Born in Beirut, of Armenian heritage, Zela Margossian began studying piano at a very young age. Graduating from Hamazkaine’s Parsegh Ganatchian Musical College, she carries on her musical studies at the Lebanese Higher State Conservatory and at the same time, she continues her education in English literature at Haigazian University. Upon earning her B.A. degree in English literature, she leaves for Armenia to further her musical studies at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory in the class of the renowned pianist and professor Vili Sargsyan. In 2007, Zela earns her Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory.

During her years studying in Armenia, Zela develops a great passion towards Armenian ethno-jazz music that she experiences in local jazz venues. After moving to Sydney, she embarks on a new journey of nurturing this passion and has been making her mark here as a blossoming composer and artist.

Zela Margossian Quintet’s music is a fusion of folk, jazz and classical, carrying influences from traditional Armenian music. Their debut album, Transition in November 2018. Since then, the quintet has had performances in Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Auckland and Wellington.

Performance highlights include the Quintet’s participation in the Sydney International Jazz Women’s Festival (2017,2019,2020), a tour to Beirut, Lebanon to take part in the Beirut International Jazz Day Festival (April 2018), and a couple of key performances in the SIMA (Sydney Improvised Music Association) Jazz Programs (2018, 2019, 2020), a debut performance for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues (Nov. 2020), a debut performance at the Sydney Opera House (Dec. 2020) and a performance at Sydney Town Hall for Sydney Festival 2021.

About Jacques Emery
Jacques Emery is a double bassist, percussionist and composer from Sydney, Australia. Known as a versatile collaborator in jazz, classical, experimental, electronic and contemporary music, he has worked with artists and ensembles such as the Australian Art Orchestra, Chris Abrahams, Anthony Braxton, Tony Buck, Chloe Kim 김예지, Kim Myhr, Mike Nock, Jules Reidy, Helen Svoboda, Peter Knight, Marcus Whale, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of award-winning ensembles HEKKA, Zela Margossian Quintet and Disruption! The Voice of Drums, co-leader of BIKE THIEF, director of the PEOPLE SOUND record label, and has performed at Berlin Jazzfest, London Jazz Festival, Jazztopad Wroclaw, Dark Mofo, Sydney Festival, and Melbourne International Jazz Festival. He also maintains an active experimental solo practice probing the percussive and timbral possibilities of the double bass and acoustic and electric 12-string guitar through extended rhythmic techniques and preparations. Limelight magazine praised his 2024 audiovisual performance SUMMONING for “casting the audience adrift in an undulating, shimmering world of sound” (4.5 stars).

About Alexander Inman-Hislop
Alexander Inman-Hislop is a multi-ARIA nominated drummer and composer. He is one of the co-founders of neo-instrumental group jetrio and percussion/electronic band BIKE THIEF. In 2021 he was nominated for the prestigious Freedman Fellowship Award for Jazz Artists and was shortlisted in the 2018 Wangaratta National Jazz Awards. Alongside his performing career he holds a position at the University of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music as a Casual Lecturer in Jazz and Drumset Performance.

About Adem Yilmaz
Adem Yilmaz is a highly renowned percussionist of Kurdish Origin based in Sydney. He began playing his first instrument, the Darbuka (Goblet Drum) at the age of eight.

Having Izzet Kizil, one of Turkey’s most recognised and internationally known percussionist as his teacher, Yilmaz specialised in a variety of eastern percussion instruments and found himself performing with many bands as well as being involved in may of those bands’ album recordings.

Since migrating to Sydney, Australia in 2014, Adem has established himself, within a short period of time, as a versatile and sought-after percussionist and has been involved as a key member in many popular Sydney bands such the both ARIA nominated bands, Zela Margossian Quintet and Eishan Ensemble, with whom he has toured internationally and nationally. He also performs with The Catholics, Chris Cody and is involved in many studio projects such as Visions of Nar with Zela Margossian and saxophonist Jeremy Rose.

About Stuart Vandegraaff
Stuart Vandegraaff is an acclaimed performer, bandleader, educator and community music facilitator with a special presence in intercultural music. Based in Sydney since 2000, Stuart has performed locally, nationally, and internationally in a diverse range of musical settings. Classically trained, with an undergraduate in Jazz performance and a Master's in Arabic maqam study, Stuart is a saxophone specialist (SATB) with additional proficiencies on Arabic nays (cane flutes), clarinets, and a variety of other woodwinds.

Aside from his Aria-nominated work with the Zela Margossian quintet, Stuart is bandleader of Masha’s Legacy and SEV, part of Mara’s Musica Viva in Schools show and co-founder of the Clube Nacional do Chorinho na Australia. He is active in numerous jazz, Brazilian music and Arabic music ensembles and is an in-demand commercial and orchestral session artist.

Featured Artists
About Phil Slater
Phil Slater is an Australian trumpeter, composer and bandleader.  He is the leader or co-leader of several award-winning groups including the Phil Slater Quintet and has released 10 recordings of original music.  Phil has performed and recorded with a diverse range of artists including the Australian Art Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Archie Roach, Sandy Evans, Paul Grabowsky, Missy Higgins, Vince Jones, Andrea Keller, Katie Noonan, Jonathan Zwartz and many others.  He has been awarded the National Jazz Award, the Australian Jazz Bell Award for Artist of the Year, Jazz Ensemble of the Year, and Best Recording of the Year, has been awarded the Freedman Fellowship, and is a three-time nominee for the ARIA, APRA Art Music Award, and the Australian Music Award. 

About Virna Sanzone
Virna Sanzone has been the Vocal Lecturer in the Jazz Unit of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2014, and has over 20 years experience teaching singers of all abilities up to post-graduate and professional levels. She continues to enjoy a rich and varied career as a vocalist, performing regularly with her own band, as a featured guest, and as part of projects across a range of genres.

Under her own name, Virna has performed at a long list of festivals including the Sydney Festival, Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, Stonnington Jazz Festival, Darling Harbour Jazz Festival, Norfolk Island Jazz Festival and Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival. She has appeared as a featured guest with an array of Australian jazz luminaries such as Judy Bailey, James Morrison, the Matt McMahon Trio, Andrew Dickeson Trio, Tony Gould, DIG (Directions In Groove) and New York based Australian pianist, Sean Wayland. Early in her career, Virna spent numerous formative years singing with Sydney’s late, “grand master of soul” Jackie Orszaczky, performing regularly at iconic venues such as The Basement and at festivals such as Byron Bay Bluesfest.

About Jennifer Eriksson
Jennifer Eriksson completed her initial musical studies at the then NSW State Conservatorium of Music studying music education and cello with Barbara Woolley. Her first viola da gamba lessons were undertaken with Catherine Finnis in Sydney. She subsequently studied the viola da gamba with Jaap ter Linden at the Rotterdam Conservatorium for three years where she completed post-graduate studies in baroque music. She formed The Marais Project in 2000. Jennifer also directs the Musica Viva in Schools ensemble, Sounds Baroque. She was a founding member of the viol consort, “Seaven Teares” and in collaboration with renowned jazz musicians Matt McMahon and Matt Keegan, she assembled “Elysian Fields”, Australia’s only electric viola da gamba group, in 2015.

Since returning to Australia from Australia in 1988 Jennifer has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Victorian State Opera Orchestra, Salút Baroque, Opera Australia, the Renaissance Players, The Early Dance Consort, The Sydney Consort, Sydney Chamber Choir, The Parsons Affayre and numerous other ensembles.

About Damien Wright
Damien Wright is an ARIA nominated Flamenco guitarist. Damian recently released his debut album “Shifting Sands” (ABC Music) which was The Sydney Morning Heralds ‘Album of the week’ where it was described as “Glorious guitar playing”. In 2014 Damian was invited to perform as a solo artist at The Rajasthan International Folk Festival, INDIA and in 2016 performed at The Shanghai Fringe Festival, CHINA. Damian’s ensemble BANDALUZIA was invited in 2016 to perform at the biannual Adelaide International Guitar Festival curated by Slava Grigoryan & was a soloist at The Sydney International Guitar festival in 2017 & 2018. BANDALUZIA was recently awarded "The Pick Of the Sydney Fringe" at The Sydney Fringe Festival and performed to a sold-out Sydney Opera House Concert Hall as an invited artist to TEDX Sydney 2014. BANDALUZIA has headlined The International Gypsy Music Festival, Sydney, The Global Carnival and is on Musica Viva's national touring program 2023. In 2010 Damian received a development grant from the Australian arts council to study flamenco guitar in Spain with Pepe Justicia, where he spent five years. Damian has recorded with ensembles RASA DUENDE & THE TRANSLATORS on ABC/Universal and Jazzgroove Records and his compositions have been played on ABC radio national and ABC Classic FM.