Monique di Mattina (1989)

Discover how Monique’s time at the PLC music school shaped her journey.

What are you doing now?

"We are in rehearsal for my new show STELLA, which tells the epic life story of Australian literary icon Stella Miles Franklin. It's a story that grabbed my imagination seven years ago and has haunted and taunted me ever since.

Stella resonates with me because she is a very real, imperfect character, a born creative, and deadly funny. Her perseverance in the face of adversity is incredibly inspiring."

Your favorite PLC memories?

"Mostly skipping regular class to hang around the music school! All my first musical thrills happened there—like the epic rumble of playing timpani in the orchestra for the Fauré Requiem, and experimenting with bass, piano, and sax in the jazz bands.

I remember freezing during my first jazz concert solo and just playing the original melody over and over while the band looped around me. Afterwards, my jazz piano teacher, Bob Sedergreen, just smiled and told me I did great."

How did PLC shape you?

"They say 'you can't be it if you can't see it.' In the PLC music school, we were surrounded by incredible women—teachers like Sue Johnson, Felicity Provan, and Judy Jacques, led by the inimitable Ros Macmillan. In a scene that is still highly male-dominated, these women were out there gigging and playing up a storm. It made a massive impression on me."

What drives your work today?

"In The Art of Loving, Erich Fromm notes that 'milk' represents survival, but 'honey' signifies a love of life. While we must work to save the planet for our survival, we also need art to thrive. My daily focus is creating music and theatre that helps people laugh, cry, and feel more connected."

Advice for current students?

"Lean into the feeling of uplift when you're doing something you love—that's the direction you need to go."