Michelle Griffin

Senior teacher, voice
Bathurst Campus

Michelle Griffin grew up in the Bathurst region. She studied piano with Jennie Menzies before being accepted at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music in 1998, where she studied piano with Gian-Franco Ricci. She graduated in 2003 as a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours, majoring in Piano Performance and Musicology. She began studying voice with Maureen Lewis in 2005 and gained her A.Mus.A diploma in 2011.

Michelle currently teaches piano and voice at Mitchell Conservatorium, Scots All Saints College and St Stanislaus College. She has toured Europe and Asia as a member of various musical ensembles, and has been a featured guest pianist for the Australasian Liszt Society.

Locally, she has performed with theatre groups such as Carillon Theatrical Society and is a regular performer at the Local Stages Cabaret Kite series. She has also performed with ensembles such as the Macquarie Philharmonia, Bathurst  Chamber Orchestra and Cantora. She also works extensively as a choral director and accompanist throughout the Bathurst region.

David Hood

Senior teacher, voice
Bathurst Campus

David started learning trumpet and piano as a child.  He has a Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in history from the University of Adelaide. He also has a Master of Music degree majoring in conducting from The Pennsylvania State University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree majoring in history from the University of Adelaide. From the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB), he has a Certificate of Performance in Singing. As a trumpet teacher and player, he has many years of teaching experience in public and private schools and has played trumpet with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. As a singing teacher, David taught for four years at Tamworth Regional Conservatorium of Music and joined Mitchell Conservatorium in 2018. He also teaches piano and accompanies at student recitals, Eisteddfods and AMEB exams.
Click here to watch David in recital with Professor Mel Waters in a program of English art song and German lieder

Antonia Fish

Bathurst campus

Antonia began her singing journey at the age of 12 with vocal lessons from Maureen Lewis. Under Maureen’s guidance and then working with Julia Romano, Antonia gained confidence in her performances and became actively involved in school and Bathurst community theatre. Over two years, she performed in productions such as ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘The Addams Family’ and ‘West Side Story’. Antonia enjoys exploring a variety of musical styles, from modern pop to classical opera. With a degree in Creative Arts, Antonia is excited to join the team at Mitchell Conservatorium, where she looks forward to sharing her passion and expertise with the next generation of performers. Antonia enjoys exploring a variety of musical styles, from modern pop to classical opera. With a degree in Creative Arts, Antonia is excited to join the team at Mitchell Conservatorium, where she looks forward to sharing her passion and expertise with the next generation of performers.

Hollie Hewett

Bathurst campus

Hollie_Coleman_Mitchell_Conservatorium_Bathurst_ Teacher_Flute_Saxophone_Clarinet

Hollie joined the staff at MitCon and has continued her studies by distance education since 2010. After taking some time off studying while having her 2 children she successfully completed her Bachelor of Music degree majoring in Clarinet in 2016. She also completed the Jerry Nowak Conducting Course in 2010 which she found to be one of the most rewarding educational experiences she has had.

Hollie learnt Flute, Saxophone and Oboe while in High School and a few years ago decided to learn Trumpet for a little while. Hollie’s love and passion for music and performing is evidenced in the many shows that she has been involved in, such as the Carillon Theatrical Society productions both on stage and in the orchestra. She has performed in many community ensembles over the years including the Bathurst City and RSL Concert Bands, CTS Show Band, Macquarie Philharmonia, and in High School with Swing Factor.

Hollie also loves conducting and had a very exciting opportunity in 2014 when she conducted the Bathurst Chamber Orchestra accompanying the amazing flautist Jane Rutter. Hollie loves teaching and hopes to inspire her students and continue developing her performance and teaching career. She has recently put her singing and music theatre skills and experience to good use by becoming one of our valued singing teachers!

Alyson Laver

Bathurst campus

Alyson is a contemporary singing teacher and vocal coach. She graduated with a Diploma of Music from Central Queensland University in 2021. She began teaching privately in 2019 and joined Mitchell Conservatorium in 2021.  
Alyson performs regularly throughout the region as vocalist with her jazz, swing & funk ensemble Pengopuss, and was a finalist in the Regional Songwriting Contest in 2023. 
Alyson loves to learn and teach new techniques and believes that getting to know your voice should be equal parts fun and rewarding. Her greatest professional joys come from witnessing student lightbulb moments, watching them perform, and celebrating their musical achievements.

Gabriel Rae

Bathurst campus

Gabriel Rae is a classically trained soprano and experienced educator who is delighted to be returning to the Mitchell Conservatorium, where she first taught from 2003 to 2006. With a B.Creative Arts (Hons) and a background studying at the Sydney Conservatorium, Gabriel brings over 20 years of teaching experience, including founding the Mitchell Young Voices and co-conducting Cantar Community Choir.

Her performance resume is extensive, featuring work with the Woollahra Philharmonic, Vox Humana and Echolalia in Sydney, Savoyards in Brisbane, Opera by Candlelight in Canberra, and the Girton College Chapel Choir from Cambridge. Most recently, she appeared in the Orange Theatre Company’s ‘Into The Woods’. Gabriel is eager to bring joy and determination to her students’ development and will be teaching on Monday afternoons at Mitchell Conservatorium.

Jan Rhodes

Bathurst campus

Jan’s love of music began as small child listening to her father sing with the Sydney Male Welsh Choir. From early foundations in Classical, Jazz and Celtic music, Jan has become an accomplished pianist and vocalist in
bands and as a solo artist. Jan’s performance experience is eclectic and encompasses a wide variety of genres. Highlights include Sydney Harbour tourist cruises, musical theatre, ‘Dirty Sox’ Children’s Show Band, ‘Stormy Monday Big Band’, a cappella choirs, Southern Highlands Orchestra & Concert Band. With bands ‘Brolgaz’ & ‘Currency Lads’, Jan has taken Australiana and
bush dancing to schools throughout NSW & Queensland.

With professional qualifications in Teaching and Music, along with many
years’ experience as an Educator in schools and the corporate sector,
Jan’s approach is to nurture her students through the complexities of
learning and make music fun!

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