPS MUSIC SUB-COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Mr Bohdan Davison ACGS
Mr Theo Kotzas BBC
Mr Peter Ingram BGS
Ms Gabrielle Quin BSHS
Mr Derek Rose GT
Mr Leon Wensley IGS
Mr Sam Smith NC
Mr Peter Kleinschmidt TSS
Mr Kellie Dixon TGS
TUTORS AND STAFF
All GPS Schools
