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Kim Sutherland OAM is the Founding Music Director of Hunter Singers and the Head Teacher of Creative and Performing Arts at Merewether High School, an academically selective school for gifted and talented students in Newcastle.

After graduating from Sydney Conservatorium, Kim studied conducting with Myer Fredman and Mats Nilsson and completed her Master of Creative Arts degree at the University of Newcastle. She has conducted Newcastle University Choir on several occasions, including performances of Bach’s St John Passion and Requiems by Fauré and Rutter.

Commissioning new works by Australian composers is one of Kim’s passions, and this has resulted in more than 20 highly original and exciting works by some of Australia’s leading choral composers, including Stephen Leek, Paul Jarman, Matthew Orlovich, Michael Atherton, Dan Walker, Wendy Ireland and Sally Whitwell.

Kim was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, recognising her Service to the Arts, in particular her 25 years leading Hunter Singers.