“Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.” Plato, The Republic, Book 3

I am proud to live in Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music. I want more people to experience music through participation or through immersive events, and I love to see people of all ages and stages working towards performance goals, in groups or individually. The experience of high level chamber music is such a powerful thing to communicate and share with everyone, and such a lot of fun! Live music provides a shared moment in time; forget other issues and just focus in the colours and textures, is like a moment of mental massage: rest your brain…  In addition, especially in the early years, we know how formative and cognitively beneficial a music education is from so much research and from advocates (such as Australia’s legends Richard Gill and Anita Collins).

I’ve been lucky enough to work with top music educators since early primary school age. I remember In Kent Junior Music School I was taught Kodaly method by Bela de Csillery, pupil of Kodaly, later I was lucky enough to be conducted and coached by Leonard Bernstein in the last months of his life, where he took a special interest in the handful of English kids nominated by our teachers (who were his close colleagues of the London Symphony Orchestra).  We had been friendly with Richard Gill in Sydney thanks to my inlaws (he taught my husband and was a family friend). I had worked with leading conductor and pioneer Marin Alsop when she was just a teenager. Later as a seasoned professional and Chairperson of BBCSO, I coordinated the BBC Symphony education committee then led by Lincoln Abbotts alongside several inspiring artists  educators, including John Adams and on tour in South America witnessing incredible samba school peformances in Sao Paolo.  In developing my Musica Viva in Schools program, Colours of Home, I have focus on early years music education, and in normalising the experience of synesthesia (as also experienced by Bernstein). Producing and improvising in this program around Australia, with Caspar Hawksley electric guitar and developed and facilitated by MVIS and artist educator Michael Sollis, is the greatest joy. 

I have been also conducted by so many excellent youth orchestra programs: run by people bringing music to teenagers with a passion, at the grassroots… whose names are not always famous but whose legacies can be for life. There are so many dedicated music teachers and programs to celebrate. 

I have taught school age children, in Marryatville High School, York College for Girls, Sherborne School, Seymour College, Pembroke and Sydney Grammar School music departments

My teaching focusses on

• Bringing out unique and individual expression from each person- what are we saying?
• Using best practice in technique and equipment to make music making as easy as possible
• Fundamental breathwork which supports the physical effort required with the expression
• Using harmony constantly to train the brain to understand context and respond with melody 
• Joining a community of oboists; revealing our historic connections through reedmaking
• Using music to reveal society; understanding social history behind each genre and style

At University level, I have worked with tertiary students at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Elder Conservatorium of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Trinity College London, Yong Sieh Toh Conservatory Singapore, Royal Northern College of Music, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Guildhall School of Music and Drama. I bring a reality to my tertiary teaching: how will you attract and retain work?- what is it really like?- how does it feel?- can you deliver reliability? – how will you cope with admin and tax –what can you do to be entrepreneurial and is it all sustainable. My own neurodiversity shapes this realistic and emotional approach for real results.

I really enjoy coaching and adjudicating emerging soloists, for example at Campos de Jordao, Brazil (faculty), TALIS Festival Sarajevo Bosnia Herzegovinia (faculty), Akaroa International Chamber Music Festival (faculty), Hobart City Eistedfodd (solo adjudicator), Fox Gillet International Oboe Competition, Tokyo (jury), BBCTV Young Musician of the Year (jury) as well as at the music colleges above.

I am particularly always interested in developing emotional connections between audience and performer and bringing self discipline and public performance aspects of music to help people live well.