Bright Futures: Young Toowoomba creatives ready to take on the world after gaining 2024 Empire Youth Bursaries
Young people who have shown talent, involvement and achievement in a creative arts discipline have received a boost to their burgeoning careers courtesy of Empire Youth Bursaries. Meet eight of them in our profiles here.
Education
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A share of $23,000 has been distributed to 31 young people through the Empire Youth Bursary program for use in 2025.
Bursary recipients will have the opportunity to expand their experience and skills in their chosen creative endeavour by attending short courses at various prestigious institutions.
Read below to learn more about what drives eight of these young creative minds.
Abel Mueller
Cuskelly College of Music Summer School
Pianist Abel Mueller started learning to play the piano at the age of four but it has only been recently that he has realised his special talent can really take him places.
“Music is something that I guess you could say has fallen into my lap. I haven’t pursued music until the last year or two where it has been pointed out and I’ve noticed that I’ve got musicality and I can achieve in that direction,” Abel said.
“I was introduced to music by my mum really and it was just a matter of doing the hard work to get to where I am now.”
Abel described his first professional teacher at aged 10, Mrs Shepherd, as instrumental to his development. She was “the teacher that I needed to get the musical foundation started”.
Those foundations have been further developed in the past five years by highly regarded educator and pianist, Toowoomba-based Paula Melville-Clark, to the point that Abel’s technique and playing ability is such that he has attained his Associate Diploma of Performance and is ready to embark on a Bachelor of Music at the University of Queensland in 2025.
An intensive summer school at the Cuskelly College of Music in Brisbane in January courtesy of an Empire Youth Bursary will be an excellent introduction to the rigours of studying music at the tertiary level.
The 18-year-old has his next three or four years mapped out, intending to use music teaching as a means of supporting himself through university. At the conclusion of his degree he is undecided at this point whether to pursue further academic study or strike out putting his talents to practical use on the performance stage.
Abigail Leslight
NIDA Young Actors Residency
Abigail Leslight is most at home under the spotlight, performing on a stage.
An initial interest in performance was further ignited as a primary school student going through Covid lockdowns. With essential-worker parents she found joy in connecting with those few students at school, rehearsing scripts given to students by teachers looking to keep young minds active.
“Doing those things with other people and having fun and getting to be someone else, it was something that I really enjoyed,” Abigail said.
“As I’ve gotten older I’ve had the privilege of being around a lot of people that are very interested in acting, very good at acting and want to better their skills and better my skills.”
The people and places that she has been associated with have encouraged her to strive for greatness. Those experiences include being involved with the Concordia Lutheran College’s production of We Will Rock You, where playing the formidable Killer Queen she commanded The Empire’s stage.
Having just finished year 10 at Concordia she is already busy learning lines for the college’s 2025 production of Anastasia.
Jumping at the chance to experience acting education at its pinnacle Abigail will attend the National Institute of Dramatic Art’s Young Actors Residency courtesy of an Empire Youth Bursary.
After school she says she will apply to NIDA and would love to further her study at Australia’s premiere acting school but acknowledges the acceptance rate is very low.
As a plan B she is also interested in studying psychiatry, drawing parallels between the two fields.
“I’ve always been interested in people and how they work. Basically I see myself in the future doing something that I really enjoy. Whether that is the arts, which I hope it is, or something more STEM based. I just really want to enjoy where I am and the people I’m around.”
Isabelle Tay
Dalcroze Australia Summer School
Having a keyboard at home that she was always wanting to play with was the catalyst for a “really young” Isabelle to start early childhood music lessons that quickly progressed to piano lessons.
“I think I’ve always been really keen on learning piano. When I was around six, that’s when I started playing and I was really interested and I’ve just kept on going with it,” Isabelle said.
She believes a good piano player must have passion and be consistent in putting in the hard work. Her biggest influence and encouragement has come from her teacher of 11 years, respected educator and pianist Paula Melville-Clark.
“She has been my biggest inspiration. She has taught me from the very beginning so she has been my guidance throughout my musical journey,” she said.
The young pianist says she was also grateful for the support of her parents and sister who “always come to all of my competitions and performances”.
In 2025 Isabelle will continue her studies as a year 12 student at Centenary Heights State High School and will spend some of her Christmas holidays in Melbourne attending a Dalcroze Australia Summer School as an Empire Youth Bursary recipient.
On their website Dalcroze Australia say the summer school will develop personal musicianship skills with participants discovering new tools for teaching and learning using movement, singing and improvisation.
Currently teaching piano, Isabelle sees her adult self continuing with her passion – teaching and performing – as well as completing a Bachelor of Music.
Louisa Rawson
Queensland Ballet Summer School
A passion for ballet that started from the age of four when “mum signed me up for classes” has now evolved for Louisa Rawson to passing on what she has learnt to the next generation.
“Teaching ballet to little kids – that’s what I want to do,” Louisa said.
Well on the way to her goal she is currently enrolled in a Certificate III in Assistant Dance Teaching and will pursue a Ready Set Dance qualification over her summer holidays, enabling her to start teaching in 2025.
A good work ethic, strength and putting yourself out there are what make a good dancer according to Lousia.
The St Joseph’s College student will continue in year 12 in 2025, using her Empire Youth Bursary to attend the Queensland Ballet Summer School.
The summer school consists of intensive classes at the Queensland Ballet Academy, mentored by staff of the faculty.
“I’m looking forward to repertoire. To learn the dances that they put on stage and learning how they do things at Queensland Ballet.”
Louisa dances with Toowoomba’s Dance Central.
Arlia Schefe
Conroy Dance Centre Summer Intensive
Being a technically perfect dancer that can’t go on stage and just have fun is just not worth it according to young dancer/teacher Arlia Schefe.
“You need to love it to be a dancer,” Arlia said.
“I’ve been dancing for 13 years and in 2021 I started the Dance Step program, a dance assistant teaching program. This year I’ve actually graduated from the program so I can now teach dance on my own.”
She has come to the realisation that she prefers teaching even more than dancing because of the satisfaction of sharing the love and knowledge with someone else.
Arlia gives credit to her teachers at Oakey’s iDance Studios, Carla Tierney and Brittany Bull, and said they have always been there to help and guide her through both learning to teach and learning to dance.
She says it is important to love what you are doing as either a dancer or a teacher but a teacher also needs to have a goal in place.
“You need to know the end goal, you need to know why you are teaching and what you want your students to get to,” Arlia said.
“You always need to focus on where you are going, not what you’re doing in the moment.”
Arlia will attend the Conroy Dance Centre Summer Intensive as an Empire Youth Bursary recipient in January.
“I’ll be going to learn under really good dancers and choreographers to gain skills in my dance knowledge and improve my teaching,” she said.
Starting year 11 in 2025, the Wilsonton State High School student plans to continue teaching after school. Her aim is to be a head teacher at her current studio.
“Being able to make a difference in all those kids’ lives,” she said, is her motivation.
Ken Cole
Queensland Band Association Youth Band Development Camp
Ken Cole has never felt the experience of not wanting to play the drums.
“There hasn’t really been any negative time to play the drums, I’ve always liked it,” he said.
When he was a primary school student at Withcott State School he was given the opportunity to learn and has not looked back.
“I always liked the noise and the co-ordination. It makes me feel really happy, it just feels nice. And the work that you put into it makes it good as well,” he said.
Going into year 8 at Toowoomba State High School in 2025, Ken has set himself the goal of learning to read sheet music. He has played in bands at both schools but says that being able to read the music rather than having to remember it will be a big advantage for him as he learns to play more advanced jazz and rock pieces.
“If I learn how to read music. I’ll be able to play anything, and just being able to look at the music and play – no practice – that’s what I’d really love,” he said.
Playing on stage is the reward for Ken.
“When you put all the work and dedication into it and it all comes together and you perform on stage. That’s the best feeling.”
As a Empire Youth Bursary recipient Ken will attend the Queensland Band Association Youth Band Development Camp in Brisbane.
Sarah Dixon
Gondwana National Choirs
For as long as she can remember Sarah Dixon has been singing.
“I just find singing fun and it’s such a good thing. Anyone can do it and you can do it wherever you are … you always have your voice on you”, Sarah said.
“Being able to sing different repertoire, which suits your voice and being able to perform and show the audience your skills.”
Taking advantage of every opportunity to sing at her school, Toowoomba Anglican School, Sarah is a member of four ensembles and played the lead role in their Pirates of Penzance production. She has also won eisteddfod competitions and performed in Carnival of Flowers concerts.
Her love of singing is taking her to Sydney in January to participate in the Gondwana National Choirs for the fourth time. Attendance at the choral camp follows an audition process. Meeting other choristers from all over the country, working with prestigious conductors and sharing the joy of signing with like-minded young people is her motivation. She plans to reunite with friends she has met at the previous camps.
“I wouldn’t have those friendships if I didn’t go to Gondwana. I have a friend who is from Sydney and I’m good friends with her and I don’t think I would have met her if I didn’t do Gondwana,” she said.
Encouraging and guiding Sarah through her musical journey are her parents, both of whom are music teachers.
With 2025 being her final year of high school Sarah is considering auditioning for the Queensland Conservatorium, after attending a pre-tertiary course they hosted in 2024.
“It was a really good experience. They (the teachers) supported me and encouraged me to continue on with singing after schooling”.
Sarah will attend the Gondwana National Choirs 2025 National Choral School as an Empire Youth Bursary recipient.
Mataya Forster
Theatre Residency Week hosted by Queensland Theatre
Mataya Forster’s family have always told her she is a “little drama queen”. Now she is proving them right, loving being on stage and putting on a good show.
“I feel really nervous but it’s also really good to be nervous. I’m just happy and it’s great, I love that,” she said about being on stage.
Auditioning and gaining entry to The Empire Youth Arts’ IMPACT Ensemble this year has pushed Mataya out of her comfort zone and into the spotlight, in the process gaining new confidence to strive for things like a creative bursary. She says learning to back herself and her abilities will see her achieve her goals, admitting she needs an occasional little push from mum to keep on track.
“I’ve really just got to try and just put myself into things that I might not think will work, but it’ll still be good,” she said.
The year 9 (in 2025) Highlands Christian College student will attend Queensland Theatre’s Theatre Residency Week in September as an Empire Youth Bursary recipient.
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