Melissa Carroll (Hickey, 1997)
A rose among the horns
Trumpeter, pageant queen, lawyer, doctor—Melissa Carroll has seized every opportunity to excel. She shares her story:
`My journey at Brisbane Girls Grammar School began in 1993, playing trumpet in the Senior Band, Symphony Orchestra and Big Band from Year 8. The music department was a welcoming place under the tutelage of Andrew Jarvis and Mark Sullivan who brought energy and passion to the podium.
`In my Senior Year, 1997, I was awarded Music Captain, played a lead role in West Side Story and travelled to Canberra for the Combined Schools Music Festival. I also took part in the inaugural BGGS Gala Concert, and, to my delight, I have been invited back every year since as a guest Old Girl performer
I am indebted to BGGS and its music program for the invaluable life skills I learned
Melissa Carroll`After school, I performed with the Australian Youth Wind Orchestra on several overseas tours. With music friends, and my now husband, I established the Queensland Wind Orchestra, a world-recognised wind band.
`I am indebted to BGGS and its music program for the invaluable life skills I learned – confidence, responsibility, teamwork, performance skills, and the importance of working hard towards a goal. BGGS encouraged me to believe in myself and what I could achieve.
`As a result, in 2002, I was crowned the Queensland Rose of Tralee, an Irish pageant celebrating girls of Irish heritage from around the world.
`The final televised nights, where an International Rose is selected, are some of the highest-rating shows of the year in Ireland. Besides having Irish heritage, the main criteria is to be yourself.
`As a Grammar Girl, I had confidence in myself and had the time of my life.
`My highlight was having my photograph on the front page of the Irish national newspaper, playing the trumpet!
`Professionally, I completed a BA/LLB (Hons) degrees and was admitted as a solicitor, before embarking on a career in medicine. I am now a dermatologist, working in private practice in Brisbane.
`I continue to play trumpet in the Queensland Wind Orchestra.
`In 2025, my first daughter started her own journey at BGGS in Year 7. I cannot wait to see how she will grow as a Grammar Girl and how BGGS will enrich her life – at school, and beyond – as it has mine.’
Melissa is now a dermatologist working in private practice in Brisbane, but continues to perform with the Queensland Wind Orchestra
Winning the 2002 Queensland Rose of Tralee