Theodore Kuchar Scholarship
Fifteen-year-old Townsville-Gurambilbarra flautist Annabelle Brown has been named as the 2025 recipient of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music‘s Theodore Kuchar Scholarship for Excellence in Music.
Initiated in 1990 in honour of Theodore Kuchar, the founding Artistic Director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM), the scholarship is funded in partnership with the Townsville City Council and aims to support young North Queensland musicians by increasing their opportunities for creative growth and skill development.
Brown said that she will use the scholarship – worth $4,000 over two years (Years 11 and 12) – to further her flute studies at Glasgow Conservatorium in Scotland.
“I absolutely know that music is in my future. It’s been part of my life since I was six years old and I’m so excited to win this scholarship. It means I can study overseas and then return to university here in Australia,” she said.
Brown began playing the flute at age six. She is currently a student at Townsville Grammar School, where she is involved with the school’s orchestras, choirs, dance ensembles and bands. She is also Principal Flute in Queensland Conservatorium’s Australian Honours Ensemble Program and won the 2025 Cathie Neil Award for Most Promising Flautist at the Townsville Eisteddfod.
Not only is she dedicated to making music, but she is a public speaker, an ensemble leader and a community volunteer, regularly performing in aged care facilities.
Cr Liam Mooney said Townsville City Council was proud to support the next generation of North Queensland musicians through initiatives like the Theodore Kuchar Scholarship.
“Townsville is home to many remarkable artists, and it’s vitally important that they have pathways available to them to grow their skills and further their talents. Annabelle is an extraordinarily talented musician and I’m sure we’ll see her go on to perform on some of the world’s biggest stages,” he said.
AFCM Executive Director Ricardo Peach said the judges were struck not only by Annabelle’s musical excellence but by her work ethic, leadership and community spirit.
“Annabelle is an exceptional young musician whose dedication and talent shone through every performance. She embodies the future of music in Australia, and we are delighted to support her next steps as a developing artist.”
Delivered in partnership with Townsville City Council, the Scholarship supports young artists in the local community by increasing opportunities for creative growth and skill development at an advanced level, awarding a Year Ten student with $4,000 towards instrumental tuition and/or professional development. Please join us be celebrating our new and past winners.
2024 Winner, Gabrielle Penaluna
She’s only 16 years old, but already young Townsville-Gurambilbarra musician Gabrielle Penaluna is highly skilled in Clarinet, Piano and Saxophone. The 16-year-old student at The Cathedral School also boasts a Music Scholarship at the school, has taken the Young Virtuoso Award since 2018, was awarded the Outstanding Service to Music for seven consecutive years and won the Maestro Award for Junior (2020) and Middle School (2023). This year, she started learning Bass Guitar!
It’s no wonder then, that this talented, passionate and committed young musician has been awarded the prestigious Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s 2024 Theodore Kuchar Scholarship for Excellence in Music.
It is the second year in a row that a student from The Cathedral School has taken the award.
Cr Liam Mooney from the Townsville City Council, a woodwind player also, was excited to see a fellow Clarinet player take out the scholarship.
“Townsville City Council is incredibly proud to be supporting the next generation of artists from Townsville through initiatives like the Theodore Kuchar Scholarship. Gabrielle is an extraordinarily talented musician and I’m sure we’ll see her go on to perform on some of the world’s biggest stages. Well done Gabrielle on this remarkable achievement.”
Gabrielle said the Scholarship would allow her to take part in the Pacific Honours Ensemble Program (PHEP) and the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) Program, as well as enable her to continue to enter Eisteddfods, competitions and attend Master Classes and Workshops throughout 2025 and 2026.
“The Scholarship means I can further enhance opportunities to study music at a tertiary level – I really want to study music at Griffith Conservatorium when I finish high school, and I’d love to bring knowledge and experience back to North Queensland with the aim of further developing music education in Townsville,” said Gabielle.
AFCM Executive Director Ricardo Peach commented, “The Theodore Kuchar Scholarship is very important to young, aspiring musicians in our region, and part of the AFCM’s overall Pathways Program. Through this scholarship, and AFCM Pathways initiatives such as the AFCM International Masterclasses and AFCM Outreach programs, we are able to support young and emerging musicians and help them develop careers. We are very grateful for Townsville City Council’s continued support of this important initiative.”
2022 Winner, Sebastian Young-Florence
Councillor Liam Mooney and Australian Festival of Chamber Music Executive Director Ricardo Peach visited Pimlico State High School recently to congratulate tuba player Sebastian Young-Florence. Councillor Mooney said council could not be prouder to be part of the scholarship.
“Today we are awarding a scholarship to a year 11 student in our region with $2,000 for two years, so a total of $4,000, and I’m very proud as a past Pimlico that this has been awarded to Sebastian Young -Florence a tuba player from Pimlico High. Townsville City Council have been partnering with the Australian Festival of Chamber of Music since the beginning and we are very proud to have funded this again,” said Cr Mooney.
2022 Scholarship Winner Sebastian Young-Florence, was thrilled to win and highlighted how it will help his career.
“It great to win, I’ve been playing the tuba for seven years now and really like it. I practice for 45-minuted every day. I’m planning on using the fund to attend a few youth music camps next year, including one in January with the Queensland Band Association,” said Young-Florence.
2023 Winner, Do Young Park
He’s only 15 years old, but already young Townsville-Gurambilbarra violinist Do Young Park from The Cathedral School dreams of performing at Carnegie Hall, and he’s now well on the way after being awarded the prestigious Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s 2023 Theodore Kuchar Scholarship for Excellence in Music.
Do Young has already played the violin for 10 years, after picking up his brother’s, and being encouraged by his parents to study, practice and perform.
“I love it,” said the young musician. “I’d love to one day play at Carnegie Hall in New York; it’s where’s all the famous violinists perform.”
He said the musician he most admired was none other than fellow Queenslander, the global superstar violinist Ray Chen! “His playing is incredible. I’ve watched him on YouTube for hours and hours, and would love to one day emulate his playing, and how he plays certain passages. His personality and the way he is on social media is all amazing.”
He said the Scholarship was a great opportunity to further his tuition, but to also learn other instruments! “I’ve been picking up different instruments. I am playing the Bassoon (because no-one was playing one at school), and want to play more, I love the feeling of a new instrument to learn. I am also learning the guitar.”
After he finishes as The Cathedral School, Do is looking to further study music, at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music of Griffith University.
Congratulations and bravo to Do Young, and here’s to performing at Carnegie Hall, all of Townsville-Gurambilbarra will be listening!
2021 Winner, Aimee Segal
In November 2021, Townsville Grammar School student Aimee Segal was announced as the 2021 Winner of the Theodor Kuchar Scholarship for Excellence in Music.
“I am incredibly grateful that this scholarship will help further my studies in music with the hope of one day becoming a professional musician.
“These funds will give me the opportunity to attend some specialist woodwind and bassoon courses in Brisbane, as well as allowing me to have some face-to-face lessons with my tutor. These funds will contribute to the maintenance of my instrument as well,” said Aimee.
Congratulations Aimee. We are looking forward to seeing where this opportunity takes you.
