Hello fellow Cheltonians! 

It is with great pleasure that I take on the exciting challenge of heading up the Instrumental Music Department in 2018 and sincerely thank the outgoing Head, Mr Gavin Ferrier and also Mrs Kate Brady for their incredible support and assistance throughout the transition.

My name is Lisa Maxwell-Cripps and I started my career in rock bands at the age of 14 and was playing venues around Melbourne when at the age of 18, I was picked up by Kate Ceberano and began touring with her and band, The Ministry Of Fun (fellow band mate Rob Burke is now Co-ordinator of Jazz and Popular Studies at Monash University and was previously head of the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music).

We toured extensively nationally and internationally, playing the Cannes Music Festival, the Palace in LA with Yothu Yindi, The Marquee Club in London, touring South East Asia and playing many festivals including the Big Day Out.  I was session singer on many artists’ albums at the time, appeared in music videos and television performances.  I later signed my own recording and publishing deal with Sony Music and my songs charted in over 30 countries including Japan where two songs made the top 10.  I also performed live on the Aria Awards with INXS in 1997.  I completed my Diploma of Music in Tuition majoring in Voice and have worked and taught alongside one of the most acclaimed session singers in the country, Susie Ahern (John Farnham, Tina Arena, Kylie Minogue, etc).

I am also a composer and have had my songs included on many films and television productions and commercials, including Neighbours, The Sum of Us (Russell Crowe) and various others. Some of my co writers have included Alex Pertout who is a senior lecturer of Jazz and Improvisation at the Victorian College of the Arts.

I have been a Voice Teacher at Charles Latrobe Secondary College for the last several years and now I am absolutely thrilled that my musical journey has led me to such an amazing school.  I am passionate about passing on my skills, knowledge, inspiration and enthusiasm for music to my students and nurturing their talents in a safe, engaging and non-judgmental environment. 

We are absolutely blessed to have an incredible team of Instrumental Music Teachers at our school, some of the very best in the country.  I am looking forward to introducing them to you and featuring them over the coming months.

Extensive Research has proven that learning a musical instrument improves academic outcomes.  But more importantly, music students are a support network to each other, and there are great social and well being benefits for all involved.

We are very proud of our Music department and encourage anyone who hasn’t already signed up, to think about learning a musical instrument and joining our vibrant community.

I am looking forward to meeting you all.

Kind Regards

Lisa Maxwell-Cripps

Head of Instrumental Music