About me: Kris with the K

Well you clearly want to know more about me - that's why you've clicked this page isn't it?

Hi, I'm Kris (or Kristopher - when I'm in trouble with the parents), I'm 21 (with just on 9 years experience of it) and I'm living in the regional metropolis of Mackay in Central Queensland, Australia. Yes, my name is spelt with a K - I know... to be different... although today... it seems to be more and more common...
My parents were avid fans of Country & Western music, in particular, an American Singer-Songwriter come actor, Kris Kristofferson... and welll there you go...(thankfully I didn't recieve the double F's "ff")

Now it may surprise some out there, but I haven't been in Mackay my whole life, although looking back... 10 years is a  l o n g  time...

I was born in Townsville (some 400km's north of Mack-town) and raised in Home Hill, again a small rural township on the east coast of North Queensland. I'm the elsdest of 2 boys in my family and my lovingly supportive parents still live there running thier local family business  in retail tyre sales (Tyrepower) *insert plug*, which has been operating for over 50 years (Originally started by my Grandfather who was a black-smith by trade - the forge is still at the rear of the industrial sheds) and servicing the wider community both in the twin townships of Ayr and Home hill and the surrounding farming community.

Attending my schooling in the district through 2 primary institutioins, Home Hill State Primary, and St. Colman's Catholic School. Funny, as a protestant, I certainly enoyed going up for Communion, but at the age of 10 I didn't know the difference and 'acted' the part; guess I loved playing characters from an early age! I also enjoyed playing in school orchestras and music ensembles with the flute and a little piano (despite no interest in practice) as well as singing in the school choirs, participating in the regional Eisteddods (Perfoming Arts Competitions) where I also would take to the stage in solo sections to some acclaim.

Compelting my primary schooling meant I had to make a choice, return to the State School system, or continue with the Catholic (Independant) education that I had become accostomed to. With my school bag packed, I hopped on a bus every morning at 7:30am to take me across the Burdekin River to Ayr and attend secondary school at the Burdekin Catcholic High School (BCHS).

Once again, I enjoyed Music, Drama, Languages (excelled at Italian, not so much in Japanese) and English, however Maths and Science were not my key learning areas. I sang through 5 years of school choirs, played in as many orchestral events and enjoyed extra-curricular activities with the Home Hill Choral Society, in what would be my first, and one of the organistations final musical productions of My Fair Lady. I ventured over the river regularly, not just for school but also to participate in more community musical prodcutions with the Burdekin Singers & Theatre Company. I enjoyed participating in shows from Hans Christian Andersen, Cincerella, Les Miserables (my all-time favourite) and finally in 2003 with Oklohoma!

I participated in the local Interschool Drama Festival winning 'Best Actor' award, as well as participating in the Lions Youth of the Year Quest, taking out both District and Regional Finals. I was a junior member of the local community radio station, with my own program on Wednesday afternoons, aptly titled, 'The Arvo Shift, with Brenno' broadcasting to the small community (including the main street of Ayr).

Graduating as one of 36 students from BCH in the year 2000, I had no idea what step to take next with my life. I didn't achieve the results I had hoped for to enter university straight away, although at the time I was considering a career in Hospitality Management. It was not to be (well, just yet). I returend to school, this time going back to Ayr State High School, where I would repeat my senior year, and aim for a much more respectable result and enjoy a huge year level of 150 students! I again thrust myself into the the Arts as well as further Speech & Drama extra-curricular activities. I would also be nominated for the Burdekin Shire Australia Day Cultural Award, to which I was suprised to recieve. Following by second stint at Year 12, I then decided I wanted to persure a career in performing arts, more specifically in Musical Theatre. So off I auditionied for both the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (CQCM) via Central Queensland University. the latter would accept my audition and offered me a place, much to the excitement of my family. I think mum thew the 'going away party' to realise she would now gain a craft room. So I subsequently relocated to Mackay, that was 2002...

I enrolled in my first courses of the Bachelor of Music Theatre at the CQCM and I would come to meet and enjoy building friendships with many lectureres and fellow students, some of whom are now performing internationally as well as nationally. I have certainly appreciated the time spent in this intstitution.

After finding it difficult to balance University life with work life I decided to defer my studies (for what was to be one year only) and enter full-time work within the Hospitality industry. I was a Restaurant Supervisor at a newly established 4.5 Star hotel, then cross-training into the Front Office department, hotel Reservations etc which at the time was a first for that Hotel and for Mackay apparently, but now is more common-place, and expected. After only a year and a hlaf there, I left when I was offered a Restaurant Management position at a nearby Seafood Restaurant. This was to be short-lived and I enjoyed the atmosphere of working in larger hotel establishments, so when a second 4.5 star hotel opened, I jumped in, as the Restaurant Manager and also Duty Manager, once again covering both dining area and the Front Office. Working with a family-owned business was rather difficult especially when some of the members were staff employed within and had little (or no) idea about practices and concepts of service and the industry. So leaving there I returned to my first Hotel and enjoyed a comfortable position as Fucntion & Event Manager. There I would apply my creative touch to a vast array of conferences, meetings, dinner parties, weddings and end-of-year celebrations for mining companies. I again would supervise restaurant and front office operation and also found challenging tasks within the role in general which motivated myself and my team to keep performing at our peak.

Yearning for a 'normal' life, after a small number of years enjoying 3am finishes and 9am set-ups as well as countless weekends and public holidays missed concerts etc.I left the undustry (for "good") and started work for the next couple of years as a Service Advisor at teh local Toyota dealership. This was an eye-opener to say the least. Going from menu choices to oil filters, from scallopini to gaskets and everything in between, I was given a crash course in mechanical knowledge. Even with my family heritage in vehicle maintenance, I had no idea what the heck was under the bonnet! But I did check my water and oil levels regularly! (Thanks Dad!)

Finally after a few years away from University, I was encouraged through a rowdy bunch of guys who thought it would be a great idea to form a 'boy band'. Not just any boy band though... this one had operatic and musical theatre influences with our own unique Australian personalities. Add a cRaZy musical director from The Ten Tenors, an awesome accompanist and 4... no wait 5... no... we now have 6 guys... we decided to call ourselves...

Formidable

We would pack ourselves into a Tarago and drive around singing in various towns and cities, and as we were also associated with CQU we enjoyed performing at the International Campuses as well... We produced a couple of independent CD's as well as had numerous sell-out concerts in each of our respective home towns. So singing along side a Senior Lecturer and Head of Program , an Associate Lecturer in Voice as MD, two graduates from the BMT program and another two students who were in their final year of study for the same degree at the time, I had a very strong argument for me to return to academic study.

From those breif 2 years of enjoying life as a local celebrity (I know.. lame!) I thought why not return to Uni and finish what I had started all those years ago...So once more I entered academia, and performed leading roles in musical adaptaions of: Kiss Me. Kate (working with the legendary Nancye Hayes), Chicago (Playing Amos Hart - Mr Cellophane), Copacobana: The Barry Manilow Musical (with Jack Webster as Director), The Threepenny Opera and recently Sweet Charity (under the direction of the fabulous Chloe Dalimore), Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels and finally with John Wregg on a revamped version of Chess.

So here I am, on the other side of the degree progam. A graduate of the Bachelor of Theatre (Music Theatre Specialisation). Following my 'accepted to award' I started my own private vocal and drama studio Kriscendo Studios where I am presently teaching from home and enjoying passing on the skills and knowledge that I have developed over the last few years.

With my community involvement still continuing into 2013, I have kept my associations with the Mackay Choral Society and established a new youth choir; A-Choir'd Pitch. Which gives students aged 8 - 18 years something to do on Thursday afternoons, where we meet, learn to sing, have fun with different songs and present them to our audiences who comprose of parents, friends, grand-parents and other relatives as well as supporters of Mackay's young performers. The aim of this new group is to provide a different performance platform to engage, entertain and excite new performers through various genres and styles of music, from traditional choral works to more modern Glee-inspired repertoire.

Amongst all this excitment in my life, I have now found my next step with CQUniversity Australia studying towards a Graduate Diploma Learning & Teaching (Secondary) Specialising in Music & Drama. I really am enjoying this program and very diverse method of study involves...

Want to know more? Just ask!