Music Teachers' Association
of New South Wales

Lynette Fisher

I have completed AMEB piano examinations to Eighth Grade and Trinity College of London ATCL (Teachers Diploma). I completed theory and/or musicianship exams to Seventh Grade. Eisteddfods were part of my learning experience as a young child and I gained first and second prizes in many.

I successfully auditioned for a place in the Music Education Teaching Course at Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education. In 1980- I graduated with a Diploma of Music Education and have been teaching Music in high schools since 1980. In 1994- following further study- I graduated from Newcastle University with a Bachelor of Education (Music).

I have been teaching piano- theory and musicianship since 1976 and saxophone, flute and clarinet since 1982 with my students experiencing success in both AMEB and Trinity College of London examinations. My students have attended and been involved in workshops with the Music Teachers Association and with various Music Camps. My skills and knowledge continue to grow through contact with band tutors and my network of professional colleagues. I tutor students in Music for their Higher School Certificate and am also an experienced Higher School Certificate marker in both Music Aural and Performance examinations.

John Garrick

Margaret Greig

Anne Hall

• Anne has a BA DipEd and has taught as a general infants' teacher for 6 years.
• She has a MMus (Music Education) and has taught for the Macquarie University Early Childhood Music Education program.
• She has over 30 years experience teaching piano.
• The latest developmental piano course for beginners from American publisher Alfreds is used.
• Parents of young children are welcome to sit in on lessons.
• Professional development workshops are attended to keep up to date.
• Continuing students do AMEB exams or piano for enjoyment
• A concert is held every year where parents, grandparents and siblings can hear the student perform
• AMEB candidates attend further mini concerts and the Junior Music Festival run by the Music Teachers' Association of which I am a member
• AMEB candidates complete the 30 pieces challenge.

Zeljko Bedic OAM

Examiner 50

ASA TDip, MOAA, MMTA, MASME, MISME, MUMT, MAATA, MASA

Zeljko Bedic OAM commenced piano and violin studies in Croatia, Europe and subsequently continued with his professional music studies in Sydney, Australia on piano, pedagogy and music theory under the baton of Dr Margaret Brandman, and on accordion, with Maestro Dante Simonelli and Mr Ross Lombardo.

Mr Bedic was included on the Australia Day 2019 Honours List and presented with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for distinguished services to humanity in Australian and global communities and the performing arts, particularly through music.

He is a university academic (successfully prepared students for their Bachelor of Music Degrees and AMEB Performance Diplomas), and a Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Music Teachers’ Association (NSW) accredited professional music teacher in piano, accordion and theory.

Mr Bedic is the founder, and has been the Owner / Director, of Bedic Music Studio, now Paddington Music Studio for over 35 years. He has over 40 years of professional teaching experience and has been an AMEB Examiner for over 30 years. He was awarded his Teacher’s Diploma in 1983 and received his AMEB Examiner 25 Year Service Award Shield in 2016.

He has successfully prepared and trained numerous music teachers to become AMEB examiners and has written, reviewed and edited AMEB syllabi for many years. Most recently, he led and collaborated with other examiners, on a comprehensive and extensive syllabus review / rewrite which was successfully submitted to the AMEB for publishing.

Mr Bedic has delivered solo and duet performances at the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House, at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and at the Sydney Town Hall. He is a former first prize recipient of the ASA NSW state championships and the City of Sydney Eisteddfod. He was also a former recipient of the second and third prizes in the ASA Australasian Championships. Mr Bedic has adjudicated at international, national and state championships, and the City of Sydney and St. George Eisteddfods on many occasions.

His students have won International, Australasian, Australian National and NSW State Solo Championships. One of his students was selected by the NSW Board of Studies to perform at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, HSC ENCORE Concert. Another one of his students has won the prestigious Music Teachers’ Association (MTA) – Margaret Chalmers Memorial Scholarship and received an invitation to perform as a soloist at the MTA’s Centenary Celebration at Parliament House in Sydney in 2012.

He was the Musical Director and Orchestra Leader of the Koleda and Dubrovnik Croatian folkloric ensembles and the Musical Director of the Klapa Koleda a capella ensemble and choir. Mr Bedic recorded an album at the Sydney Opera House in the capacity of Musical Director / Orchestra Leader with the Koleda ensemble and a studio album with the Dante Simonelli Orchestra and Choir at EMI Studios.

Mr Bedic was the Australian National Coordinator, promoter, manager and publicist for two highly successful charity recordings / CDs, ‘Side by Side – Song for Port Arthur’ and ‘Stop the War in Croatia’. Both were highly successfully on the Coca Cola ARIA Charts (10 weeks in the Top 10), with extensive national television, radio and print media coverage, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity, but more importantly, provided moral support for the victims’ families. At the time, he received letters of commendation and support from the Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon. Mr. John Howard MP and Premier of NSW, The Hon. Mr. Bob Carr MP and numerous prominent senators.

Heather Bowden

Margaret Brandman

Dr. Margaret Brandman has been teaching piano, musicianship, ear-training, theory, composition and improvisation in a distinguished career spanning over 40 years. Margaret is also a composer of works for voice, piano and instrumental ensembles. In addition she has devised her own 'Contemporary' series of holistic teaching materials, for piano, theory and ear-training. In 2003 she was selected by the International Biographical Society(UK)as International Woman of the Year for Services to Music. In 2012 she received the WPTA Diploma of Excellence for her presentation at the World Piano Teacher's conference in Serbia. Her clientele includes beginners, advanced students and teachers who attend her Professional Development workshops.

Combining her compositional interests with her interest in music education- Margaret has devised many music texts including :

* the Contemporary Piano Method and the supporting publication Pictorial Patterns for Keyboard Scales and Chords
* the Contemporary Theory and Chord Workbooks
* the Contemporary Aural Course (audio and workbook series) and
* the High School Text book - Accent on Music.

The educational materials feature a simplified interval approach to reading,combined with pattern recognition which allows students to become efficient readers in a very short time. (taking the hard work out of learning the piano!) The materials feature many accelerated learning techniques including the use of colour coding to simplify previously difficult topics. (Everyone enjoys this!) These techniques also enhance the ability of students to gain a harmonic understanding of all styles of music from classical to jazz and contemporary and to gain skills in ear-training. (This saves time and effort and allows the fingers to find the right notes by being guided by the ear).

Margaret has composed many original works to demonstrate points made in her music education materials. Several of her works are listed in both the AMEB and ANZCA syllabi as set works. Her concert works for piano-instrumental combinations and orchestra receive regular live and recorded performances internationally.

Phone for an appointment: 0414 185 193

Jillian Bridge

Andrea Calilhanna

Andrea Calilhanna

MMus, GradDipT (Mus), DipMus, LMusA, AMusA, MMTA, FCSME, MAAS

PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide

Andrea Calilhanna is an experienced music educator, researcher, and performer who has taught in studio and classroom settings since 1984. Based in Cherrybrook, her student-centred studio welcomes learners of all ages and levels—from five-year-old beginners to diploma candidates—whether preparing for exams or playing for personal enjoyment. She teaches piano, saxophone, musicianship, theory, composition, accompaniment, and HSC Music, focusing on strong foundations, confidence, and individual progress.

Andrea specializes in metre and rhythm pedagogy. Her doctoral research at the University of Adelaide examines metre basics through Ski-hill Graph Pedagogy, a contemporary approach inspired by Richard Cohn’s theoretical work. She has authored two books on the subject, Ski-hill Graph Pedagogy Meter Fundamentals (2024) and Clap, Tap and Map, which introduce accessible ways to understand metre beyond traditional time signatures.

She holds a Master of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she also worked as a sessional academic. Andrea has presented her research internationally, served as a Visiting Fellow at the MARCS Institute, and is currently contributing a chapter to a Springer Nature book series on acoustics.

A long-standing member and former leader within the Music Teachers’ Association of NSW, Andrea also belongs to various professional societies spanning musicology, education, and acoustics. Her diverse background includes performing in chamber, choral, jazz, and popular music ensembles, as well as training pre-service teachers at several Queensland universities. She welcomes prospective students seeking expert, supportive music tuition that balances high academic standards with an encouraging learning environment.

Lesley Challender