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Find the Emotional Connection
As the school year draws to a close, daily routines, tests, and rehearsals for upcoming concerts will no doubt take up the majority of our time and thoughts. It’s easy to get caught up in the minutiae of everything, so I’d like to present a few thoughts on finding the emotional connection with music—and remembering why we love what we do. Look at the big picture. It may seem silly, but we do need to remind ourselves to breathe and relax from time to time. Why do we play and listen to music in the first place? I’ve heard music…
Empowered Note Reading – Angela Harman
If you haven’t yet discovered the brilliance of Angela Harman’s work, you’re in for a treat. Angela is widely known for her innovative, classroom-tested strategies that make string teaching more engaging, effective, and joyful. In today’s post, she dives into one of the most vital—and sometimes overlooked—skills for young musicians: note reading. With her signature blend of practicality and creativity, Angela shares a treasure trove of tools and approaches that empower students to read music with confidence and curiosity. Empowered Note Reading by Angela Harman (www.orchestraclassroom.com) As my beginning students practice reading music, I scan the room, looking at their…
App-solutely Essential: TechTools for the Instrumental Music Classroom
As instrumental music teachers, we often find ourselves juggling the roles of conductor, administrator, technician, and creative coach—often all before 9am. Whether you’re managing rotating timetables, prepping ensemble sets, communicating with families, or trying to squeeze a theory quiz into a 30-minute lesson, digital tools can make or break your day. This blog post is a curated collection of the digital apps that have become absolute lifesavers in my music teaching practice. Four Categories of Use Thinking about your app choices through these four lenses can help you balance efficiency and creativity: Teaching & Learning – Tools that support skill…
Looking Back, Playing Forward
Welcome to The Soundboard, AUSTA’s new blog dedicated to amplifying the voices, stories, and ideas that shape our national strings community. In this first edition, we begin by looking back, playing forward—honouring our past as we move confidently into the future. We’re proud to feature “Living Treasure: Elizabeth Morgan AM”, an article originally published in Stringendo, Vol. 48. Elizabeth Morgan AM stands as a pillar in AUSTA’s history—a visionary educator, leader, and advocate whose work helped establish the very foundations of our association. In this special interview, she reflects on the early days of AUSTA, sharing her memories of its…
Meet some of the presenters of the 2025 Golden Jubilee Conference
Bob McWilliams Howard Penny Rupert Guenther Fintan Murphy Stephen Chin Anita Collins Brian Balmages Soon Hee Newbold Karen Kyriakou Louise King Timothy Kantor
The Last Violin
The Last Violin (Film Screening) When Romano Crivici persuades retired master violinmaker, Harry Vatiliotis, to make a last violin, a heart-warming story unfolds. Charalambos Vatiliotis, or Harry, is considered Australia’s greatest living violin maker. He and his wife Maria came from Cyprus in the 1950s. Romano Crivici, a professional violinist and composer, has known Harry for 48 years. Together they share the making of Romano’s last violin which also threatens to be Harry’s last, as the ravages of old age take their toll on each of them. Shot in the one location – the home in the suburbs of Sydney…
Cara Taggart
Cara Taggart Technology in Instrumental Teaching In the evolving landscape of education, technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing learning experiences. This presentation explores the innovative use of various applications in the instrumental music classroom, demonstrating how these digital tools can transform traditional teaching methods and foster a more engaging and effective learning environment. The integration of apps provides students with interactive and personalized learning opportunities. These apps facilitate practice, composition, and performance, allowing students to receive immediate feedback, collaborate with peers, and develop their musical skills at their own pace. Through a combination of student testimonials, and live demonstrations,…
Dr. Emily Dollman
Dr. Emily Dollman Integrating the latest pedagogical research to your teaching Whether you are new to music teaching or an established teacher, discover how the AMEB Teaching Syllabuses can help you enhance your studio teaching practice based on the latest research in music pedagogy. Join Dr Emily Dollman, AMEB Teaching Syllabuses contributor and A/Director Music Education and Pedagogy at Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide, as she takes you through the research themes and innovative approaches to teaching and learning that underpin AMEB’s groundbreaking new Teaching syllabuses. With these world-class syllabuses you’ll be equipped to improve your students’ engagement,…
Helen Tuckey
Helen Tuckey Engaging creativity with technical work We all know the phrase ‘technical work’ can make even the most committed students groan. But what if we, as educators, can reframe technical work as a series of achievable milestones they can work towards in creative (and fun) ways to level up their playing? Join AMEB Viola Principal Consultant Helen Tuckey as she shares how she encourages her students to engage with technical work with creativity and confidence. Using the AMEB Viola Series 2 Technical work book as a starting point, Helen demonstrates how making games, creating variations, and adding improvisatory exercises…
Anita Collins
Dr. Anita Collins Dr. Collins will present a keynote address on July 11 2025 Neural Notes: How Learning Strings Shapes Our Brain Development Learning a string instrument doesn’t just shape a student’s musical ability—it sculpts the brain in ways that support cognitive development, academic progress, social awareness, and stronger brain health. In this keynote, we’ll uncover the latest neuromusical research showing how the work you do in your string classroom is fundamentally building stronger, more connected brains. This will be followed by two workshops in the afternoon of July 11 2025 Workshop #1: The biggest mistakes we make with parents…
La Folia
La Folia and its ensemble performance: an approach to interpretative editions HIP often provides interpretative and stylistic guides, particularly with regard to Baroque music, for student, teacher, adjudicator and professional player alike. But what of when HIP norms overlook a creative and performing tradition extending centuries? This presentation focuses on the ensemble performance of Corelli’s La Folia Op5/12, highlighted by Jordi Savall in his influential album for it’s historical significance in the development of La Folia. Although the HIP influences and the implications for La Folia appear straight forward, utilising Hamilton’s and Milsom’s research, the presentation discusses how philosphically, returning…
Marianne Rothschild
Marianne Rothschild and Lachlan Dent The String Note tutor App and new Music for String Orchestra I am joining forces with Lachlan Dent, Sophia Lai and Emma Rodda to present Lachlan’s new string note tutor app, as well as discussing what to do in a school program such as Steiner that does not use technology in teaching. We will also present new works for string orchestra by Lachlan and Mila Li. Mila Li has written a comprehensive Suite now available at The Australian Music Centre that the Crossing Machine has toured in Melbourne and Parramatta. About Marianne Rothschild and Lachlan…
Vov Dylan & Margaret Brandman
New Australian Music for Violin and Piano: HSC Core Music Requirements workshop Violinist Vov Dylan has been curating over recent years a series of recordings of brand new Australian music for Violin and Piano. The first release Kismet: Vignettes for Violin and Piano by Elena Kats Chernin spent 2 years in the classical ARIA charts, The second release La Vida Apasionada with music by Margaret Brandman comes out in March 2025 and the next release Elevation with 6 different composers is due to arrive in late 2025. Part of the impetus for creating this collection was borne from Vov’s teaching…
Howard Penny
Howard Penny The Real Language of Music: a practice guide to musical rhetoric; bass lines rule! An introduction to elements of musical language common to all periods, as well as the limitations but also possible understandings of notation. The presentation includes a practical demonstration of exploring melodic/rhythmic/harmonic devices, and the power of a living bass line, using a simple continuo sonata. About AUSTA Patron Howard Penny Howard Penny was born in Canberra and after studies with Nelson Cooke moved to Vienna, studying with Tobias Kühne, Andre Navarra, Boris Pergamenshikov and William Pleeth. After successes in the ABC Young Performers Awards…
Darius Kaperonis
Darius Kaperonis In order for young students to play violin well, they must be set up correctly. Therefore, their teacher in this initial stage will be one of the most important, often having a profound impact on their musical life. Ironically, beginner setup is an often neglected topic and teaching practice. This presentation will aim to outline effective pedagogy that can help enhance student proficiency and teacher enjoyment. I provide a detailed overview of beginner setup spanning the first twelve months of learning. Specific reference will be made to Paul Rolland String Pedagogy, Colour Strings and the Peter Zhang teaching…
Gregory Lee
Gregory Lee Productive Practice: Guiding Your Students on How to Practice Effectively Have you ever had students come to their lesson claiming that they practiced, yet you notice that the problems from last week were not fixed or seemingly forgotten? This session will present strategies to help guide your students toward more productive practice. How to practice efficiently will depend on the issue with a particular passage, whether it is intonation problems, untidy string crossings, tension during spiccato, etc. Often the struggle is breaking old habits, whether that is a tense bow hold or simply a bowing that needs to…
Jeremy Woolstenhulme
Jeremy Woolstenhulme Improving Intonation in String Orchestra Mr. Woolstenhulme will discuss strategies for improving intonation in middle to high school string orchestras. A discussion will include best ways to practice with drone pitches, group singing, repetitive finger patterns, vertical interval tuning, and more. These strategies will improve listening skills among your players and will make a significant impact on your overall group sound. Sequential Vibrato Instruction in the String Classroom This session focuses on small daily steps in teaching and implementing a warm vibrato sound to your orchestra. Starting with determining vibrato readiness, the first steps towards developing correct left…
Lindsay Irik
Lindsay Irik Build and Maintain your K-12 Program An overview of a K-12 established and successful String program, focusing on building and developing, maintaining organised structure, instrumental balance, extending standards while being inclusive and always focusing on enjoyment. Key points will include junior programs, rehearsal schedules and ideas, repertoire choices and styles, performances, knowing your students and staff. An awareness that every school and string program is different will be acknowledged, as a reflection from experiences in other metropolitan and regional schools. About Lindsay Irik Lindsay Irik is the Director of Strings (K-12) at Knox Grammar School, a position she…
Frances Gall
Frances Gall How to maximise resonance with minimum effort. We all want a full rich tone without forcing the tone and without straining the right arm. Kato Havas famously said, “There is no bow”. In this workshop session for violin and viola players and teachers I will talk about my understanding of this paradoxical statement and demonstrate practical exercises to increase resonance and fluency. Influential string educators like Shinichi Suzuki and Fintan Murphy are two of my mentors and their insights and exercises will be discussed, among those of many other educators. There will be demonstrations of multiple interconnected ways…