String Teachers
Nicholas was appointed to the Mitchell Conservatorium in 1998. He received his Bachelor of Music in 1990 and has studied violin and viola with Dr. Anthony Doheney, Lyndal Edmiston and Jan Sedivka. In addition to his extensive ensemble and orchestral performance experience, Nicholas has more than 10 years experience teaching students from 5 years to 55 years of age in all eastern seaboard States and the Northern Territory. Nicholas believes that anyone with commitment can learn to play string instruments.
Robyn Stokoe Godfrey is a highly experienced performer and teacher who, in 2015, relocated to Windeyer, near Mudgee, after more than four decades of a busy professional life in Sydney. Upon completion of tertiary studies at the Sydney Conservatorium, Robyn became a founding member of the Palm Court Orchestra, Sydney’s leading “society” orchestra, directed by her late husband, John Godfrey. The PCO continues to this day and specialises in late 19th, early 20th Century light music, the vast library for which Robyn is the owner and caretaker.
A skilled and dedicated private teacher, Robyn taught at many leading private schools, including long-held positions at MLC School, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Newtown High School of the Performing
Arts, International Grammar School, Santa Sabina College, and also in the late Chris Belshaw’s comprehensive Saturday programme, utilising Orff and Kodaly methodologies. Now, Robyn continues to teach both locally and at the Mitchell Conservatorium, where she is the cellist in Mitchell String Theory, the resident professional string quintet. Among many performance opportunities, she has also formed a duo with harpist and singer, Kim Deacon, a long-time friend and colleague, who currently lives in Hill End.
Max McIlwraith has been with the Conservatorium since late 2019, having started as a student in 2015. Max is presently studying his Bachelor of Double Bass (Performance) through our partnership with Central Queensland University. Max has performed extensively with both local and regional youth orchestras and has been the recipient of many scholarships. Max’s interests include increasing awareness to the utility and history of double bass performance, seeking to explore and expand the modern repertoire of the double bass and providing access to performance/learning opportunities to regional and rural areas.
Nicholas was appointed to the Mitchell Conservatorium in 1998. He received his Bachelor of Music in 1990 and has studied violin and viola with Dr. Anthony Doheney, Lyndal Edmiston and Jan Sedivka. In addition to his extensive ensemble and orchestral performance experience, Nicholas has more than 10 years experience teaching students from 5 years to 55 years of age in all eastern seaboard States and the Northern Territory. Nicholas believes that anyone with commitment can learn to play string instruments.
Robyn Stokoe Godfrey is a highly experienced performer and teacher who, in 2015, relocated to Windeyer, near Mudgee, after more than four decades of a busy professional life in Sydney. Upon completion of tertiary studies at the Sydney Conservatorium, Robyn became a founding member of the Palm Court Orchestra, Sydney’s leading “society” orchestra, directed by her late husband, John Godfrey. The PCO continues to this day and specialises in late 19th, early 20th Century light music, the vast library for which Robyn is the owner and caretaker.
A skilled and dedicated private teacher, Robyn taught at many leading private schools, including long-held positions at MLC School, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Newtown High School of the Performing
Arts, International Grammar School, Santa Sabina College, and also in the late Chris Belshaw’s comprehensive Saturday programme, utilising Orff and Kodaly methodologies. Now, Robyn continues to teach both locally and at the Mitchell Conservatorium, where she is the cellist in Mitchell String Theory, the resident professional string quintet. Among many performance opportunities, she has also formed a duo with harpist and singer, Kim Deacon, a long-time friend and colleague, who currently lives in Hill End.
Max McIlwraith has been with the Conservatorium since late 2019, having started as a student in 2015. Max is presently studying his Bachelor of Double Bass (Performance) through our partnership with Central Queensland University. Max has performed extensively with both local and regional youth orchestras and has been the recipient of many scholarships. Max’s interests include increasing awareness to the utility and history of double bass performance, seeking to explore and expand the modern repertoire of the double bass and providing access to performance/learning opportunities to regional and rural areas.