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 is the Conductor and Musical Director for Squawkestra, an orchestra for adult beginners or rusty players, since its inception in 2006. Rehearsing in Northcote fortnightly, the orchestra aims to give adult beginers a place to explore playing and performing in a large ensemble with other like minded musicians. For more information please visit www.squawkestra.com
Bachelor of Music (B.Mus) from the School of Music, Melbourne University
Associate Diploma (A.Mus.A) from the Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB).
23 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 has finally finished renovating her house
- Andrea is the conductor of the Squawkestra Orchestra
- 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
- She plays violin quite badly, but is in a very sporadically rehearsing quartet with some very nice people, including Emma Ayres and Katrina Wilson.
- She really hates cauliflower
Andrea is the conductor of an 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 brass players, so if you are one, or know of one please have a look!
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