Teachers
Mark Johnson
Acoustic Guitar • Piano • Bass • Electric Guitar • Drums
BMus, AMEB8 Acoustic Guitar [current]
Mark is a private teacher/tutor and was a peripatetic music teacher in several Sydney schools, teaching guitar, piano, ukulele and bass. He holds a Bachelor of Music Performance, and is currently obtaining his Masters in Teaching Primary. Mark has been known for his unmatched patience with students, young and old. Mark has been teaching private and group lessons since 2011, passing his knowledge in music theory and instruments to his students.
Rachel Johnson
Piano • Keyboard
PhD (EdTech) [current], MEd, GCEdRes, ABRSM8 Piano, ABRSM5 Theory
Rachel has been immersed in the world of music, education, and creativity from a young age. She holds a Grade 8 certificate in Piano and a Grade 5 certificate in Music Theory from ABRSM, reflecting her deep-rooted passion for music. Committed to creating engaging and impactful music learning experiences, Rachel has further honed her expertise with a Master of Education degree. She is currently pursuing a PhD, focusing on educational technologies for private music instruction, a journey she began in late 2024.
Harley Whales
Acoustic Guitar • Piano • Ukulele • Bass • Electric Guitar • Saxophone
AMEB5 Bass [current]
Harley has an unmatched passion for music and learning new things. Surrounded by vinyls and all sorts of instruments, Harley spends a lot of his time partaking in all things music. Harley is a former student of Mark Johnson and teaches in a similar manner. He is patient and empathetic to new learners and provides an engaging learning model for young students.
Emma Courtis
Trumpet
AMEB6 Trumpet [current]
Emma first fell in love with the trumpet, while participating in her Grade 5 band program at school. She has been playing the trumpet for 7 years, and is currently working towards her grade six exam through AMEB (Australian Music Examination Board). She loves playing in her local orchestra, and is very enthusiastic in teaching the trumpet to others.
Nathan Poon
Drums
HSC Music 2 (Drums)
Studying Music 2 during high school and playing in numerous settings such as school bands, church and weddings, Nathan has been present within the music sphere his entire life. Currently, he continues producing music and is studying towards a Bachelor of Medical Science at the University of Sydney.
Rose Karam
Piano • Vocals
CMus [current], CTMus [current], AMEB5 Theory [current], AMEB8 Classical Singing
Having loved music from an early age, Rose’s heart was in singing. A recipient of a recent scholarship, she is currently studying Grade 6 Classical singing and Musicianship theory with the AMEB and is familiar with a range of vocal styles. Part of a large family, Rose easily relates to students of varying ages. She sings in her Church choir and can't wait to share her love of singing with others.
Independent Teachers
These teachers run their own independent studios and teach from our rooms. Their students are part of our wider community and may participate in shared events.
Heva Chan
Piano
CertEEIII, CertMusGraph, DipElectMus, DipMus(Hons), DipComp, ATCL, LTCLTeach, LTCLPerf, MFAMusicology, MAComp, PhD
As an award-winning composer and teacher of performance and composition as well as an experienced examiner in the higher education music industry, she can teach at all levels, from those starting out to those undertaking professional work or postgraduate degrees, including assisting students with the preparation for admissions for University; as well as preparing students for competitions and relevant AMEB, LTCL, ABRSM and HSC examinations. Numerous of her students have won various national and international awards. Heva is the former Head of the School of Music at Wesley Institute/Excelsia College, Sydney
Hadassa Gitau
Violin
MMusTher, BMus
Hadassa is a violinist who studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has also completed a Master of Music Therapy. She loves to share her passion for music with others and offers violin lessons for beginners of all ages who are motivated and willing to learn. Lessons focus on developing confidence and joy of learning, while building the basic disciplines and musical knowledge needed for playing the violin.