NextSunday 25 May, 2:00pm & 3:30pm
Conductor: Edward McKnight
Presenter:
Emily Who
Dress up as a knight, prince, princess or dragon! This year's KPO Kids Proms is a musically adventurous afternoon where audiences are taken on an epic quest through music. We will be joined by members of the Sunshine Philharmonic Orchestra and this is a great opportunity for the whole family to come together and listen to much loved classical masterpieces for orchestra including works by Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Rimsky-Korsakov and popular music from films including How to Train Your Dragon and Frozen.
Join us for this epic musical adventure quest. Who knows what mythical creatures and characters we might find along the way!
KPO is partnering with the Sunshine Philharmonic Orchestra for these concerts. SPO is a dynamic youth orchestra based in Gordon, dedicated to nurturing young musicians and fostering cultural exchange through music. In 2024, SPO achieved remarkable milestones, winning multiple prestigious awards that recognise their excellence in performance and dedication to musical education. Their journey includes collaborations with international artists, performances at iconic venues, and inspiring young talents to reach new heights.
Emily Who
Emily Who is an Australian children’s singer who recently released her fourth album of songs for preschool-aged kids.
She regularly performs live shows across Sydney. Recent performances have included Sydney Fringe Festival, the Spot on Kids Festival at Riverside Parramatta, and alongside Bluey and Paw Patrol at the Sydney Zoo. She writes and presents annual children’s performances for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestras and Kur-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also the creator of two webseries: the Kids Couch Concert Series and Musical Pirate Adventures, on which she collaborated with Arcadia Winds.
In 2023 Emily received the award for Best Children’s Performer NSW - overall winner AND people’s choice, through Whats On 4 Kids awards. She was also nominated for Best Album at the Major Minor Music Awards.
She has recently returned from overseas, where she performed at children’s festival in Bologna, Italy, and in preschools across England.
Edward McKnight
Edward McKnight is a Sydney-based conductor, educator, and composer. He studied music education, musicology and conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he was awarded the Sir Charles Mackerras Scholarship for Conducting and was the twice-recipient of the Alan Bellhouse Award for Conducting. Edward has completed conducting courses with the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute and Symphony Services Australia in Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania.
As a composer, Edward's works are often described as highly evocative; drawing inspiration from visual scenes and imagery. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by schools and community ensembles across the state, as well as by the NSW Performing Arts Unit and NSW Regional Youth Orchestras. In 2022, he conducted one of his works for the education performance of the Australian World Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House.
When he's not composing or conducting, Edward teaches computer technology and sound/lighting production. Edward has conducted the Kur-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra's Kids Proms since 2024.