Classical:NEXT Fellowships
Since 2017, the AMC has been a partner institution the Classical:NEXT Fellowship Programme, supporting Australian creators and industry professionals in classical music to expand their international networks and opportunities. This is an opportunity for outstanding Australian talents to get together with 'C:N Insiders' and engage with the Classical:NEXT community on-site during the annual Classical:NEXT conference.
Through the program, we support creators, performers, and industry professional attending the Classical:NEXT conference – a dynamic hub for the global contemporary classical music community.
Each Fellow is paired with a seasoned professional who is also a Classical:NEXT veteran, who will offer advice and introduce the Fellows to the Classical:NEXT community and relevant professional contacts.
Previous Australian Fellows include: Louise Devenish, Xani Kolac, Tamara Kohler, Nat Bartsch, Luke Tierney, Aura Go, Matthias Schack-Arnott, and Belle Chen.
2025 Classical:NEXT Fellows
We are excited to introduce the recipients of the 2025 Australian Classical:NEXT Fellowships.
Connor D'Netto
Connor D'Netto (he/him) has been described as "the model contemporary Australian composer" by ABC Classic FM.
Balancing driving rhythm, heartfelt lyricism drawn from his background in classical voice, a lushly textural approach to orchestration, and the delicate incorporation of electronic music elements, Connor’s work is a constant attempt to bring together sprawling artistic interests, and in doing so, create connections across audiences and communities. Connor’s music has been performed by the likes of the LA Phil and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, and commissioned across Australia and abroad, including by ensembles such the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian String Quartet, New York based groups including Bang On A Can and Chromic Duo, and performers such as Katie Noonan, Karin Schaupp and Claire Edwardes.
In September 2022, Connor’s first opera “The Call”, commissioned by Opera Queensland and Brisbane Festival with libretto by Kate Miller-Heidke, had its premiere season at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Limelight Magazine described Connor’s score as “captivating, intelligent, theatrical and emotional”, while Jenna Robertson writes for ABR Arts “The audience is taken on an epic aural and emotional ride through D’Netto’s score, which is vibrant with layered textures, vertical rhythms, lyricism and starkness, as well as sweeping movement. Although The Call is D’Netto’s first opera, there is a maturity in his opera composing.” As a result of the opera’s success, The Call was a finalist for the 2023 “Work Of The Year: Dramatic” at the APRA Art Music Awards, and Connor was awarded the 2022 Albert H Maggs Award.In 2021 Connor was the recipient of the APRA AMCOS Professional Development Award in the Classical/Experimental category. Early in the year The Australian listed Connor as one of their “21 Hottest Creative Artists of 2021”. In 2019, Connor was the Composer-In-Residence of the 2019 Australian Festival of Chamber Music, the youngest in the Festival’s history. Connor has also held residencies at Chateau d’Orquevaux (France) and a Prelude Residency (AUS), and fellowships with the prolific New York new-music collective Bang On A Can in 2017 and with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2016.
Connor is the Co-Director of the Brisbane-based non-profit organisation Dots+Loops, Australia’s post-genre music and arts series, inclusively exploring the spaces in between a traditional classical concert, an underground club gig, and an experimental art show. Dots+Loops creates spaces that transcend the barriers that divide genres, artforms, and communities. Through the arts Dots+Loops aim to build social networks and address social and artistic inequity.
Connor graduated his Masters of Music as a Tait Trust Scholar at the Royal College of Music in London, and a Bachelor of Music (Honours, First-Class) from the University of Queensland, where he currently holds a position as an adjunct lecturer.
Aksuna (Natasha Lin)
Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, Natasha Lin—known artistically as Aksuna—is a pianist-composer now based in Germany. With a background spanning classical performance and music therapy, she blends technical virtuosity with cinematic storytelling and philosophical depth.
Aksuna’s professional musical journey began early, earning numerous first prizes in local and state competitions and scholarships from a young age. Despite initially pursuing dental studies, her passion for music ultimately reshaped her career, leading her to complete a Master in Music and a Master in Music Therapy in Australia. Her experience as a palliative care music therapist profoundly deepened her understanding of music’s emotional and spiritual impact—an influence that sparked her compositional journey and continues to shape her artistic voice.
As a performer, Aksuna has appeared at prestigious venues in both Australia and Germany, both as a soloist and in collaboration with orchestras. As a composer, her works have gained increasing recognition, with performances in Australia and the United States. Her film compositions include scores for three independent short films, one of which was a finalist at the 2022 International Flickerfest. Her works have also been broadcast on Classic FM, 2MBS, 3MBS, and Golden FM in Australia. Aksuna’s growing discography includes two original solo piano albums, an EP, and multiple commissioned works. Most recently, her solo piano piece Love Child was selected for the inaugural compilation release of OPIA, under Universal Music.
Dedicated to creating music that is both artistically profound and widely accessible, Aksuna strives to craft works that captivate audiences through immersive, expressive soundscapes while maintaining a high level of virtuosity and technical integrity that honours the performer’s expertise. Each composition serves as a vignette into the human experience, capturing emotions and stories unique to a moment in time. Believing in music as a powerful medium for emotional expression, wellbeing, and introspection, she sees her role as a musician as more vital than ever—particularly in a world where mental health is an increasing concern. Through her reflective, human-centred compositions, she seeks to create meaningful, high-quality music that encourages listeners to pause, connect, and experience a deeper sense of being.
With this in mind, Aksuna is actively exploring new creative partnerships with artists, filmmakers, and industry leaders who share her vision for innovation in contemporary classical music. By integrating multimedia and visual storytelling elements, she aims to enhance the immersive experience of her music, offering audiences a richer and more profound engagement with her work.
About Classical:NEXT
Classical:NEXT is the global networking and exchange hub dedicated exclusively to classical and art music, for all professionals – artists, managers, presenters, orchestras, labels, educators, press, media, publishers and more.
Classical:NEXT consists of an interactive conference, project pitches, showcase concerts, expo, innovation award and networking.
By taking part in Classical:NEXT, you join over 1,000 professionals from more than 45 countries worldwide.
Read more about the Classical:NEXT Fellowship Programme.
