Hi, my name is Kathryn, but everyone just calls me Kat. Thank you for spending the time to visit my site. Even though tutoring with my students develops a long term working relationship, in this day and age it's certainly handy to be able to jump onto the net to get more info about somebody's services or products and hopefully have any important questions answered before making a commitment.
I started tutoring just before I finished school. I completed my Associate Diploma of Music Performing and also received Honours in 6th Grade Musicianship (a prerequisite for completing an Assoc. Dip.) for my HSC year through the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB), graduating at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music in Sydney.
I was fortunate to have been able to study my Associate Diploma for 3 unit AMEB music for the HSC via my music tutor as the Education Board has since removed the course from the HSC Syllabus. Between that and doing 2 unit Japanese via correspondence through the Open High School, I spent a lot of my school hours in the senior study rooms or at home practising. So, I certainly appreciate what goes into studying under your own steam.
I tutor piano, keyboard, flute, clarinet and musicianship. I tutor exams through the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) for those wishing to pursue examination gradings.
I believe theory is a vital tool to successfully kick-start learning a musical instrument. I have, over the years, ‘inherited’ students with disgruntled parents from teachers who have invariably missed the target one way or another in providing their students with the adequate understanding of music basics through theory that is needed when first learning a musical instrument. It's so much harder to play an instrument if you can't read the music (that's essentially what music theory is mostly all about!) I also believe theory can be taught, week by week, in such a way that it is used successfully as the tool that it is without having the process of learning theory dominate the music lesson or de-motivate the student wishing to learn some fun music straight away.
I consider myself a great theory teacher, given my background and level of qualifications. That enables me to get beginner students off to a fantastic start in combining learning the new language of music theory with an immediate start to learning familiar tunes on your instrument to take home and play and hum along to as it all comes together with your practice routine.
It's important to maintain balance during lessons between learning what's necessary and learning what's really cool and fun, so sometimes, while I am teaching my students the fundamentals of what they need to know, I also throw in some fun tunes. It's great to go home with a couple of bars of The Smurfs or Harry Potter in your head while you are tackling primary triads, basic rhythm or note values.
I have had a range of experiences in the roles of orchestra member, conductor and music director and find that, although learning in a group environment for an orchestra, town band or cast of a musical production provides wonderful experiences and memories as a group and part of the musical community, the best way to learn an instrument initially is by having your tutor's undivided attention for the whole lesson (one reason I prefer to turn off ringers on all phones in the building during tuition, by the way).
My ABN is 83 797 085 196 and I have had a working with children safety check. I first got this during my role as the canteen manager at my daughter's primary school.
I was fortunate to have been able to study my Associate Diploma for 3 unit AMEB music for the HSC via my music tutor as the Education Board has since removed the course from the HSC Syllabus. Between that and doing 2 unit Japanese via correspondence through the Open High School, I spent a lot of my school hours in the senior study rooms or at home practising. So, I certainly appreciate what goes into studying under your own steam.
I tutor piano, keyboard, flute, clarinet and musicianship. I tutor exams through the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) for those wishing to pursue examination gradings.
I believe theory is a vital tool to successfully kick-start learning a musical instrument. I have, over the years, ‘inherited’ students with disgruntled parents from teachers who have invariably missed the target one way or another in providing their students with the adequate understanding of music basics through theory that is needed when first learning a musical instrument. It's so much harder to play an instrument if you can't read the music (that's essentially what music theory is mostly all about!) I also believe theory can be taught, week by week, in such a way that it is used successfully as the tool that it is without having the process of learning theory dominate the music lesson or de-motivate the student wishing to learn some fun music straight away.
I consider myself a great theory teacher, given my background and level of qualifications. That enables me to get beginner students off to a fantastic start in combining learning the new language of music theory with an immediate start to learning familiar tunes on your instrument to take home and play and hum along to as it all comes together with your practice routine.
It's important to maintain balance during lessons between learning what's necessary and learning what's really cool and fun, so sometimes, while I am teaching my students the fundamentals of what they need to know, I also throw in some fun tunes. It's great to go home with a couple of bars of The Smurfs or Harry Potter in your head while you are tackling primary triads, basic rhythm or note values.
I have had a range of experiences in the roles of orchestra member, conductor and music director and find that, although learning in a group environment for an orchestra, town band or cast of a musical production provides wonderful experiences and memories as a group and part of the musical community, the best way to learn an instrument initially is by having your tutor's undivided attention for the whole lesson (one reason I prefer to turn off ringers on all phones in the building during tuition, by the way).
My ABN is 83 797 085 196 and I have had a working with children safety check. I first got this during my role as the canteen manager at my daughter's primary school.