Profiles of Presenters for ASME WA Summer School 2024 ‘Soundscapes of Innovation’

 

• Dr Roma Winmar (ECU Elder-in-Residence; Welcome To Country)
  

Dr Winmar, a respected Noongar elder, is a passionate advocate for Indigenous education, language, arts, and is an accomplished artist in her own rights. She is dedicated to promoting Noongar language and cultural activities for young and old alike and is available for appointments on Mount Lawley and Joondalup Campuses.

 

• Andrew Pennay (Keynote Speaker)
  

Andrew Pennay is Director of Creative Arts at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. He has lectured in creative music education at a tertiary level and has presented internationally on school-based composition. Andrew received an Award for Excellence in Australian Kodály-inspired Music Education (Innovation) in 2022. He is currently undertaking doctoral studies in songwriting pedagogy.

 

• Veronica Akse

Veronica Akse is a Music Teacher at Bethel Christian School in Albany. Prior to this she taught music for the Department of Education and was a finalist for the WA Premier’s Primary Teacher of the Year. Veronica holds Australian Kodály Certificates in Early Childhood and Primary Education. She is an enthusiastic music educator who loves inspiring the imaginations of all children and school communities to grow their love and involvement in Music.

 

• Jane Alderson

Jane graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts (double major in Music and English) and a Bachelor of Music Education (Hons). Her teaching career began at Perth Modern School in 1989 working with the music scholarship program. She has also taught at Methodist Ladies College, John Forrest Senior High School, Rossmoyne Senior High School, Churchlands Senior High School, Aquinas College and Penrhos College, and is very much looking forward to joining the dynamic team at Churchlands SHS this year. In addition to her teaching, Jane has been invited to examine and adjudicate at school examinations, festivals and eisteddfods, and lecture Music education students at the University of Western Australia. Jane has also directed and accompanied numerous choral and instrumental ensembles and solo performances, has been involved with several interstate and international tours and performed as a chorister with Collegium Musicum for 10 years. Jane worked for the School Curriculum and Standards Authority between 2007-2017 as the Principal Consultant for Curriculum (Music) across P-12. During her time at SCSA, she worked in several roles as Moderation officer, Curriculum and Assessment Officer, Chief Examiner, Chief Marker and marker for both WACE Music practical and written examinations. In addition to her work developing and managing Curriculum and Assessment materials at the Authority, she was also involved with the formation, implementation and marking of the Monitoring Standards in Education Music tests in 1996, assisted with the writing and compilation of work samples for the Arts Student Outcomes Package in 1997, and was commissioned by ASME to write the Year 12 TEE Set Works Analysis booklet in 2008. Jane wrote the Early Adolescence Scope and sequence documents for music, collaborating with primary staff to develop the 4-10 document to assist with the implementation of the Curriculum Framework, and was selected as one of two writers for the first phase of writing for the Australian Curriculum The Arts (Music). In 2015, Jane was honoured to be a joint WA winner of the ASME Education for Life award for her support of and contribution to Music Education in WA.

 

• Michelle Bracken-Perks

Michelle Bracken-Perks is an Instrumental Music Teacher with Instrumental Music School Services (IMSS). Having recently completed all Feierabend pedagogical courses, Michelle is training to become a Conversational Solfege Teacher Trainer and is very passionate about sharing this methodology in Australia.

 

• Su-Lyn Chong

An educator with 25+ years of commitment to arts education, Su-Lyn currently serves as the Director of Music at Hale School. Specialising in music and choral instruction, she has also freelanced as a workshop leader, festival adjudicator, guest lecturer, community choir director, as well as a piano and choral conducting tutor. In leisure, Su-Lyn loves to lindy hop with her husband and travel to interesting places. Su-Lyn is once again looking forward to connecting with fellow educators at ASME Summer School 2024.

 

• Ann Clarke

Ann Clarke is a Music teacher at Trinity College in East Perth. She conducts numerous school choirs and ensembles, as well accompanying Senior Choirs in addition to her regular teaching duties. After school hours Ann conducts a community choir in South Perth and is the current director of the “The Winthrop Singers”, involving tertiary students from across the city.

 

• Dr Joanna Drimatis

Dr Joanna Drimatis is a highly-respected champion of Australian music, contributing comprehensively through her output as a conductor, performer, music director, researcher and educator. Joanna is currently Music Education Specialist for the AMC and in 2020 Joanna was awarded an APRA AMCOS Art Music Luminary award for her advocacy, programming and performance of Australian music. https://joannadrimatis.com/

 

• Sonya Elek

Sonya Elek has been teaching Music for the past 25 years, initially as an Instrumental Music Teacher, and more recently as a Primary Music Specialist. Her teaching style is influenced by her training in the Orff and Kodaly approaches, and she believes that every student deserves access to a quality Music education and is capable of success in the Music classroom.

 

• Justin Florisson

After studying piano with a major in Jazz performance, Justin explored the world of gigs, recording and bands only discover a love for secondary school music teaching. Highlights include winning awards at Mt Gambier Jazz Festival and having jam sessions with students at lunchtime. Justin also has an unhealthy obsession with cricket.

 

• Stephanie Fraser

Cellist Stephanie Fraser has a wealth of experience bringing innovative inclusive solutions to string teaching and strings in education and curriculum settings. Stephanie has a background in the El Sistema philosophy of immersive education.

 

• Pamela Grubb

Pamela Grubb is the Director of Music at St Mark’s Anglican Community School; an Anglican co-educational school with approximately 1900 students from K-12. She is an experienced music educator who specialises in secondary education & choral singing and has completed all three Secondary levels of the Australian Kodaly Certificate.

 

• Rupert Guenther

Rupert Guenther is a concert violinist, teacher, self-esteem and wellbeing coach, and AUSTA WA President. He is an advocate for string teaching as an inclusive practice to education and wellbeing nationally and internationally. His holistic approaches to music education have been applauded by universities and schools worldwide.

 

• David Hardie

David is currently a Music Teacher at Gibbs Street Primary School. He has previously worked in a variety of educational contexts including secondary music, the training and vocational sector. He has delivered papers at ASME national conferences as well as internationally.

 

• Kristel Hawksworth

Kristel has been a secondary classroom teacher and ensemble director for over 27 years. She has had a great deal of experience teaching and planning at ATAR level since she began teaching. Kristel has taught at Rossmoyne SHS, Perth Modern School and has been working at Churchlands SHS since 2011.

 

• Catherine Haydon

Catherine started her teaching career at the tender age of four with patient siblings as her first students. Despite a brief dalliance as a physiotherapist, teaching has always been one of her ‘Favourite Things.’ Catherine has been teaching piano students for over 20 years and has worked at several schools while also running music programs for homeschooled students, volunteering in numerous liturgical music ministries, and being a mum to her two energetic boys. Catherine is currently the Primary and Liturgical Music Specialist at John XXIII College where she enjoys sharing her creativity and enthusiasm as part of both the Primary teaching and College music departments. She still enjoys teaching private piano and theory students, examines for the Australian Guild of Music Education and is the Director of Music at St Joseph’s Church in Subiaco where she regularly performs for weddings. Catherine is passionate about providing all students with high-quality music education, seeking new ways to improve teaching and learning experiences, encouraging students to be involved in choirs and ensembles, inspiring students with the wonder and beauty of music, and having fun!

 

• Mandy Herriman

Mandy is an experienced primary classroom music specialist and brass instrumental teacher. She is also the State Coordinator and Lead Mentor in WA for the National Music Teacher Mentoring Program (NMTMP) – Richard Gill’s brainchild enhancing music education in Early Childhood by upskilling generalist teachers. Mandy has a real passion for music education and promoting the cause of quality music education for all students. She has been involved in music curriculum development through SCSA and the writing of support documents for classroom music teachers. Mandy is currently the Chairperson of ASME WA and teaches instrumental music for IMSS.

 

• Katherine Humphreys

Katherine Humphreys is the full-time music specialist at Wembley Primary School. She records the educational vocal tracks and writes educational resources for the Massed Choir Festival, establishes local choral events for primary schools and is incredibly passionate about bringing together community through music.

 

• Kaboom Percussion

Kaboom Percussion was founded by Catherine Betts and Joshua Webster in 2014 and since then they have taken the world by storm with their own unique, original and enormously successful repertoire. Their popular education programs have been extremely well received and they have performed their highly sought-after School Shows to more than 200,000 students across Australia and New Zealand. At its core, Kaboom are passionate about harnessing the fun side of music, showing the world that music can be played with even the simplest of objects.

 

• Adrian Kelly

Adrian Kelly has built an international career as a multi-faceted musician; performing, recording, and writing contemporary, classical, and jazz music. Adrian and is currently engaged in PhD research at Edith Cowan University (Perth, Western Australia). In 2019, Adrian formed and led a working group that developed into The Western Australian Jazz Project, of which he is now the managing director. He has served on the board of the Australian Trumpet Guild since 2019, and been a member of MAGA since the 1990’s.

 

• James Kros

James is the Head of Music at John XXIII College, where he teaches Music to Years 7 to 12, as well as conducting both Primary and Secondary strings ensembles. He is a proud member of the ASME council and Secondary Subcommittee, as well as a frequent ATAR recital adjudicator.

 

• Kimberley Lloyd

Kimberley Lloyd is a highly qualified and experienced music educator with a diverse background in teaching. Along with her Bachelor of Education in Music, Kimberley also has her Master of Music in Music Education with Kodály Emphasis. After the birth of her daughter Freya in 2021, Kimberley established her own music school, Little House of Music. This venture reflects her passion for providing music education to a wide range of students, from babies to adults. Kimberley can also be found lecturing at Edith Cowan University across several Education Units.

 

• Melanie McLoughlin

With a Master of Music (Performance), a Masters of Education and a Master of Arts Administration Melanie is an experienced musician, classroom teacher and arts manager. Melanie is the Professional Development Manager at Musica Viva Australia, running workshops nationally for teachers in classroom music both face to face and online. Melanie is a Senior Brass Examiner for the AMEB NSW and performs regularly with Opera Australia Orchestra. Recently she has written and presented a podcast for Kinderling Radio introducing pre-schoolers to orchestral music called Music Time with Mel-o-dee.

 

• Anita Newhouse

Anita is Head of Music at Grace Christian School in Bunbury. Her teaching experience is diverse, having taught Pre-Kindergarten through to University students in both classical and contemporary contexts. Anita has a desire for all students to be given the opportunity to learn music. She enjoys collaborating with fellow music educators and mentoring colleagues. Anita is currently the secretary for ANCA (WA), and is also a committee member for WAOSA.

 

• Tim Newhouse

Tim Newhouse is a composer and educator, nominated for a WAM Song of the Year for his compositions Lower King (2022 – Jazz/Global categories) and Southbank (2019 – Jazz category). As well as being employed in schools as a composition tutor, Tim frequently conducts masterclasses for composition at many Perth schools.

 

• Leonie Nicholls

Leonie is the Assistant Director of Music at John Curtin College of the Arts, where she has taught since 2007. Leonie has a wide range of teaching experience: ATAR; VET Certificate II; Year 7-10 Gifted and Talented and Enrichment Music. She taught instrumental music for IMSS and has directed wind orchestras and choirs. Leonie is a Level 3 Classroom teacher.

 

• Andrew Pennay

Andrew Pennay is Director of Creative Arts at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. He has lectured in creative music education at a tertiary level and has presented internationally on school-based composition. Andrew received an Award for Excellence in Australian Kodály-inspired Music Education (Innovation) in 2022. He is currently undertaking doctoral studies in songwriting pedagogy.

 

• Rhianna Reynolds

Rhianna is a multi-subject teacher (Classroom Music and Languages) at Mount Barker Community College, a 700-student K-12 school 350km south of Perth. She runs a Year 4-6 choir and uses Kodàly-inspired, Feierabend ‘First Steps’ and ‘Conversational Solfege’ programs to ensure all of her students have access to a quality music education.

 

• Katherine Smith

Katherine (MMus, BMus, Dip. Ed. UWA; Kodály Cert. KMEIA, Dalcroze Cert. DEIEB) is a music and movement specialist who has taught for IMSS, UWA Junior Music School and ECU School of Education, and is currently heading into her third year as music specialist at Riva Primary, an Inclusive Education school in the City of Armadale. She has presented nationally and internationally on Dalcroze-inspired Music Education and is the immediate past National President of Dalcroze Australia.

 

• Lee Stanley and Steve Harmer

Lee Stanley and Steve Harmer are president and past president of ABODA WA. They have worked as music educators for many years specialising in ensemble directing and development. Steve is head of brass at Trinity College and Lee works as percussion teacher and ensemble director for IMSS.

 

• Natalie Tran

Natalie has been a Music Specialist since 2012. After graduating with a Double Degree in Education and Music from ECU/WAAPA, she now holds the full-time music specialist position at Rossmoyne Primary School. She completed all four ANCOS Level Courses and the three Levels of the Australian Kodály Primary Certificate. Natalie finds immense joy in singing, saying, dancing and playing the Orff & Kodály way.

 

• Amelia Verlato

Amelia is a Music Specialist who graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education (Hons) from the University of Adelaide. She has worked in International Schools in Nanjing, Doha and Turin, where she taught Early Childhood and Primary Music and she currently teaches full time at All Saints’ College. Amelia was first introduced to the Orff Schulwerk approach at university and has never looked back.