Joining the UNSW Music Performance Team this year is our new Music Event Assistant, Vanessa Agius. Vanessa has come to UNSW from Sydney Youth Orchestras where she was Orchestral Training Coordinator, after graduating from a Bachelor of Music Studies in Classical Voice at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Vanessa is really passionate about film music and often enjoy researching the behind the scenes of her favourite films to see how the music and sound was created. She is also a self-confessed "massive geek at heart." "From Star Wars to Harry Potter and everything in between! I used to be a writer and editor for a pop culture & gaming publication and am an avid comic-con cosplayer." She enjoys listening to a good podcast either or a walk or her morning commute. On rotation at the moment are: 

Science with Dr.Karl and;

The Star Wars Report.

Vanessa's talents and passions don't stop in the science and science-fiction aisles, she is also bilingual and an accomplished musician in her own right. She says "whilst at university I also studied Italian Language and Culture and am bilingual. I am very proud about my Italian and Maltese heritage and often used lockdown to improve my language skills, learnt how to perfect focaccia, and research my family history." She posts her recipes online, so keep an eye out for her recipe here if you're looking to try making some foccacia yourself!

As a musician, her favourite moment so far was when she had the opportunity to perform alongside Patti LuPone, who is a living musical theatre icon, in her Sydney “Don’t Monkey with Broadway” tour, something she "will always treasure and never forget."

Vanessa is looking forward to meeting new people and learning so many new skills in her role at UNSW, particularly the opportunity to be creative and celebrate all aspects of music. She loves the diversity of working in the performing arts. "You meet so many people from so many different backgrounds and interests that it always makes work exciting. The field of music is also so vast, so no two musical journeys are ever the same. I also love how versatile the artform allows you to be. I have had the fortunate opportunity to be involved in everything from opera to jazz and collaborate with people in so many different fields."

Vanessa works Monday - Wednesday and is responsible for coordinating the box office. She also provides support for our events and operations including looking after rehearsal and operational logistics of the Australia Ensemble UNSW. Get in contact with Vanessa here.