Music Teachers' Association
of New South Wales

Katherine Keeler

Katherine is a flute, piccolo and music theory teacher with over a decade of experience teaching students of all ages (beginner, high school, university and adult learners) at her private music studio and at schools across Sydney's North Shore, including Pymble Ladies' College, Asquith Girls High School, Turramurra High School, Waitara Public School and Normanhurst Public School.

As a teacher, she is passionate about supporting each student to reach their individual goals, whether playing for leisure or preparing for AMEB examinations and auditions. Her students have been accepted into the Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School, the Sydney Youth Orchestras, the Arts Unit's Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Orchestra, State Music Camp, the Ku-ring-ai Youth Orchestra, and the Northern Sydney Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

Alongside her teaching, Katherine performs as a flautist with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and works as a Staff Writer at Kabuku PR, specialising in media relations campaigns for Australia’s leading arts organisations. She holds a Master of Media Practice (High Distinction) from the University of Sydney and completed the Australian Youth Orchestra’s Words About Music program in 2022.

Dr Micaela Nathan PhD

Dr Micaela Nathan is a professional orchestral and concert performer, Music Therapist, examiner for the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB), composer, and artistic director. After attending the Sydney Conservatorium high school, she gained her BMus (high distinction), MA and PhD (music therapy/psychology) at Sydney University, with adjunctive research through Melbourne University and the Sydney University of Technology.

Over her 40-year career as a concert musician, Dr Nathan has performed widely as a recitalist, and worked regularly with the major Australian symphony, opera, and ballet orchestras in NSW, QLD, and Victoria, and held principal positions with many music theatre productions in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea.

Dr Nathan has been a music educator for 40 years at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, including lecturer at UTS, and tutor in woodwinds and piano at the Northern Rivers, Penrith, and Central Coast Conservatoriums. She is regularly sought for specialist instruction for HSC, undergraduate, and post-graduate music students.

As a Music Therapist, Dr Nathan provides music learning programs for children who are neurodivergent, and have cognitive differences and physical disabilities. She has undertaken specialist post graduate training and has 25 years' experience teaching these unique children.
Dr Nathan has composed five albums of structured music therapy sessions, presented at International Music Therapist Association conferences, and published for the International Journal of Music and Imagery.

Giovanna Van Leeuwen

Giovanna Van Leeuwen is a composer, pianist and teacher based in Sydney. She composes instrumental concept albums based on Biblical themes - her debut piano album EDEN – a cycle of 8 piano pieces released in 2021 was inspired by the Garden of Eden.

She approaches composition through improvisation and combines both her knowledge of structured classical music and elements of jazz improvisation. Drawing on influences of romanticism and its lyrical melodies, rich jazz harmonies and the ambience of film music, she has created her own unique sound.

Born in Port Kembla, NSW, Australia her passion for music commenced at the age of 10 where she heard a family friend playing the piano and was drawn to the lyrical melodies of the instrument. She completed classical studies through AMEB and went on to study a Music Diploma in Performance with the Wollongong Conservatorium. It was here that she discovered a love of jazz, and stumbled across the expressive art of improvisation. Giovanna later moved to Sydney where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Music & Sociology with the University of NSW. Many of the pieces from her debut album EDEN are featured in the ANZCA Syllabus as well as the St. Cecilia School of Music & Con Brio Examinations.

Her latest project is a collection of piano duets based on the theme of the Australian Wildlife. The pieces are graded from 1 -5, these were created to encourage piano students in ensemble playing. Over the years she has performed with various jazz ensembles throughout Sydney and often enjoys performing as a solo pianist for wedding ceremonies and functions. She currently holds a teaching position @ Inner Sydney Montessori School in Balmain as a piano & flute teacher.

Her debut album EDEN is available in various music and book shops around Australia, including Koorong stores & Red Eye Records.
All scores & CDs are available through her website www.giovannavanleeuwen.com You will also find all her music on your favourite streaming platforms.

Nadia Yan Kuen Hui

Birgit Bellstedt

Birgit graduated from the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) in 1988, gaining a B.Mus (Ed) degree specialising in piano teaching. After teaching music full-time at a couple of high schools in South Africa and Namibia, she moved to Germany with her husband. Between raising 3 children she continued teaching piano privately, conducting an adult A Capella choir, and playing piano in a chamber group.

Since moving to Australia in 1998, she has extended her teaching privately at home and at various schools, and has played accompaniments for numerous AMEB, scholarship & HSC exams.

For the past 20 years she has entered candidates of all grades for AMEB exams (piano, flute, theory and musicianship) with very pleasing results.

She now teaches in a beautiful studio with a bush outlook in the leafy suburb of Glenhaven.

Maria Sung

Linda Berry

Denise Heriot

Beth Moloney

I am a flute teacher based in the Sutherland Shire with over 40 years of teaching experience, ranging from beginners through to tertiary students for their Bachelor of Music (Performance). I have also adjudicated for the Flute Society of NSW Eisteddfod as well as other eisteddfods around NSW.

Diane Moss

Di Moss has taught music in the Newcastle area since 2004, after graduating from Sydney Conservatorium of Music (BMusStudies).

Her instruments include clarinet, saxophone, flute, piano, piano accordion and organ.

She has experience with all age groups and mentored students through AMEB grade exams, auditions, and HSC performances. Small Covid-safe ensembles for her students are her speciality. Her lessons offer many genres including classical, jazz and popular music.

Di also enjoys playing multi-cultural music on woodwinds and accordion, and has previously performed around local restaurants and festivals in Newcastle.