Andrew James (Piano)

Andrew James graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts, where he studied piano with Joe Chindamo and orchestration with Paul Sarcich. In 2005 he lived in Buenos Aires where he studied Tango Music and Arranging with Hernan Possetti and toured to Northern Argentina to perform at Chamber Music Festivals. He has studied and performed in Havana, Cuba and Montreal, Canada. He received Arts Tasmania funding for ensemble development and composition for Salsa music in Tasmania, and has lived in Havana, Cuba, studying traditional Cuban Music with Pianists from Enrique Jorrin and Guillermo Rubalcaba's orchestras. In Melbourne he plays Jazz, Cuban and Original music and composes for Contemporary Tango ensemble colectivo29 and has become an in demand pianist on the Latin Music Scene.

Rachael Kim (Violin)

Rachael Kim is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, where she founded the award-winning Abraxas Piano Trio. The trio toured extensively throughout Europe, receiving a scholarship for study at the Royal College in 2000. Rachael was invited to tour with the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra at this time, and has since returned to Melbourne where she freelances in an eclectic array of ensembles throughout Melbourne.

George Butrumlis (Accordion)

George Butrumlis has played the piano accordion since the age of six. He was an original member of Jo Camilleri’s band, Black Sorrows, and his accordion is featured on the first five Black Sorrows albums. George has worked and recorded with a diverse group of artists such as Men At Work, Ross Wilson, Archie Roach, Jane Clifton, Ted Egan, Jeannie Lewis, The Backsliders, The Borderers, The Three Tenors, Bob Geldof, Melbourne Symphony and Adelaide Chamber orchestras,. George’s band, Zydeco Jump, has been a regular feature on the Australian music scene for over 15 years and has appeared at most major Australian music festivals. He recently spent time in Italy as recipient of a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts to study accordion manufacture, tuning and repair.

Mischa Herman (Accordion)

Mischa is the newest member of colectivo29. Has studied music at Melbourne University and is currently completing a diploma in Sound design at RMIT University. He plays and records with his own Harp - Accordion duo and comes from a long line of virtuoso Ukranian accordionists.

Penelope Witt (Cello)

Born in Hobart in 1979, Penelope Witt started cello lessons with Sue-Ellen Paulsen when she was eight years old. She was awarded a music scholarship to attend the Friends’ Senior School and gained her Amus on piano and on cello with distinction in 1996. Penelope moved to Brisbane in 1997 where she had an academic scholarship to study with Markus Stocker at the Queensland Conservatorium. After graduating with first class honours in 2001, Penelope returned to Hobart to work as a casual ‘cellist with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. She has recently completed a PhD on the national dance and folk elements in Argentine cello compositions at the University of Tasmania under the supervision of Dr Anne-Marie Forbes and Christian Wojtowicz.

Tamara Murphy (Bass)

Tamara Murphy is currently studying Masters at the Victorian College of the Arts where she completed a BMus (Improvisation). In 2001 she toured with the Cologne New Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and has since received Australia Council funding to study Improvisation and Composition in New York. In 2006 Tamara released her acclaimed album Telling Tales with Murphy’s Law, and received funding from the Australia Council to study at the Banff Centre (Canada) as part of the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music