Piano Department

Head of PIANO Department

Joanne Burrows - Piano

AMusA (AMEB), ATCL, LTCL, BA, DipTeach (UQ), Cert IV Assessment & Training, M.Ed (CQU)

Joanne started learning piano at the age of 14, becoming serious about it at age 17. She studied a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Theatre at Queensland University Major studies including piano and composition and secondary studies in voice, recorder and later flute. Joanne completed a Diploma of Education in 1982 and spent several years teaching classroom music in Queensland and NSW. Joanne came to Wagga Wagga in 1986 where she taught at the Riverina Conservatorium (1986-1991) and started the HSC music program at Trinity Senior High School, (now Kildare College). Over this time she completed an AmusA in Piano, an ATCL and LTCL in piano pedagogy through Trinity College and was very involved with HSC Music including marking HSC papers, setting trial HSC papers and accompaniment work.

In 1999 Joanne returned to teach at the Riverina Conservatorium becoming Head of Keyboard and Music Theory & Aural in 2004. Joanne was part of the committee for the 10th Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference held in Wagga Wagga. In 2011, Wirripang Music published a number of piano and music craft books for beginning and intermediate level students. Joanne has also performed in various RCM Concerts in solo, ensemble and accompanist roles.

Joanne was appointed Chair of the RCM Curriculum committee in 2010. This group of professional musicians and teachers have drafted stage one of the RCM curriculum which has been most effective in ensuring quality music education.

Joanne continues to have piano music and teaching resources published by Wirripang, provide piano pedagogy workshops for music teachers, and perform when time permits. Joanne loves to teach, and offers a range of piano and music craft programs from beginner to advanced, over a wide range of styles, - classical, popular, jazz, improvisation and composition.

Hamish Tait -  Piano

AMusA, BA(Creative), GradDipMus, MMus, MBA (USQ)

Hamish holds Masters degrees in both Music and Business Administration from the University of Southern Queensland. He has studied piano with Wendy Lorenz and Roy Howat. In 1997 Hamish was awarded a Regional Arts Development Fund allowing him to study piano and accompaniment in London with the renowned pianist/accompanist Nina Walker, herself a pupil of Claudio Arrau and Alfred Cortot.

In 2003 he was appointed as the Director of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga and has held the positions of President, Vice-President and Executive Secretary of the ANSWRC and has served over nine years on the ANSWRC Committee. In 2011 Hamish was the Vice-Chair of the 10th Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference (APPC) and is currently a NSW State Representative on the APPC National Committee.

Hamish appears regularly as a piano soloist, duo pianist, accompanist and chamber musician. He has performed extensively across Australia and internationally including tours of the USA and the UK. As a teacher Hamish works with Diploma and Tertiary students at the RCM and is sought after as an adjudicator. Hamish performs regularly with violinist Lauren Davis and with Anthony Bozicevic as the Riverina Piano Duo.

Rowena Grosfeld - Piano

B.A.(Lib.Sc.), DipMusicTeaching (USQ)

Rowena is a graduate of the University of Southern Queensland having completed a Diploma in Music Teaching. Music has always been part of her life and she has been involved in singing and music from an early age. For the past seventeen years, Rowena has been teaching piano in Sydney both privately and at the local school. During this time she was involved in playing for Church services, co-ordinating and rehearsing students for school musical occasions, accompanying students for individual exams and accompanying small instrumental groups.

Rowena loves to encourage each student to achieve well in their studies. She enjoys seeing the pleasure that this brings to themselves and others, as well as the positive impact on other aspects of their life. Rowena is looking forward to teaching at the Riverina Conservatorium, and thinks that Wagga Wagga is fortunate to have such high quality and diverse musical opportunities so easily accessible to the community.

Carmel Ryan - Piano/Keyboard, Accompanist

AMusA (AMEB), AssDipMus (QUT), 

Carmel is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with over 30 years teaching experience. She commenced teaching at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in 1991 and after a two year absence and a road trip around Australia, Carmel returned to the Riverina Conservatorium in 2012.

Carmel maintains a large studio at the RCM and includes teaching at Kildare Catholic College, Wagga Wagga Public School and Lutheran Primary School. Carmel enjoys teaching students of all ages and encourages the newly introduced RCM curriculum for all students. She is also able to prepare students for external exams if requested.

As well as teaching, Carmel delights in accompanying instrumental students for varying performances including Student recitals, Eisteddfodau, External examinations and HSC. Carmel is the accompanist for the RCM affiliated ensemble, the Cantilena Singers and has been repetiteur for choral and school musical performances.

Carmel also appears occasionally as associate artist with colleagues in the RCM concert series and most recently enjoyed the experience of performing with the RCO, and first time ever playing the harpsichord!

KATHERINE CHOI - PIANO

BMus (Music Ed), MEd (Sydney)

Katherine has completed her Bachelor of Music (Music Education) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2010. She is also a qualified Special Education teacher who works as a secondary teacher with the Department of Education and communities as she has also completed her Master of Education (Special and Inclusive Education) at the University of Sydney.

During her studies at the Conservatorium, she had studied piano under Lyall Duke had previously studied piano with Stephanie McCallum. Katherine has had many years of experiences teaching piano as she had been teaching since 2007. As a music teacher, she has prepared students for their exams (such as AMEB and Trinity exams) and had also prepared HSC students for the performance and written exams. She had also previously run her own piano studio and worked as a piano teacher in Sydney before moving to Wagga.

Also Katherine also specialises in voice as she had studied voice under Dallas Watts in Sydney, and was a member of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Chamber Choir. She has also participated in performances, studio recitals and had also been in ABC live recordings in performances with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Chamber Choir. Katherine is a passionate teacher, who is able to teach all types of learners.

stephanie johnston - PIANO

Bmus, DipMus (CQUniversity)

Stephanie is a pianist and singer who feels privileged to 'share the joy of music' as she teaches students of all ages and helps them develop in their own musical journey. She firmly believes in the benefits and rewards of music education and is delighted to be a part of facilitating music learning opportunities at the RCM. Stephanie is pleased to work in such a vibrant, collaborative musical environment. She aims to support her students in making the most of the quality music education they can receive.

Stephanie has been learning and performing music since early childhood. With a value of giving back to the community, she has spent much of the last two decades preparing solo and collaborative performances for a wide variety of audiences and events. Recent piano performances include works of Albeniz, Bartok, Beethoven, Greig and Haydn. As a member of the RCM Piano Department, Stephanie teaches both at the RCM and in local schools. She makes it her priority to meet students where they are at and work with them towards realising their goals.

fiona tait - piano

Born and raised in Leeton, New South Wales, Australia, Fiona began piano studies at the age of four, with her mother, a professional piano teacher. Further studies with Fiona Stevens were followed by studies with Anne Stevens in Orange where she achieved distinctions for her high level examinations through the AMEB. Fiona achieved scholarships and awards to study music whilst finishing her schooling at Kinross Wolaroi in Orange, NSW. After finishing school, Fiona’s life took a slightly different direction resulting in studies in health and midwifery. Her return to music in earnest began whilst living in Berlin Germany where she returned to piano as both a teacher and accompanist.

Upon returning to Australia, Fiona commenced her Bachelor of Music through the Riverina Conservatorium of Music and Central Queensland University, studying piano with pianists Hamish Tait and Joanne Burrows.  

Passionate about music education, Fiona joined the piano faculty of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in 2020 where she now works as a teacher and performer while continuing her studies in music. 

KATE HODgson - piano

Kate grew up in Canberra, starting piano lessons when around eight years old. Apart from three years in Canada, where she continued lessons through the Royal Conservatory of Music, Kate completed all grades of practical and theory through the Australian Guild of Music, finishing with an Associate Diploma in 2018.

Kate ceased lessons for three years as she moved to Wagga Wagga from Canberra to study a Bachelor of Agricultural Science, which she graduated from in 2022. Kate is currently a student of Hamish Tait at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music where she hopes to complete a Diploma of Music through CQUniversity in 2023. Kate is eager to continue developing her musical skills and share her music with others.

Lydia buckley - piano

Lydia was born and raised in Wagga Wagga and started learning piano when she was 9 years old, having continued her piano studies to achieve AMEB eighth grade in piano. Lydia moved to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in 2022 from private piano teaching for the past 4 years where she developed a passion for introducing others to the art of piano playing. Lydia has taught children as young as six to develop both their skills in playing and cultivating their love of music, as well as having worked with retirees who are taking their first steps into the playing of music after a lifetime of appreciation.
Lydia strongly believes in a student centered approach and aims to work collaboratively with students, focusing on both cultivating their love and appreciation of music whilst ensuring fundamental techniques are learned and maintained to allow for a steady progression towards their goals. Lydia is currently working towards attaining AMEB Associate in Music (AMusA).