OUR TEACHERS
Our lessons are taught by a genuinely divergent group of young, enthusiastic and highly skilled musicians who are all tertiary qualified.
Our classes are meticulously tailored to align with each student’s skill levels and aspirations. We extend a complimentary introductory lesson to ensure an excellent match between each student and the educator best suited for their needs.
SHERI QUIRK – HEAD OF PIANO
Embarking on her musical voyage at the early age of seven, Sheri started out in the classical piano realm. Following the successful culmination of her AMEB examinations, she pursued her passion further by obtaining a Bachelor of Popular Music, focusing on Production, Engineering, and Songwriting at the renowned Queensland Conservatorium.
Sheri’s extensive and rich tapestry of experiences has seen her gracing stages, recording studios and touring across Australia, Germany, and the UK with several bands. She is the lead vocalist of alternative group LeBelle, who won the Australian division of Emergenza and secured a remarkable fifth place in the global finals held in Germany.
Sheri has shared stages with luminaries like Iggy Pop and Pendulum at the Taubertal Festival in Rothenburg, Germany. Her collaborative efforts also extend to recording a full-length album with the incredible producer Forrester Savell.
Beyond her accomplishments, Sheri is an approachable, patient, and grounded educator. Her teaching journey spans both educational institutions and the dynamic Australian music landscape, making her a perfect mentor for those seeking instruction in music fundamentals, classical repertoire, and contemporary melodies.
- Instrument piano
- Qualifications BMus, Griffith University
- Courses contemporary / classical
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Tuesday / Friday / Saturday, Malvern Campus Wednesday / Thursday, Hawthorn Campus
Tom Mansfield – Head of Guitar
Since 2015, Tom has been a dedicated guitar instructor at our school, leveraging his profound musical journey that began with Jazz guitar studies at the ANU School of Music in Canberra and Monash University in Melbourne. After completing his academic pursuits, Tom’s musical aptitude has seen him perform solo and within diverse ensembles across renowned venues and festivals spanning Australia, Europe, and Japan. Highlights include his collaboration with the band 30/70.
Tom has showcased his musical skills not only through performance but also as a producer and a contributing guitarist in notable recordings, a skill set that profoundly enriches his teaching approach. With an impressive tenure of over a decade in music education, Tom customises his teaching methodology to each individual student.
His instruction encompasses the spectrum of guitar theory, technique, and repertoire. Tom’s pedagogical philosophy revolves around assisting students in embracing music that resonates with their unique individuality, while imparting the essential skills and knowledge to comprehend and actively engage with their chosen genre. A warm and relaxed ambience prevails within his lessons, while fostering goal-oriented guidance.
- Instrument guitar
- Qualifications BMus, Monash University
- Courses contemporary / jazz / classical
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday, Malvern Campus Thursday, Hawthorn Campus
CALEB FORTUIN
After completing his Bachelor of Music degree, specialising in Voice, Caleb’s trajectory has been marked by an ardent commitment to teaching and a vibrant engagement in Melbourne’s music scene. His multifaceted journey has seen him as an active participant in various bands across the wonderful city of Melbourne.
In 2019, his talents garnered recognition with a nomination for the Generations in Jazz Vocal Scholarship, alongside his remarkable achievement of securing the Future Leaders Jazz Award for Piano. Caleb’s musical reach has extended to the Ubud Village International Jazz Festival in Bali, among other significant performances.
Caleb’s artistic fervour centres around performance and improvisation, which he loves to impart to his students. While his enthusiasm for these areas of music is evident, he interweaves theoretical understanding and methodological principles into his teaching approach, ensuring a solid foundation for even the loftiest concepts!
Caleb’s skills allow our students the joy of harmonising with his accompaniments. Beyond his talents, Caleb is deeply dedicated to advancing his musical education, a passion he truly loves sharing with folks of all ages, proficiencies, and backgrounds.
On a more personal note, Caleb radiates positivity, charm, and a genuine friendliness that resonates wholeheartedly with those who know and work with him.
- Instrument singing
- Qualifications BMus, Sydney University
- Courses contemporary / jazz
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Tuesday / Friday / Saturday, Malvern Campus Wednesday / Thursday, Hawthorn Campus
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- Instrument voice
- Qualifications BMus
- Courses jazz / contemporary
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
-
Availability Wednesday, Hawthorn Campus
CALEB WILSON
Caleb Wilson stands out as a distinguished jazz pianist and composer, living and working in Melbourne. He proudly leads the Caleb Wilson Trio, which has seen him earn acclaim for his compositions and arrangements. His work has captured the attention of music luminaries such as Peter Knight (Australian Art Orchestra) and Ben Hanlon (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra).
Caleb’s artistic journey flourished through studies at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and the Victorian College of the Arts, where he was nurtured by the guidance of esteemed mentors, including Mark Fitzgibbon, Joe O’Connor, Barney McAll, Sam Keevers, Caroline Almonte and Monique DiMattina.
This era saw Caleb actively participating in Melbourne’s musical landscape, with performances across renowned jazz venues like the Paris Cat Jazz Club, Uptown Jazz Cafe, the Jazzlab and various other locales. His trio also graced the Heide Museum of Modern Art’s Heide Summer Festival in 2021.
Caleb’s educational commitment is equally commendable. With years of private teaching experience, starting at the age of 16, he is also affiliated with the Melbourne Piano School. His expertise encompasses jazz, improvisation, classical, and contemporary genres. Caleb’s teaching philosophy centres around cultivating an engaging and enjoyable piano learning environment, deeply rooted in each student’s aspirations and interests.
- Instrument piano
- Qualifications BMus, Victorian College of the Arts
- Courses jazz / contemporary / classical
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Wednesday / Saturday, Malvern Campus
SORCHA ALBUQUERQUE
Hailing from Perth, Western Australia, Sorcha graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Guitar) from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2013. Throughout her journey, Sorcha has forged collaborations and shared the limelight with esteemed musicians like ARIA award-winning bassist Jonathan Zwartz, James Sherlock, Peter Bernstein, Julien Wilson, Adrian Eagle, and Kaiit, among others.
Her ensemble, the ‘Sorcha Albuquerque Quartet,’ notably supported legendary New Orleans pianist Jon Cleary during his 2019 World Tour at The Night Cat. This quartet has also been a consistent presence at Melbourne’s Uptown Jazz cafe, Bar303, and Bar Open.
Sorcha’s original compositions have resonated on platforms like ABC Jazztrack and the ABC release ‘JazzCalls: Best of Australian Jazz’. She has graced a host of diverse festivals, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, Adelaide Fringe, Sydney Con Jazz Festival, Sydney Women’s Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, and Stonnington Jazz Festival.
In 2019, she became the touring guitarist for the Helpmann award-winning musical ‘Barbara and the Camp Dogs’. Presently, Sorcha expertly balances her time between teaching and creating, after launching her last EP in 2021.
- Instrument guitar
- Qualifications BMus, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
- Courses contemporary / jazz / classical
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Thursday, Malvern Campus Tuesday / Wednesday, Hawthorn Campus
OLIVIA MIRRINGTON – HEAD OF SINGING
Liv (She/Her) has a passion for the power of music as a whole, and singing as a way to express and create. She is a graduate of Monash University with a Bachelor of Music, specialising in popular music which combined performance with music production and songwriting.
She approaches the voice with curiosity and care, and seeks to nurture each voice as its own, teaching you to apply the Estill Voice framework to your practice. This framework is famous for its flexibility, not molding the voice to one set of aesthetics, as it “applies its figures to everyday speaking, elite performance, and the treatment of injured voices” (Estill Voice Training, 2023).
Liv uses a range of tools to help you explore your own voice, such as movement integrated voice work, free improvisation and storytelling techniques.
- Instrument singing
- Qualifications BMus, Monash University
- Courses contemporary / jazz
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Thursday, Malvern Campus
PATRICK BRITTON
Patrick Britton pursued a comprehensive education in Jazz and Improvisation with a full scholarship at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), guided by some of the most illustrious figures in the global music landscape. His enthusiasm for musical study extends to every facet of musical learning and instruction. He embodies the belief that each individual possesses the potential to develop their musical abilities to unforeseen heights.
Patrick’s musical journey commenced with saxophone studies at 12, followed by piano lessons at the age of 14. Throughout his university years, he received guidance from the gifted pianist Andrea Keller, an influential figure in the Australian music scene.
As part of his honours degree, Pat composed and arranged a 90-minute musical suite titled “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” adapting Friedrich Nietzsche’s seminal work into a contemporary big band jazz composition.
His musical acumen encompasses the totality of jazz, spanning improvisation, vocabulary, theory, arrangement, composition and free play. Additionally, Patrick maintains a profound reverence for the cultural significance of jazz and its enduring historical trajectory.
- Instrument piano
- Qualifications BMus(honours), Melbourne University
- Courses contemporary / jazz
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Monday / Tuesday, Hawthorn Campus
MAX VILLELLA
Max Villella is a distinguished Australian guitarist, composer, and improviser, proficiently navigating a myriad of musical genres. His artistic skills extend across numerous ensembles and bands, while his compositional expertise finds expression in film and other exciting musical avenues. Through his work, he celebrates Australian musicians’ creative wealth and diversity. His musical talent is notably well-versed across the genres of Contemporary, Pop, Jazz, and Blues.
Max’s love of learning has led him to undertake studies in Jazz and Improvisation at the well-respected Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne. This academic journey has further enriched his already impressive musical skill set.
- Instrument guitar
- Qualifications BMus, Melbourne University
- Courses contemporary / jazz
- Levels beginner / intermediate / advanced
- Ages children / teenagers / adults
- Availability Tuesday / Friday / Saturday, Malvern Campus Wednesday / Thursday, Hawthorn Campus