Background:
Andrea began piano at the age of 6 with a Star Trek obsessed, migraine suffering piano teacher in her home town of Newborough, Victoria. She attended various local and regional eisteddfods each year with numerous successes and as well as the occasional embarrassing performance, and sat AMEB exams irregularly, completing her A.Mus at the age of 17. She was particularly happy when she won money rather than those dinky little trophies. She began teaching at 15 and was only allowed to charge $2.50 for 30 minutes otherwise her Mum wouldn't let her do it. Any money made went toward fluorescent nail polishes, bubble skirts and other glorious 80's fashions (which sadly enough, are now back in fashion).
At 18 she went to study music at The School of Music, Melbourne University (commonly known as "The Con") with teacher Dr. Ian Holtham for four years, completing her Bachelor of Music in 1993. She then took a year off and did nothing of note except have a very nice time and very little sleep.
In 1995 she set up The Music Collective, a music school based at Carlton Gardens Primary school in Rathdowne St. Carlton. It grew to include 7 teachers of various instruments, dance and genres and the end of year concerts became disturbing long. After 10 years of her Directorship, Andrea decided to leave CGPS and end the Music Collective when the political climate of the school became increasingly crazy, and moved her teaching to her home in inner city Melbourne where she now happily resides. Other teachers involved with The Music Collective also went to their respective happy place and good cheer was felt all round.
Andrea now teaches lucky students who do and do not practice regularly, and have many successes and a few embarrassing failures of their own. She is particularly fond of interesting excuses for lack of practice and is always keen to hear a new one.
Andrea started to dabble in Webdesign in 1995 for the official webpage of The Music Collective. She thought it was cool at the time, but now it looks pretty funny. She improved her skills a bit over time and did some work at Twenty4 Design and Communication when people were still making insane money from designing websites ($10 Grand a pop anyone?). Luckily everyone realised it shouldn't cost that much and so Andrea could happily make the odd website for musicians and arts organisations who have far less than $10 grand to spend on anything.
Bachelor of Music (B.Mus) from the School of Music, Melbourne University
Associate Diploma (A.Mus.A) from the Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB).
18 years of teaching piano both privately and in schools.
She's also done a Small Business Course through the NEIS Scheme, half an RMIT Dip of Applied Design (because it didn't include web design) and half of a RMIT Dip of Building Design & Technology (because it was extremely boring learning about concrete), AMES Volunteer tutoring, worked at Twenty4 Design, been a guest lecturer at the School of Music Monash University, a guest examiner at Grimwade Melbourne Grammar School and many many other side projects/studies but that's another story (also she can't remember the details of most of them).
This is a very long blurb, you are probably sick of reading about Andrea now, so in brief.....
- Andrea has a very cute pomeranian called Sassy-Bella
- She is currently renovating her house
- Andrea is the conductor of the Squawkestra Orchestra
- She owns two pianos (used a lot) and one exercise bike (gathering dust rapidly)
- In 2006 she became addicted to Lindy-hop dancing
- She likes to design and make clothes
- She played the Viol da Gamba at Uni and was part of the Early Music Ensemble for five years
- She traveled around Japan and Europe in 2005 and fell in love with Paris
- Her favourite colour is brown
Andrea is the conductor of a new orchestra for adult beginners/rusty players called Squawkestra. You can read more about it at www.squawkestra.com. We have fortnightly rehearsals in Northcote and welcome new players without an audition process. You just have to be able to read music, have a sense of humor and your own music stand. We need desperately need more violins, oboes and bassoons, so if you are one, or know of one please have a look!
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