Echoes of Christmas 2026 — Festive Classical Concert

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Gather your favourite people for a festive evening of live music at St Andrew’s Uniting Church in the heart of Brisbane. Echoes of Christmas brings together the beauty of classical music and song, the warmth of familiar Christmas melodies and the energy of jazz-inspired arrangements.

Hear Fauré alongside Mozart, discover a jazz take on The Nutcracker, and enjoy the theatrical charm of music from The Nightmare Before Christmas. With 12 musicians bringing different voices and instruments to the stage, there is plenty to discover alongside the tunes you already love.

The celebrations extend beyond the music. Meet Santa Claus and capture a festive photo, browse the craft tables, enjoy the Christmas food table, and look forward to surprises, gifts and a festive raffle with prizes. Food, drinks and refreshments are available for separate purchase.

Bring someone you love and share an evening of music, festive cheer and Christmas memories.

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📅 - Saturday, 19 December 2026

🕰️ - 5:00 PM | (Doors open at 4:15 PM)

⛪️ - St Andrew’s Uniting Church

📍 - 299 Ann Street, Brisbane City

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(Programme may be subject to change)

• Swingle Bells — James Lord Pierpont / Artemii Safonov

• No. 5 – Pie Jesu from Requiem (Op. 48) — Gabriel Fauré

• Snow Maiden's Aria from The Snow Maiden — Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov

• Non più andrai from Le nozze di Figaro (K. 492) — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• Pavane in F-Sharp Minor (Op. 50) — Gabriel Fauré

• Carol of the Bells — Mykola Leontovych

– 15-Minute Interval –

• Let it snow — Jule Styne

• Jack's Lament from The Nightmare Before Christmas — Danny Elfman

• Oogie Boogie's Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas — Danny Elfman

• We Need a Little Christmas from Mame — Jerry Herman

• Jazz arrangement of The Nutcracker — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / Artemii Safonov

• Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer — Johnny Marks / Artemii Safonov

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• Amalia Safonova — Soprano & Flute
• Silas Gregory — Bass-baritone

• Serena Shackleton — Flute
• Jethro Caitens — Clarinet
• Ella Bowmer — Soprano Saxophone

• Sophia Di Lucchio — Violin
• Edison Richard — Violin
• Jasmine Smith — Viola
• Emma Seedell-Greene — Cello
• Oliver Murphy — Double Bass

• Matt McDonald — Drums & Percussion
• Artemii Safonov — Piano & Accordion

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Amalia Safonova is a 17-year-old Australian soprano, flautist, multi-instrumentalist and emerging composer based in Brisbane. Her performances combine a distinctive lyrical tone with warmth, expressive musicality and a natural connection with audiences.

Amalia studies at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, developing her vocal and instrumental skills alongside an active concert schedule. Her musical interests extend beyond performance to composition, reflecting her curiosity about different musical styles and forms of expression.

She has appeared in productions with Opera Australia and Opera Queensland and performed at venues including Brisbane City Hall, Parliament House and the Queensland Conservatorium. In 2026, Amalia and pianist Artemii Safonov won the Margaret Nickson Prizes for Voice and Accompaniment at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, recognising their partnership as vocalist and accompanist.

A regular performer with BellSonance Productions, Amalia contributes to its concert programmes as both a singer and an instrumentalist. Her work includes solo appearances, chamber music and collaborations with fellow musicians across classical, operatic and crossover repertoire. Her ongoing concert partnership with Artemii Safonov is an important part of this work, bringing together voice, instruments and imaginative musical programming.

Silas Gregory is a Japanese Australian bass-baritone from Cairns whose musical journey is distinguished by strong artistry and rapid growth. A 2024 Margaret Nickson Award recipient, he is currently finishing his second year of study with Margaret Schindler, who praises his expressive freedom, consistency of tone, and openness to new ideas.

In 2025, Silas performed in the Caskelli Opera Scenes as Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola) and Allazim (Fidelio), working under the mentorship of Raymond Connel. He is a baritone scholar at St Andrew’s Uniting Church through Musica Viva Australia and recently appeared in QCGU’s Val Machin Scenes as the Eugene Onegin understudy.

Silas has also been an emerging artist with the Queensland Art Song Festival, collaborating with Mattea Page on German lieder with Benjamin Appl and Sholto Kynoch. He looks forward to returning to Brisbane after 6 weeks in Italy, to perform for Bellsonance!

Artemii Safonov is a Brisbane-based pianist, composer and collaborative musician whose work spans solo performance, vocal and instrumental accompaniment, chamber music and orchestral playing. He has completed a Bachelor of Music (Honours) in Performance at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.

In 2026, Artemii was the pianist in the winning partnership of the Margaret Nickson Prizes for Voice and Accompaniment. He also reached the National Liederfest Final as an accompanist and received an Encouragement Award. His collaborative work includes accompanying 33 contestants across 53 items at the 2026 Queensland Vocal Competition.

Artemii’s performances have taken him to Brisbane City Hall, QPAC and QAGOMA. His experience includes playing celesta with Queensland Symphony Orchestra and free-bass accordion with Ensemble Q, alongside solo and chamber performances for BellSonance Productions. As a composer and arranger, he also contributes original music and arrangements to his performance projects.

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Event venue & nearby stays

St Andrew's Uniting Church, Brisbane, 299 Ann Street, Brisbane City, Australia

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

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