Thirteen QUT music, drama and communications students have recently returned from a transformative month in India with highlights including working with local musicians and performing at venues like the Hard Rock Cafe in Chennai.
Led by Dr Kristina Kelman, an Associate Professor in music with the QUT School of Creative Arts, the students were participating in a 2026 India Immersion Project funded by the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan.
Based at the KM Music Conservatory in Mumbai and Chennai, students engaged in collaborative songwriting, workshops, and live performances to foster cross-cultural musical exchange.
“I have had the pleasure of taking QUT students to India for 10 years now, in partnership with KM Music Conservatory, founded by AR Rahman, India's most celebrated composer and the Grammy Award-winning artist behind Slumdog Millionaire,” Dr Kelman said.
“What started as a recording project unearthing indie Indian artists has grown into one of the most distinctive New Colombo Plan study tours in the country. We don't just send students overseas, we send our best emerging artists on an international tour, where they collaborate with talented Indian musicians, write and record original music, and perform at major live music venues.
“This year though, was extra special. The New Colombo Plan extended its study tour duration from two to four weeks for the first time, and the difference was genuinely transformative.
“Students spent the first half immersed in Hindi language lessons, music production, and Konnakol rhythm workshops at KM in Mumbai, in the heart of Bollywood, before hitting the road to perform at venues across Chennai, Bangalore, and Goa.
“This year also marked the second year of an exciting new partnership with the Goa Jazz Academy, bringing together QUT, KM, and GJA students for further collaborations and performances culminating in a final showcase on the last night of the tour.”
Throughout the month, the students also enjoyed a private tour of Netflix India and performed as the featured acts at the Australian Consulate-General's Australia Day celebrations in Chennai.
“The Australian Consul-General Silai Zaki sent a particularly warm letter of thanks praising the performance by the students and especially their efforts to learn Hindi to the point that they could sing the Hindi National Anthem,” Dr Kelman said.
“The whole month was a wonderful celebration of cross-cultural learning shared by the QUT students and those from the KM Music Conservatory and Goa Jazz Academy. It’s an experience that will stay with them all for the rest of their lives, as well as enrich their output as they embark on their creative careers.”
The QUT music students who went to India were: Orlan Grimes Marin; Bianca Mantarro; Harriet Wensley; Poppy Rendell; Jacob Mills; Brian Butcher; Beau Griffiths; Kristen Davies; and Milla Vidakovic Milic. They were joined by drama/music student Tara Bennett, film student Keeley Cawte, and communications students Charlize Lacy and Holly Brown.
Main image: QUT Music student, Orlan Grimes Marin (centre) launches his debut original project in a dynamic performance at the Hard Rock Cafe, Chennai, India. With (l-r) Harriet Wensley, Jacob Mills, Brian Butcher, Beau Griffiths, and Arnav Maitreya (KM Student, Chennai). Photo: Holly Brown.
Media contact:
Amanda Weaver
QUT Media
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