" Your generosity and passion to nurture young musicians and showcase beautiful chamber music locally is incredible."
Annual Pascoe Awards
Principal Sponsor
ARTS NATIONAL BOWRAL DISTRICT
This year's Pascoe Award Finalists (left to right) - James Munro (22) cello; Sophie Chen (18) piano; Oscar Dunn-Luck (19) piano; Samantha Roberts (21) flute, Paul Nicolaou (22) piano and Robert Nelson (15) piano.
The annual PASCOE AWARDS FINALISTS' CONCERT, held each year in November at the beautiful Bowral Memorial Hall, offers six outstanding classical musicians (aged between 14 and 24 years) vital performance opportunities.
The Judges - Alexander Donaldson (wind and brass), Andrew Rumsey (piano) and HMCollective's Artistic Director Myee Clohessy (strings) - were most impressed with the high level this year and mentioned it was a challenge to select the six Finalists from the eleven fine applications this year. Finding one recipient for the $3000 Eva Pascoe Award was even more challenging.
After much deliberation, they announced at the conclusion of the Finalists Concert, that the 2026 EVA PASCOE AWARD, sponsored by Arts National Bowral District, was awarded to the harpist Paul Nicolaou (22). In addition to the $3000 stipend, Paul will have the opportunity to perform alongside the Highlands Music Collective at the opening concert of the 2026 Chamber Music Series on Friday, 20 February.
The other Finalists - James Monro (22) cello, Sophie Chen (18) piano, Robert Nelson (15) piano, Samantha Roberts (21) flute and Oscar Dunn-Luck (19) piano - were each given a $200 Timothy Pascoe Encouragement Award for their skill, passion and dedication to music.
Thanks to the generosity of Inspire Music Australia, we were able to give one additional prize of a recital for their Emerging Artists Series at St Jude's Church and Wollongong Art Gallery in 2026. This wonderful opportunity has been given to pianist Oscar Dunn-Luck.
2026 Eva Pascoe Award Winner
Harpist Paul Nicolaou (22)
Rapidly emerging as one of Australia’s most exciting young artists” (ABC Classic), Paul Nicolaou is a multi-award-winning harpist and composer based in Sydney, Australia. He has quickly gained international recognition as a creative and virtuosic young artist, receiving numerous accolades including the 2026 Eva Pascoe Award and the Most Outstanding Performer Award at the 2022 Sydney Harp Eisteddfod.
Equally honored as a composer, Paul was a finalist in the 2025 APRA Professional Development Awards for Screen Composition, and received the Highly Commended Award in the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra’s 2023 Young Composer Competition. He has won First Prize in the 2023 National Youth Music Arranging Competition, the 2022 Artology ‘Fanfare’ Competition and the 2021 Monash University Emerging Composer Prize. He was recently chosen for ABC Classic’s Commissioning Fund and for AMC’s 2025 MOMENTUM Plus project.
Photo by Brian Rapsey
2026 Eva Pascoe Award recipient harpist Paul Nicolaou (22)
An Honours graduate from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Paul studied with harpist Alice Giles AM. After commencing harp aged 16, he has appeared as Guest Principal Harp with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia, as well as Omega Ensemble and the Ensemble Apex and the Ornage Chamber Music Festivals in 2024 and 2025. Paul was Principal Harp of the Australian Youth Orchestra from 2022-24 and was inaugural Co-Chair of the AYO Youth Council.
Paul is known to local audiences through his performances with Inspire Music Emerging Artists' Concert Series. In 2023 Paul was invited to perform at the opening of Bowral Memorial Hall together with HMCollective's inaugural Eva Pascoe Award winner, Cedar-Rose Newman. Paul also presented the recital ‘Meditations by Nightfall’ for violin & harp, which featured the world premiere of another of his compositions, ‘Nocturne for a Southern Cross’, written especially for this occasion. He returned to St Jude's with the program ‘Birth and Rebirth’ for harp, viola & cello at St Jude's Church, Bowral, featuring another of his compositions, ‘Of Light, Divided’. In 2024, Paul was a soloist in "Music4Medicine Fundraising Concert for The Flying Doctor Service" at Wollongong Town Hall alongside pianist Vivian Choi Milton.
Principal Sponsor Arts National Bowral District
Highlands Music Collective is delighted to be in partnership with Arts National Bowral District
and thank them for their sponsorship of the Pascoe Awards
Renowned for their generous philanthropic efforts in the Southern Highlands, we are immensely appreciative of their support for our mentoring programme for gifted young local musicians.
Arts National Bowral presents captivating monthly lectures by International and Australian lecturers on a diverse range of subjects. For further information about ArtsNational Bowral visit:
History of the Pascoe Awards
The Pascoe Awards were created in memory of our Founding Patrons, Mrs Eva Pascoe and Dr Timothy Pascoe AM, two of Australia's most significant supporters of excellence in the Arts, both nationally and locally. They were an integral part of the early days of Highlands Music Collective, and dear friends of our Artistic Director, Myee Clohessy.
The Pascoe Awards, now in its third year, have become an important event for aspiring classical musicians aged between 14 and 24 years of age, with a connection to the Southern Highlands and surrounding regions.
Mrs Eva and Dr Timothy Pascoe AM
Auditions are held via video application in October. A judging panel of three skilled musicians will choose up to six finalists to perform at the Finalists' Concert at Bowral Memorial Hall in November.
All performing Finalists receive a Timothy Pascoe Encouragement Award, and one will be announced as the Eva Pascoe Award winner.
2025 Eva Pascoe Award Winner
Flautist Annabel Wouters (17)
gave such an impressive, virtuosic performance at the last Pascoe Awards Finalists' Concert, that the three judges - HMCollective's Artistic Director Myee Clohessy (strings), Aaron Smart (wind and brass), and Lisa Kawai (piano) were unanimous in their decision to announce Annabel as the worthy recipient of the 2025 Eva Pascoe Award
Photo by Peter Hislop
2025 Eva Pascoe Award winner flautist Annabel Wouters (16)
Annabel, a flute student at the Wollongong Conservatorium, has previously performed in the Southern Highlands as part of Inspire Music Australia’s Emerging Concert Artist Series at St Jude's Church, and as the Highlands FM's 100% Home-Grown Artist of the Month. Annabel was the first flautist to win the WollCon Concerto Competition. In 2024, she travelled with the WollCon Flute Ensemble to the International Flute Convention in America and will travel this year to Europe with the Regional Youth Orchestra. and AYO Young Symphonists as Principal Flute.
She is currently in Year 12 and has completed her A.Mus.A (with Distinction) on flute, A.Dip.A (Honours) on piano, and is presently preparing for L.Mus.A on flute and piano.
Highlands Music Collective presented Annabel in our first concert of the year 'Birds of a Feather (are Better Together!), at the Bowral Memorial Hall on Friday, 21 February, and again at the Nowra School of Arts for Music Shoalhaven on Sunday, 4 May. Annabel was invited to perform at HMCollective's private Music Soiree in August and will perform at this year's Pascoe Awards Finalists' Concert on Friday, 7 November, while the judges deliberate.
2024 Eva Pascoe Award Winner
Pianist Luke Bowen was the 2024 Eva Pasacoe Award winner, aged nineteen. He has a diploma in music from the University of New England and is currently studying science at UNE and piano privately under Professor Robert Constable AM. As a frequent recitalist in the Emerging Artists series at St. Jude's Church in Bowral and a soloist with the Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra, Luke has delighted audiences with his charming and virtuosic performances. In addition to his involvement in the Highlands, Luke has performed extensively in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra regions, appearing in Music Shoalhaven’s concert series and the Gerringong Music Club.
Photos by Peter Hislop
2024 Eva Pascoe Award Winner pianist Luke Bowen, performing at 'Vienna Gold' with the Highlands Music Collective at Bowral Memorial Hall
Luke performed throughout 2024 with Highlands Music Collective at our Vienna Gold concert at the Bowral Memorial Hall, the Braille Music Camp Fundraiser at St Jude's Church, our Music Soireé at the Rose Recital Room, and a private home in Kangaroo Valley. Luke used his $3000 Eva Pascoe Award for public speaking courses and masterclasses with Robert Constable AM.
"Winning the Eva Pascoe Award has been an incredible experience, particularly for the professional opportunities and connections it has brought me. I had the chance to rehearse and perform with some of the best instrumentalists in the region, receiving valuable, actionable feedback along the way. As someone with a largely solo background, gaining experience in chamber music has been one of the most important additions to my pianistic and musical skillset. My ability to collaborate, balance parts and listen within an ensemble has improved dramatically. Beyond the performance opportunities, the financial support from the award has been equally beneficial. It has allowed me to focus on honing my skills as a pianist without the financial strain of paying for lessons, competition fees and other professional development costs. I highly recommend the Eva Pascoe Award to any musician beginning their career."
We are thrilled that Luke was able to join us again this year and perform for the opening concert of the year 'Birds of a Feather' (are Better Together!) with Annabel Wouter, Myee Clohessy and Catherine Barnett.
2023 Eva Pascoe Award Winner
Violinist Cedar-Rose Newman was the inaugural winner of the Eva Pascoe Award in 2023 at the age of 19. Originally from Wollongong, Cedar-Rose's journey as a musician has been nurtured by many over the years.
Three particular influences in her life have been her piano teacher Gian-Franco Ricci, (with whom Cedar gained her Licentiate Diploma for Piano Performance in 2020), her violin mentor Ass. Prof. Goetz Richter at Sydney Conservatorium of Music and her first violin teacher, Sarah Hindson, in Wollongong.
Photo by Peter Hislop
2023 Eva Pascoe Award Winner violinist Cedar Rose Newman & Highlands Music Collective performing at the Bowral Autumn Music Festival
Cedar-Rose's passion for music led her to New York at a young age, following an invitation to study with legendary Russian violinist Albert Markov. In 2019, Cedar won the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College String Concerto Competition and has participated successfully in several national and international competitions. In 2022, she was selected to attend Music at Menlo in San Francisco, a specialist chamber program for young string players worldwide. Cedar has been a semi-finalist in the Classicalia International Music Competition and a finalist in the Melbourne Bach Competition. She is currently on a President’s Scholarship, studying for a Bachelor of Performance Degree at the Manhattan School of Music with Lucie Robert.
Cedar has given many recitals in Australia, the United States and Europe, made solo appearances with the Steel City Strings and the Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra, and was a Young Recitalist at the 2017 Bowral Autumn Music Festival, performing at the Mittagong Playhouse.
As winner of the 2023 Eva Pascoe Award, Cedar performed as soloist with Highlands Music Collective Piazzolla’s virtuosic ‘Four Seasons of Buenos Aires’ at the Bowral Autumn Music Festival, Wollongong Art Gallery and Wesley Music Centre in Canberra. We were thrilled that Cedar could perform Ysaye Solo Sonata No 2 at the 2024 Pascoe Awards while the judges decided. Cedar used her $3000 Eva Pascoe Award to perform and record with renowned concert pianist Simon Tedeschi. ABC's Ed Le Brocq recently interviewed Cedar about her life and new recording of Bloch's Violin Sonata.
Timothy Pascoe Encouragement Awards
Each finalist who performs at the Finalists Concert at Bowral Memorial Hall receives a Timothy Pascoe Encouragement Award worth $200, acknowledging the accomplishments of these young musicians and applauding their dedication in achieving a high level of performance.
2024 Timothy Pascoe
Encouragement Award alumni:
Sophie Chen, piano (17);
Charlotte Black, flute (17);
Oscar Dunn-Luck, piano (17);
Samantha Roberts, flute (18);
Fin Torpy, flute (18)
2025 Timothy Pascoe
Encouragement Awards alumni:
Hana Lee, violin (18);
Fin Torpy, flute (19);
Charlotte Blake, flute (18)
Oscar Dunn-Luck, piano (19)
Robert Nelson, piano (14)
2025 Pascoe Award Finalists -
Hanna Lee, violin; Fin Torpy, flute;
Charlotte Blake, flute; Oscar Dunn-Luck, piano;
Annabel Wouter, fute, Robert Nelson, piano.
2024 Pascoe Award Finalists -
Cedar Rose Newman, violin; Sophie Chen, piano; Luke Bowen, piano; Charlotte Black, flute;
Oscar Dunn-Luck, piano; Samantha Roberts, flute; Fin Torpy, flute
2026 Timothy Pascoe
Encouragement Award alumni:
Sophie Chen, piano (18);
James Munro, cello (22);
Oscar Dunn-Luck, piano (20);
Samantha Roberts, flute (21);
Robert Nelson, piano (15)