Adjudicators for 2026

Nicholas Lester (baritone) – voice category.

Australian baritone Nicholas Lester studied at the Adelaide Conservatorium of Music and was a State Opera South Australia Young Artist. At the National Opera Studio, London his studies were sponsored by Glyndebourne Festival Opera as the recipient of the Anne Woods/Johanna Peters Award. He was a recipient of an Independent Opera/National Opera Studio Postgraduate Voice Fellowship‚ awards from the Simon Fletcher and Tait Memorial Trusts and is very grateful for support from Chris Ball and Serena Fenwick. Nicholas was delighted to be voted Best Male in a Leading Role by the Opera Holland Park audience for his performance as Figaro Il barbiere di Siviglia.
Most of his work is in the classical concert and operatic fields and work has taken him to various international locations.  Alongside his singing career, in the UK he worked for a music charity in education settings, as a singing teacher and trained people to get their motorcycle licence too.
This year alone he has performed several roles with State Opera of South Australia:

• 2026 Dancaire / Morales Carmen
• 2026 Dandini Cinderella
• 2026 Mysterious Man Into the Woods

Stephen King (viola) – string category.

Violist Stephen King is a chamber musician and creative who performed with the Australian String Quartet from 2012-21. Prior to this, he was a member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra from 2003. Stephen has always been passionate about new Australian music and recording it, projects with First Nations artists, innovative cross-artform collaborations and founding and building the ACO Emerging Artists program and ACO Collective. 

Growing up in Canberra, Stephen studied the violin but as an architecture student fell for the darker world of the viola. From 1997 Stephen was violist of the Coolidge String Quartet in Washington D.C. He holds a Doctorate in Chamber Music, having worked closely with the Emerson and Guarneri Quartets. Stephen was also the Associate Principal Viola of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and member of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project while on the faculty of NEC Prep Division in Boston. 

Stephen is currently Lecturer in Viola and Chamber Music at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, Adelaide University and teaches for the Open Music Academy. He is principal viola of the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra and violist of Ironwood ensemble. He has been a regular guest principal of the TSO, CSO and plays with the Auckland Philharmonia and AWO. In any spare moments Stephen designs and makes sculpted timber furniture and art.

Kim Falconer (flute) – wind category.

One of Australia’s leading flautists, Kim has held the position of Section Principal Flute of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra since 2024. In 2025, highlights included performing two solo works with the ASO in the Light-Song program alongside Slava Grigoryan (guitar), as well as two chamber recitals at UKARIA, collaborating with Jessica Dean (soprano) and Anna Goldsworthy (piano). Kim appeared as a Featured Artist at the 2025 Australian Flute Festival: performing, teaching a masterclass and adjudicating.

At the Elder Conservatorium of Music, Kim led a masterclass and undertook casual teaching of undergraduates. She also adjudicated competitions run by the Flute Society of South Australia. Early in 2026, Kim was the flute tutor of the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp.

Kim completed her Bachelor of Music degree with first-class honours at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She then went on to further study for two years at the Australian National Academy of Music (Professional Performance Program). In 2017, Kim was selected for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellowship.

While living in Sydney, Kim performed regularly with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as Guest Principal Flute and Principal Piccolo, as well as with the Opera Australia Orchestra on contracts as Guest Principal Flute.

In 2018, Kim embarked on an intensive study trip to England, Scotland and Ireland during which she studied with Michael Cox. She was also a Concert Performer at the William Bennett International Summer School and the Scottish International Flute Summer School.

Kim holds her Licentiate Diploma with Distinction, for which she was awarded the Leslie Barklamb Flute Award. In 2015, Kim won First Prize in the Australian Flute Festival Open Competition, and was also awarded the prize for Best Performance of the Set Work.

Kim is a Haynes Artist, and plays on a custom 5% gold flute.

Aside from flute, Kim has earnt her Deep Water 40m Certification in scuba diving, and also enjoys Latin dancing, gardening and art.

Vivian Milton – piano category