MUSICIANS

One of Australia’s leading multi-genre violinists, Shane’s career is defined by its diversity. A classically-trained violinist with folk flair by day, and a folk fiddler with classical chops by night, she is equally at home with Mozart or Bach as she is playing in a trad session or ripping through solos on a festival stage. Following her passion for period instruments and historical performance practices, Shane trained on baroque violin in Paris and has since become a specialist in the field of 18thC Scottish music. A regular player with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Melbourne Baroque Orchestra, Shane directs Evergreen Ensemble with whom she has recorded and produced seven albums—three for ABC Classics.

Shane’s past performances and productions include the Victorian dates of Bill Bailey’s 2024 ‘Thoughtifier’ tour, an orchestral appearance in the 2024 Netflix film ‘Mozart’s Sister’, a UK tour in 2023, soundtrack recordings for the Melbourne Theatre Company and short films and documentaries, French tours with harpists Gwenaël Kerléo and Ysa, and the ‘Origin’ tours with Breton band, Aodan. She is also part of an exciting new Australian group, PaperBach Quartet, bringing together style-defying musicians from around the country. Off-stage, Shane teaches at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and is a published writer with a PhD in musicology. She is thrilled to be joining Opera Australia and the Hadestown team for the best ‘season from hell’ ever!

Oliver Powell is a professional bass player/multi instrumentalist based in Melbourne, Victoria. Oliver moved to Melbourne in 2013 to commence his musical career by first completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts – Contemporary Music at the Victorian College of the Arts. Since graduating, Oliver has had a vast array of musical career highlights, most notably perhaps was his performance alongside Robbie Williams for the AFL Grand Final 2022 pre game show. Other television performances include performing with Colin Hay, from ‘Men At Work’ and James Johnston for the Melbourne Cup, 2022 & 2023 respectively. Oliver can also be seen in the Robbie Williams movie ‘Better Man’ playing bass in the ‘Tops of the Pops’ scene, released in 2024. Moving from screen to stage, Oliver has played for some of the most highly regarded musical theatre shows in Melbourne of the last few years. He has played electric and double bass for ‘Hamilton’, ‘& Juliet’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘Moulin Rogue’ and most recently ‘TINA, the Tina Turner Musical’. Oliver is looking forward to jumping on board the Hadestown train in Melbourne.

Accomplished cellist, Lauren Jennings is excited to be involved in the Hadestown phenomenon.

Most recently, Lauren returned from Dubai, having performed in Sweeney Todd with the Victorian Opera. She is a familiar entity on the Melbourne music scene, her experience extending to performances with A Christmas Carol, & Juliet, Carousel, and Moulin Rouge.

Lauren is a proficient freelance musician with wide ranging experience. She records for film and television and is in demand for corporate functions and events.

In 2019 Lauren completed her Master of Music (Orchestral Performance), graduating with First Class Honours at the University of Melbourne. Her collaborations include the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic and Opera Australia.

Lauren is a keen chamber musician having played in the Mimir Chamber Music Festival in both Melbourne and the USA. Internationally, she has also performed in China with Melbourne Opera and the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra. As well, she was a featured soloist in the Hong Kong Performing Arts Academy Cello Festival.

Originating from Bendigo, Lauren now calls Melbourne home where she avidly pursues her music.

Kieran Rafferty studied a Bachelor of Music at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music at Monash University under the instruction of Tony Floyd and Dave Beck, and in 2013 took first prize in the open category of Australia’s Best Up And Coming Drummer Competition. He instantly received endorsements from four international companies, as well as the opportunity to perform at the 2015 Australia’s Ultimate Drummers Weekend. He was also featured in issue 80 of the renowned Drumscene magazine.

He performs regularly at a range of different venues across the country from jazz clubs, pubs, theatres, concert halls (including Sydney Opera House) and stadiums (where he played to 85,000 people for ‘Dreamtime at the G’), and has performed as part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, Sydney Festival and Adelaide Festival.

Kieran’s recent career has seen him performing with the alternative rock band Rival Fire at Rod Laver Arena to support US rock band Kiss on their 2022 world tour; playing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as part of their ‘Performance of a Lifetime’ concert at Sidney Myer Music Bowl; and playing on hit shows such as Hamilton, Moulin Rouge, Wicked, Sister Act and over 200 performances for the Rocky Horror Show’s 50th Anniversary Australian tour in 2023.

Griffin has been performing professionally on Trombone for over 15 years, freelancing for a wide array of musical groups and styles. After finishing her Bachelor of Music in Brisbane in 2011, she spent several years travelling the world, performing music on cruise ships as well as living abroad in Canada and England. Along with performing, Griffin has extensive experience as an educator and band leader, and enjoys any opportunity to share her love of music with others. For the past three years Melbourne has been Griffin’s home, and she is thrilled to be part of this thriving and diverse music community.

Ash Griffin has been a fixture in the professional music scene for over a decade, performing across theatre, live bands, and studio sessions. He has played with Vaudeville Smash, Honey, and Play Lunch, as well as in the pit for The Rocky Horror Show. Beyond performance, he has spent the past three years mentoring emerging musicians through the State Schools Spectacular. Ash is thrilled to join the Hadestown orchestra and bring this remarkable score to life