The St James' Music Foundation Professional Development Recipients

The St James’ Music Foundation provides scholarships for student organists and singers to further their studies abroad, as part of its vision to foster music talent and ensure the longevity of the music programme at St James’ Church.

The first scholarship was awarded to Brooke Shelley in 2000.  Along with a scholarship from the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, this allowed her to undertake a Master of Music in Advanced Musical Studies degree, majoring in Historical Musicology at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Marko Sever furthered his studies at the Royal Academy of Music with Gerard Brooks and David Titterington. In 2018, he graduated from the Academy with prizes in organ playing and academic work, shortly afterwards, gaining his FRCO (Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists) with prizes.

On completion of her studies, Sarah Kim was awarded a University of Sydney overseas travelling scholarship and became the first Australian organist ever to be accepted into the ‘Cycle de Perfectionnement’ and Master course at the Paris Conservatoire, where she studied under the tutelage of Oliver Latry and Michel Bouvard.

She subsequently pursued further specialised studies with Wolfgang Zerer, Andrea Marcon, Lorenzo Ghielmi and Jörg-Andreas Bötticher at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, where she gained her Masters degree in early music.

Bass Aidan O’Donnell is a passionate and animated performer whose love for storytelling is conveyed through his singing.  He was a finalist for the Opera Australia Young Artist Program for 2025 and is excited to commence the Artist Diploma in Vocal Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London from September 2025.

In 2025 James Brew made his first major debut on the international scene, having been recently appointed as the newest Organ Scholar at Jesus College, Cambridge. He commenced his three-year BA (Music) at Cambridge in September, whilst accompanying two to five services a week with the chapel and college choirs.

Your Pathway

Aidan O’Donnell

Bass Aidan O’Donnell is a passionate and animated performer whose love for storytelling is conveyed through his singing. Under the tutelage of Andrew Dalton and David Greco, Aidan has a BMus degree in classical vocal performance and a MMus degree in opera performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music (SCM). Aidan was a part of the Choir of St. James’ King Street as a choral scholar from 2018 to 2020, and a chorister from 2021 to 2024. Aidan has worked also with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, The Song Company, and Bach Akademie Australia. Opera roles include the title role in Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart (Prague Summer Nights), Leporello in Don Giovanni by Mozart (Prague Summer Nights), Sarastro and Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte by Mozart (Berlin Opera Academy) and Seneca in L’incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi and Kats-Chernin (SCM). In 2024 Aidan was a young artist with Pacific Opera Studio, he was a semi-finalist for the German-Australian Opera Grant for 2025, and he was also a finalist for the Opera Australia Young Artist Program for 2025. Aidan is excited to commence the Artist Diploma in Vocal Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London from September 2025.

James Brew

One of Sydney’s foremost young organists and musicians, James Brew has been the organ scholar of St James’, King St since August 2023. He has played and performed on some of the world’s grandest and most famous instruments, from the Sydney Town Hall to Haarlem’s st-Bavokerk, alongside international tours and performances as a singer and composer.

Beginning his musical education with the Sydney Children’s Choir at the age of six, James started taking piano lessons in the same year, and tuba lessons not long thereafter. His choral career has taken him on tour, performing solos with the Vienna Boys’ Choir and Gondwana Chorale. An avid multi-instrumentalist, James’ performances range from high modernist vocal works to some of the most virtuosic renaissance recorder repertoire.

James has also emerged as one of Australia’s premier young composers, most recently being named in the top 5 composers from Oceania in the European Recording Orchestra’s Call for Scores, 2025. He has won multiple national and international competitions and had several pieces already performed, notably conducting his piece ‘Starlight’ in concert at the Sydney Opera House in 2018 when he was only eleven.

In 2024, James received his LMusA with distinction for Organ Performance, as well as being nominated for the encore showcase for his HSC Music Extension compositions and making the all-round achievers list by receiving a top-band result in more than 10 units.

Outside of his musical endeavours, he has represented his school in fencing, rowing, linguistics, and athletics. James also enjoys a wider artistic practice, including poetry and visual arts.