Scholars House hosted the annual Tuckwell Soirée on Sunday afternoon, a relaxed and informal gathering for scholars and staff as the ANU teaching period draws to a close and attention now turns to final exams and assessments with scholars focused and locked in for the home stretch.
With Bill McCart (2025) serving as the ever-witty MC, the afternoon began with his opening monologue, perfect comic timing/roasting and a collection of delightfully random photos from throughout the year, Bill had the audience in splits from the outset.
Narryna Nicholas (2023) opened the afternoon with a heartfelt, original poem. Jack Keogh (2025) then shared an energetic piano and vocal performance, while Josh Walraven (2026) left everyone in awe with a flawless piano recital. Fellow pianist Chi Canty (2023) captivated the audience with a polished and expressive performance that demonstrated amazing skill.
A musical trio featuring Inez Crosby (2025) on cello, Bart Cheng (2025) and Olivia Xu (2026) on violin was both elegant and exhilarating, culminating in a surprise jig out to the veranda that left the audience cheering!
Luke McNamara (2023) held the room's attention with a recitation of an original poem by a ‘renowned Irish poet’ Padraig Limmerick, delivering it with warmth and conviction. Dressed impeccably as Frank Sinatra, Guy Archibald (2022) transported guests to another era with a smooth and memorable rendition of The Way You Look Tonight.
Joining remotely from Finland, where he is currently on exchange, Rory MacLennan(2024) shared a lovely poetry reading by video, bringing a touch of the Nordic landscape to the afternoon.
Tuckwell Fellow, Professor Cedric Simenel joined in on the fun, combining musical talent and science with a guitar performance that naturally taught everyone a little more about dark matter.
Olivia Xu (2026) and Jack Gannon (2026) then treated guests to a moving collection of Irish reels, featuring violin and piano accordion. Their performance was hauntingly beautiful, including a touching rendition of Danny Boy. The afternoon concluded with Nayl Fassi Fihri (2025), whose wonderful guitar performance provided a fitting and memorable finale.
A special thank you goes to Aimee Choi (2025), who for the second year running, expertly managed the catering for the event, with rave reviews.
A big thank you to Isaac Ford (2025) for setting up the venue so beautifully, creating the perfect space for the audience to enjoy all the performances, and for leading the pack down effort, which ran seamlessly.
Thank you to all Scholars and staff who took part in the Tuckwell Soirée and helped make it such a wonderful success. Scholars House felt more like a family home, with music, poetry and laughter bringing everyone together to unwind before exams begin. We are already looking forward to discovering what refreshingly different, hidden talents emerge next year.
