https://fundraise.varietywa.org.au/event/2022-variety-ball/home

In February 2022, I had the incredible opportunity to perform at the Variety WA Ball, hosted at the WA Museum Boola Bardip. This event was organised by Variety – the Children’s Charity, who believes every child deserves a chance. The charity supports children who are sick, disadvantaged, or living with disabilities, raising money to fund new equipment, treatment and programs. The annual ball is one of the charity’s major fundraising events, bringing together high-profile guests from across Perth to raise vital funds and awareness.

I was first approached by the event manager in late 2021, who introduced me to the mission of Variety and shared her vision for the ball. The theme — “From Dust to Diamonds” — was deeply symbolic, referencing both the richness of Western Australia’s land and the incredible potential of its children. The night aimed to evoke childhood memories through familiar foods and music, while also highlighting distant dreams and global influences. It was a celebration of growth, transformation, and resilience.

Inspired by this, I brought together a trio with my sister Arwen (violin and vocals) and our friend Nathan (cello). We reformed our piano trio to align with the ball’s theme and deliver a performance that was both elegant and emotionally resonant.

The next few months were quite tough, pressuring our minds into conjuring innovative ideas, endless sessions of songwriting and rehearsing and day trips of finding outfits, that all related to the theme of “from dust to diamonds”. In the months leading up to the event, we dedicated countless hours to rehearsing, arranging, and composing. As I had some background experience arranging & composing music, (especially in genres outside of classical music), I set myself the role of arranging all of the music for a trio setting 

We curated two separate setlists for the night:

VIP Cocktail Event Setlist:

• Debussy Piano Trio in G Major (3rd Movement) – Claude Debussy

• Diamonds Are Forever – written by Shirley Bassey 

• Princess Mononoke Theme  – written by Joe Hisaishi (arranged in a jazz style) 

• Ashitaka and San Theme – written by Joe Hisaishi 

• One Summer Day – written by Joe Hisaishi  

Main Ball Performance Setlist:

• Reflections – Toshifumi Hinata

• Libertango – Astor Piazzolla

• Original Composition – by myself

• Golden – Harry Styles (arranged by Arwen, adapted by me for piano trio)

(all pieces except Golden were arranged by myself).

In currating this setlist, we had to carefuly ensure that each piece smoothly transitioned into the next one. For example, in the main event, I made the last chord of my original composition, a dominant chord (G7#5), which led nicely into Arwen’s arrangement of Golden which started with a C chord, the tonic chord. This made a smooth transition in-between the two pieces, (a perfect cadence convention, V-I).

Performance Experience

The night before the ball, we participated in a full dress rehearsal where we met other performers and ran through lighting and audio cues. The stage design broke from the traditional trio format — Arwen and Nathan performed on a circular stage surrounded by guests, while I played from the balcony above, creating a dynamic visual and acoustic experience.

The performance day was exhilarating and nerve-wracking. We were performing for an audience of high-profile guests — including Channel 9 presenters, luxury brand representatives, and social influencers. Despite some last-minute challenges (including a medical emergency during rehearsal), we focused on delivering our absolute best.

The performances were well-received, with heartfelt appreciation from the audience. Many guests approached us with gratitude and kind words, and we even found ourselves featured on a few influencer Instagrams by the end of the night!

We also had the chance to meet other talented artists — including dancers, acrobats, and the evening’s host, Moxie Heart — creating a truly unforgettable, collaborative atmosphere.

The 2022 Variety WA Ball stands out as one of the most meaningful  experiences I have had the pleasure of bringing to life with countless other hard-working team members. This experience pushed me creatively, strengthened my skills as an arranger and performer, and connected me to a cause far greater than myself. I’m deeply grateful for the chance to contribute to an event that brings joy and opportunity to children across WA.