Some days it hits me that getting to sing with others, almost every day, is an incredible privilege. Sharing and creating music with a bunch of people unites us in very special ways.
I had the good fortune of some inspiring music teachers early on, so all through school, in Canberra, sang in choirs and musical theatre productions and played piano and flute.
My tertiary music studies began in Adelaide , specialising in classical vocal performance, before moving to the Queensland Conservatorium in 1985. I then had lots of fun dressing up with the Opera Qld chorus for 17 years, until juggling family, my own choirs and opera rehearsals became difficult.
I kept my performance fix with three small ensembles, Belles, The Gritty Pearls (both a cappella ensembles doing corporate and festival work) and Katouche, a vocal trio with double bass. The Bessies, with Dave Crane, Kiri Waiata and Erin Murphy have recently forced my hand at skilling up in songwriting and dusting off my ukelele, flute and percussion skills.
Seeking out interesting workshops, such as Wintersong with Rachel Hore and Steven Taberner in the Blue Mountains, and the Singers Festival in Melbourne, is an regular part of my development to add to my collection of songs and ideas.
This year I completed a Masters of Music Studies in Vocal Pedagogy at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, which was fascinating and challenging!
I am a founding member of the Community Choral Conductors Network (Brisbane), with whom I discuss all things choir, am a member of the Australian National Association of Singing Teachers, and sat on the committee of the Queensland branch of the Australian National Choral Association for two years (2018 -2020).