Former CQCM student Kristin BeradiFormer Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (CQCM) student Kristin Beradi is fast making a huge name for herself in the international jazz music scene.

Last year the jazz diva took out the vocals gong at Switzerland's Monteaux Jazz Festival, impressing the judges including jazz icon Al Jarreau. She even got to front Al's band during the festival.

She is currently preparing for The Valley Jazz Festival in Brisbane where she will perform with longtime collaborator and leading jazz guitarist James Sherlock. The festival will be held today (Thursday April 26). Tomorrow she performs at Tank Arts Theatre in Cairns.

As a treat to CQCM students Kristin will perform at the conservatorium in Mackay on May 5 with Sherlock.

It wasn't that long ago when Kristin was a shy girl growing up in the cane-growing community of Koumala, near Mackay. She had a love of music and wanted to master
Kristin Beradi will perform at CQCM in Mackay next monthclassical violin and play the saxaphone, but her voice was going to take her to other areas. When she was 15 she was steered into a jazz combo at school, and the rest has just fallen into place.

After completing school, Kristin enrolled at CQCM as a music student, but half-way through her degree moved to Brisbane where she completed it at the Queensland Conservatorium.

"CQCM was a great place to start my studies," Kristin said.

"I was given many opportunities to perform in professional settings, and this was invaluable to me."

In more recent years, Kristin followed her heart to Sydney to be with her now-husband and tenor sax player David Theak.