Emilie Washington (Voice and MSJ Voices Coach)

Lyric Mezzo-Soprano Emilie Washington is currently in her final semester of a Bachelor of Music degree, studying at the University of Melbourne’s Conservatorium of Music, specialising in classical voice. Emilie started her professional operatic career after she was selected to be in the Victorian Opera Youth Chorus Ensemble (VOYCE). Her debut performance as an opera singer took place in 2017, where she was selected to play the role of a snail and fox cub in the Victorian Opera’s production ‘The Cunning Little Vixen’. Following this, she has performed in the Victorian Opera’s productions of ‘The Second Hurricane’, ‘The Magic Pudding’ and ‘Parsifal’. This year, Emilie was selected to perform the role of Tessa in Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria’s production of ‘The Gondoliers’. Emilie also performs annually for community events including the Laverton Festival, Christmas at the Lakes and Citizenship Ceremonies.

Catherine Hills (Piano)

B.Mus.Ed A.Mus.A VMTA

Catherine Hills has been teaching piano for almost 30 years and is very proud to be living & teaching in Melbourne’s west. She began formal piano lessons at age 9 and teaching at 18. After completing VCE music as dux of her class, she studied for four years at the Conservatorium of Music at Melbourne University. Cathy studied piano with Donald Thornton and advanced to the honours stream in Music History as part of her degree.

On completion of her Bachelor of Music Education and Associate of Music Australia with the AMEB, Cathy taught classroom music, piano and ensemble in a variety of different schools across Melbourne teaching students from many social backgrounds. She has held Instrumental Co-ordination positions, initiated instrumental programs and has taught children from pre-school through to Year 12.

Cathy has been Musical Director for a number of Musical productions here at MSJ, and has played in the orchestra for many Musicals since 2000 for both primary and secondary schools. She was one of the main accompanists for the National Liturgical Music Convention in 1992 and has since played for many Liturgies across Melbourne.

Following some travel overseas, Cathy became interested in piano pedagogy & professional development which greatly influenced her teaching practices at her private music teaching studio at home. She has been a member of the Victorian Music Teachers Association for 20 years. Cathy now teaches piano from home, as well as at MSJ, is a professional accompanist and continues to provide music for Liturgy.

Gianna Galea (Piano & Vocal)

B.Teach(Hons). B.Mus. A.Mus.A. PC(Singing) Trinity College

Gianna's love of music started at three years old with my first piano performance at five at the Maribyrnong Arts Centre Auditorium. In 1986, she was granted a 6-year academic and music scholarship to Presentation College Windsor where she studied under Sister Concepta and Sister Eucharia. At Melbourne University, Professor Ronald Farren-Price and Mrs Audrey Mills further developed her piano and vocal proficiency respectively and she won numerous competitions and awards, the most notable being added to the Dean’s Honours List for High Academic Achievement in 1997. Having successfully achieved a Bachelor of Music, Gianna then completed a Bachelor of Teaching with Honours at Melbourne University.

Over the past 33 years, Gianna's teaching has taken her to both private and public primary and secondary schools throughout Victoria and Queensland. She was responsible for Year 7-12 classroom music including numerous one-on-one piano and vocal sessions, directing school choirs, musicals and orchestras as well as major and minor leads in musicals and operas. She also accompanied instrumental, vocal and RAD ballet exams and enjoys examining and adjudicating. Her most memorable career experience was conducting The World Peace Youth Choir and Orchestra for the Nana Mouskouri concerts at the Melbourne Concert Hall in March 2001.

Gianna managed her own school, ‘Gianna’s Music Academy’ (GMA) between 1992-2004 with students ranging from 3 to 65 years of age learning theory, piano, voice, choral technique and exam preparation.

Gianna has danced all her life and trained in all genres but favours Ballroom Dancing - where she was three time Victorian Champion in all three styles.

Now as a mother of two young adults, she thoroughly enjoy imparting her knowledge to them and to all her students and is rewarded when they utilise that knowledge in their own lives.

Melinda Butel (Drama)

B.A Drama QUT

ASDA Australian Music Examinations Board

ATCL, LTCL Trinity College of London

For thirty years Melinda has worked as an acting, performance studies, auditions and as an examinations tutor. She has worked independently teaching children and adults, for talented and gifted school, Victorian primary and secondary schools, universities and professional theatre companies.

She is a highly respected teacher who brings to the position decades of experience as a professional actor. Melinda has worked as an actor in film, television, radio and theatre. She has enjoyed a successful career working with Melbourne TheatreCompany, Queensland Theatre, La Boite, Malthouse and Sydney Theatre Company.Melinda has also written and toured education programs. She is the recipient of several industry awards.

Melinda Received a B.A in Drama from QUT, won a Queens Trust Scholarship to study at the Oxford SchooL of Drama in Oxford, UK. She has studied at NIDA and has received her teaching associate and licentiate letters from AMEB and Trinity College of London.

Mel has a play based approach to storytelling and performance and employs positive psychology and wellbeing practices when teaching public speaking and performance practices. Above all Mel hopes to install joy and confidence in her students.

Tony Burcul (Guitar)

AMusA

Tony Burcul teaches acoustic and electric guitar, electric bass and ukulele. He has over twenty years of teaching experience with individual and group lessons. Students will learn to play a variety of tunes from different genres . Other things covered during lessons are music reading, tablature, chords, rhythm, timing and music theory.

WATCH TONY & HIS GUITAR STUDENTS PLAY IN THIS VIDEO

Elizabeth Ambrose (Violin, Viola, Cello)

B Mus, Dip Ed, Middle Years

Liz Ambrose grew up in Ballarat, attending Loreto College. She studied the violin from the age of 9, travelling to Melbourne on weekends during senior school to have lessons with Jean Lehmann. She completed her Bachelor of Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium. During this time Liz played and toured with various orchestras, such as Australian Pops Orchestra, Chamber Strings of Melbourne, Rantos Collegium and in the Conservatorium String Quartet. She also taught violin lessons privately.

In 1990, Liz began work as a full- time violinist with the State Orchestra of Victoria [now Orchestra Victoria], playing in many performances of opera and ballet as well as stage concerts. She continued teaching her private students as well.

In 2015, Liz began teaching at Mount St Joseph Girls' College as well as other schools. She decided to concentrate more on teaching, after having completed a Diploma of Education in 2013. Liz now teaches Instrumental classes, occasionally playing in performances for orchestras and small groups. She enjoys teaching, helping students enjoy playing in groups and to complete AMEB exams.

MEET ELIZABETH IN THIS VIDEO

Merryn Torpy (Voice)

BMus (Melb), AMusA (AMEB), MSpPth (Melb), CPSP

Merrin Torpy (she/her) is a performer, singing teacher, and speech pathologist.

Her performing experience spans Musical Theatre, Cabaret, Tango, Irish folk music, opera, oratorio, western swing, and classical art-song recital in venues as diverse as Hamer Hall and the Guildford Banjo Jamboree! Merrin has been teaching singing since 2006 with students of all ages and musical goals (including VCE Music Solo Performance - classical and contemporary, AMEB Singing, Singing for Leisure, and Musical Theatre syllabi, ANZCA voice and beginner piano grades, professional audition preparation, and confidence-building).

Merrin has been a member of the instrumental music team (voice) at Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College since 2019, working with students on contemporary, pop, Musical Theatre, classical song and ensemble repertoire.

Taylor Douglas (Drums)

Foundation Studies (VCA), B.Mus (Monash), Grad. Dip. Ed (Sec) (ACU)

Taylor Douglas is a skilled musician and performer, and has spent most of his life devoted to the pursuit of musical excellence.

Hailing from Melbourne Australia, Taylor has flourished providing a solid backbone through drums and percussion to some of the thriving Melbourne music scenes best acts, including with (but by no means limited to): The Soulenikoes, Flynn Effect, Johnny Uppercut, Brooklyn’s Finest and Caution:Thieves. His adept composition and performance in these bands drew the attention of others, and he soon found himself clocking on as backline for renowned acts such as Emily Williams and the D2 Drumline, which saw him perform on a national televised stage at the Cricket World Cup at the MCG, and as part of the NRL Finals at AAMI Park.

Also an accomplished and accredited instructional teacher, Taylor has over 15 years teaching experience all across Melbourne and Geelong. Priding himself on building connections, patience and enthusiasm for his discipline, Taylor’s teaching efforts have been rewarded with great rapport with his past and present students, and has seen him coach some all the way to selection for Top Class for High Performance in VCE Music performance (solo) and VCE music performance (group). Taylor’s extensive credentials include a Bachelor of Music (Monash University) and a Graduate Diploma in Music Education from ACU. He has studied under several proficient teachers and drummers including Graham Morgan, Tony Floyd, Dave Beck, Danny Farrugia, Gerry Pantazis, Andy Gander & Gordon Rytmeister. In further pursuit of his passion, Taylor travelled to the USA & Cuba to study with America’s own titans of drumming, Dave Elitch (The Mars Volta), Daniel Glass (The Royal Crown Review), Steve Hass (Patti Austin), Tommy Igoe (Birdland Big Band), Stanton Moore (Galactic), Rodney Barreto (Chucho Valdez) and Ari Hoenig (Punk Bop; Ari Hoenig Trio).

Few players have the deft ability to take you through a dynamic journey through percussion alone, but Taylor is one such artist. From a laid back swing groove through to the chaotic yet rhythmic tumble of an erratic washing machine meeting a thunderstorm, he can run the gauntlet from quietly menacing through to an open assault – and all while looking like a kid on Christmas day opening the shiny new red bike. It is obvious to all who have seen him play that Taylor’s home is behind his kit.

Performing Arts Handbook

Issue 2022 · 01 Feb 2022

In this issue