AUSTA News 2025
Evgeny Sorkin
Dr. Evgeny Sorkin Beyond the AMEB grades: Mastering Leap to Diploma level exams Many teachers ask me how my students consistently progress from AMEB Grade 4-5 to successfully pass AMus and LMus level exams in a short period of time. In this presentation, I will share the strategies, repertoire choices, and working solutions that enable this rapid yet thorough development. The Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) provides a structured pathway for violinists, but bridging the gap between the intermediate grades and diploma levels requires a refined approach. I will explore how to develop technical fluency, interpretative depth, and performance confidence…
Robert Harris
Robert Harris Play to Learn: we ‘learn to play’ but can also ‘play to learn’. Using examples of his own Cafe Viola gatherings and his tutorial links to the ACMS Amateur Chamber Music Society’s activities Robert Harris discusses varied projects, in Australia and elsewhere, which afford string players – young or young at heart; honorary (as in unpaid) enthusiasts or professionals (hopefully also enthusiastic?) – the opportunity to play for pleasure: at-home social music-making, out-of-the-house rehearsals, public performances. Yet all such playing time can also be learning time – self-help “solo” or with friends, guidance from teachers and tutors, or…
Jacqueline Webber
Jacqueline Webber Care and Maintenance for String Educators Just like cars, string instruments require regular maintenance to ensure they are working efficiently and effectively. During this workshop, attendees will gain vital skills in adjusting and correctly servicing different parts of their instrument, and the instruments of their students. The workshop will cover cleaning, conditioning, correctly tuning and bridge positioning, as well as more complex problems. Attendees will leave being able to identify issues relating to tone, buzzing and rattling, and the knowledge of how to complete minor fixes themselves. These skills can fundamentally change the way that strings teachers manage…
Stuart Johnson
Stuart Johnson Unlocking the Alto Clef: Essential Resources and Strategies for Fluent Music Reading Reading the alto clef fluently is a crucial skill for violists, yet many students and even some professionals struggle with consistent fluency. This session will explore effective resources and strategies for mastering the alto clef, examining the cognitive processes involved in sight-reading and music literacy. Drawing on research from music education and psychology, including studies from Psychology of Music and the Journal of Research in Music Education, we will discuss the importance of structured alto clef pedagogy, sight-reading techniques, and the role of pattern recognition in…
Louise King
Louise King Teaching Adults: Building a Thriving Community Class Program for Lifelong Learners Adult learners are a growing yet often under-served demographic in string education. Based on Case studies, research and experience from the Cello Dreaming community class program, this presentation by Louise King explores effective strategies for engaging, motivating, and advancing adult string players in independent studios, community groups through face-to-face meet-ups and online settings. Topics include: – Pedagogical Adaptations: How to balance technical development with the cognitive, emotional and physical development of adult learners. – Motivation & Mindset: Overcoming performance anxiety, perfectionism, procrastination and self-doubt in adult students….
Yuri Djachenko
Yuri Djachenko Colourstrings – Workshop on skill development Zoltán Kodály advocated a thorough music education with singing while simultaneously building aural skills, intellectual understanding and emotional development. His philosophy has also been harnessed in instrumental music teaching. Colourstrings is a translation of Kodály’s concepts to string instruments and was founded in Helsinki in 1971. Just as Kodály’s programmes have spread beyond Hungary, so too has Colourstrings from Finland. One of the most successful places Colourstrings has been transplanted to is Australia, where it was first taught in 1980 by violinist Judy Fromyhr. She inspired Helen Holt to become the first…
Karen Kyriakou
Karen Kyriakou The Magic in the Method Book Many method books offer the ‘nuts and bolts’ but their application in Australian instrumental programs likely differ in context from the USA and UK. This session looks at using method books in creative and collaborative ways; arranging, composing, harmonising, developing aural skills etc, giving students greater agency in their classes and allowing real-life musical skills to flourish. Students benefit by developing musical intuition and understand ‘music’ beyond the printed page. The method book is an affordable volume of repertoire which can be used more playfully that one may initially expect. Classes can…
Helentherese Good
Helentherese Good Empowering Students towards Personal Growth: Attitudes, Words, and Responses to create Acceptance and Safety in Teaching Spaces It is no secret that playing a string instrument is hard! So it makes sense to ensure that the environment in which such learning is expected to take place should be free of mental stress, that is, it should be psychologically safe. Psychological safety means that it is safe to disclose opinions with others, to openly disagree, or to offer negative feedback upwards, without concern for future repercussions. This type of environment allows every participant to share creative ideas, to admit…
Olivia Mou
Olivia Mou “Keep your instrument in the case” – Expert musicians’ non-play practice strategies for string students Practice is critical to shape expertise and performance readiness. But what sets expert string players apart in their practice? How do experts approach the task and manage their demanding schedules? Expert practice begins long before entering the practice room, is planned thoughtfully, and may or may not involve touching the instrument. I will investigate the concept of non-play practice and its critical role in musical training. Expert musicians employ non-play strategies to study the score, develop their interpretation, refine technical control, and prepare…
Zoë van Drunen
Zoë van Drunen The string ensemble class – just an instrumental lesson for a group? Combining the learning from instrumental lessons, classroom music, and orchestral rehearsals into curriculum-based string ensemble classes. What makes a string ensemble class unique? How does it differ from private lessons, classroom music, or orchestral rehearsals? We will examine its role in a school setting and discover practical strategies to support student learning across all orchestral string instruments within the same class. Let’s enhance our pedagogy as string teachers by thinking beyond instrumental lessons and orchestral rehearsals. Are there other contexts and opportunities for skill building…
Marcel Trusell – Cullen
Marcel Trussell-Cullen Using AI to rethink violin technique: A Retrospective Study of Leading Violinist’s Videos Could empirical data extracted from videos of leading violinists change our ideas about violin-playing technique? Might these long-held ideas about violin technique be inaccurate? This research seeks to understand how leading violinists produce their sound by using AI to diagnose their playing techniques. It is suggested that the use of empirical data such as this may be a more accurate guide to how to play well than received wisdom based on conjecture. A range of software applications were used to extract 3-dimensional movement patterns from…
Emily Sun
Emily Sun Workshops, masterclasses and recital performance. About Emily Sun “Possessed of a superb talent” (The Australian) with “a searing and poetic tone” (The Guardian), Emily Sun is an international soloist and professor of violin at the Royal College of Music, London. She has recently performed concertos with the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and was Artist-in-Association with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Her ARIA-nominated album ‘Nocturnes’ reached No.1 on the Classical charts, and her latest release of Korngold and Kats-Chernin concertos was selected as Limelight ‘Editor’s Choice’. Emily frequently gives masterclasses and is…
Fiona Portway
Fiona Portway Tips and Tricks for Teaching Beginner Violin Over the years, I have noticed many teachers, even those with years of experience, can feel hesitant about taking on preschool violin students. This presentation, Tips and Tricks for Teaching Beginner Violin, will support teachers to feel confident in helping these youngest students get off to a great start on their musical journey. Filled with practical ideas and suggestions you can use in your next lesson, this presentation will cover ideas to help with set up and posture, pre-reading activities, and sequential skill development for our youngest violinists. While this presentation…
Adele Ohki
Adele Ohki Small Ensembles, Big Impact: The Power of Junior Chamber Music Programs A junior string chamber music program implemented in a school-based environment offers the benefit of significant musical, cognitive, and social interactions. Several programs in the U.S. (Chamber Music Centre of NY, Kneisel Hall) and in other places overseas (Guildhall, Oxford, Verbier) have successfully implemented junior chamber music programs, and they have showcased effective models for fostering young musicianship and collaboration. There is no reason we can’t do this in Australia and embed it in private/public schools! When studying chamber music, students develop enhanced ensemble skills, improved intonation,…
Sandi Oh
Sandi Oh Inspiring Young Musicians: Repertoire for Beginner String Ensembles In this presentation, we will explore a selection of original works written by the presenter for beginner string ensembles. We will use these compositions to introduce young students to fundamental musical concepts such as rhythm, harmony, and technique, all while fostering a love of ensemble playing. Attendees will extend their knowledge regarding how to keep students motivated through fun, age-appropriate repertoire that is both educational and engaging. Practical resources and tips are shared to help create a dynamic and supportive learning environment, making ensemble playing truly enjoyable for young musicians….
Fintan Murphy
Fintan Murphy How Teachers Learn Expert teachers know that their primary student is the teacher herself. Teaching for many decades we need to observe ourselves at work, pay attention to what works and what does not. As we lead the student to progress over the long-term we need to develop the confidence to let go of our urge to control others and instead direct ourselves. In this session we will discuss attention, observation and ideas, how to work effectively with a clear mind in relation to ourselves. What can help here? Observing other teachers, observing our students in a group…
Ibolya Mikajlo
Ibolya Mikajlo Australian violinist Lyndall Hendrickson (1917-2017)… was a child prodigy, war time performer, and teacher of highly skilled violinists. In the 1930s, Ludwig Schwab expanded Hendrickson’s learning of skills in teaching her Otakar Sevcik’s violin exercises. As a teacher, Hendrickson evolved from Sevcik’s and Schwab’s teachings, through a multitude of individualized exercises, written for her students between c.1968 to 2010. In her teaching diverse and broad range of pedagogical violin teaching techniques, using psychological theories, scientific and educational research to tailor exercises to her students physical and sensory needs. Further knowledge learned whilst in recovery and rehabilitation from polio,…
Markiyan Melnychenko CF
Markiyan Melnychenko CF Performing newly created Violin and Piano Showpiece Arrangements of Ukranian Folk Music. This presentation will feature the performance of newly created violin and piano showpiece arrangements of Ukrainian folk music, written in the style of historical violinists such as Kreisler, Sarasate and Heifetz. The works were completed as part of PhD research exploring two venerable traditions of the past and combining them to create new violin music for the 21st century; firstly – that of the violinist-as-arranger and secondly – the use of folk music in the creation of Ukrainian classical music. In addition to the performance,…
Rob McWilliams
Rob McWilliams Putting the Music First – Key Fundamentals of Conducting and Rehearsing Your Ensemble This session will cover important fundamentals of conducting and rehearsing to improve musicianship and expression in your ensembles. Will cover conducting gesture concepts that support more expressive playing as well as developing greater player listening as part of the rehearsal process. About Prof. Rob McWilliams. Ph.D., M.Mus., B.Mus.Ed. Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Prof. Rob McWilliams holds a Ph. D. in Music from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s in Instrumental Conducting from Florida State University, and a Bachelor’s in Music Education from…
Sarah Marshall
Sarah Marshall Pre-Performance Routines to Manage Performance Anxiety There has been extensive research on the benefits of pre-performance routines (PPR) in assisting athletes with self-regulation of arousal, attentional focus and performance expectancy. Little is known, however, about the use and effectiveness of PPR in the performing arts, despite the fact that performance anxiety can have debilitating effects on performing artists and is acknowledged as a major health risk for these professionals. Since completing a systematic review of the literature in 2018 to critically evaluate the effectiveness of PPR for performing artists, Sarah has run over 100 workshops in schools, tertiary…