DrNicole Forsyth

Sydney Conservatorium of Music Teaching

• Nicole has been introducing upper string students (violin/viola) to Historically Informed Performance through the Orchestral Studies Early Music Ensemble program since 2006.
• Principal study historic viola/violin, and modern viola (undergraduate, postgraduate). Development of curriculum sequence for historic viola one to one teaching.
• Her string teaching practice and research has a particular interest in:
  • Historically Informed Performance (research led performance 17th-early 20th centuries) 
  • string students from outer suburban, regional, and low socio-economic backgrounds,
  • neuro-diversity in string instrument learning at all stages of student development. 
  • Australian string music 19th - 21st centuries

Musicology:

• Music from Middle Ages to Baroque muscology unit (relief tutor)

Other Teaching

• Nicole co-developed, co-taught and ran the HIP orchestral & chamber Ironwood Developing Artists program 2008-2015.

• At primary and secondary education levels Nicole teaches for:
• The Arts Unit, NSW Department of Education orchestral viola (Sinfonia Years 5-8; Symphony Years 9-12)
• Abbotsleigh School Wahroonga
• Lead String Educator for the research led ACO Foundations String Program at St Marys North Public School, 2017-2020,
  • The St Marys North PS program synthesized Suzuki, Kodaly and Orff approaches to string instrument education for children 5-8years within a low socio-economic and trauma informed environment. This string program particularly focused on building improved literacy and executive functioning.
•  MLC School Burwood, and Santa Sabina College Strathfield 2005-2018 with leading primary and secondary music educators Karen Carey OAM., Louise Keller, Kimbali Harding, Danielle Abbott & Breeana Baxter.
• Other primary & secondary string teaching 1995-2025: Elanora Heights Public School, Meriden School Strathfield, Burwood Girls High School, St Catherines Waverley, St Marys Cathedral College, Sydney
• Other orchestral tutoring for: Penrith Youth Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestras, Border Music Camp, Albury, Suzuki Talent Education Association of NSW, Fort Street High, Willoughby Girls High, Manly Selective, North Sydney Girls High, Pennant Hills High Instrumental Music Programs and Camps 
• Nicole began learning violin in 1973 through the first Suzuki Talent Education program in Australia at what was then the NSW State Conservatorium of Music, with Mrs Hiroko Primrose, and from 1979 with Mr Yasuki Nakamura, OAM. She strongly believes in the power of music and string education to change lives, and that equity of access to these music education programs is worth striving for.

Student Achievements:

The historic string students of SCM's Early Music Ensemble program have gone on to create their own award winning companies and to perform with international and Australian HIP ensembles.

Nicole's principal study string students from pre-primary to post graduate level on both modern and historic viola/violin have achieved:

Historic Performance students:

• graduate degrees in Historic Performance research led performance 
  • Royal College of Music, London and
    • Jeune Orchestre de l’Abbaye program in performance and research with the Universite de Poitiers, France; 
    • Create NSW Createability programs 
• graduate degree programs in arts business, education and teaching (classroom, strings)

Historically Informed Performance Youth programs for:

•  ARCO Young Mannheim Symphonists,
• Australian Haydn Ensemble,  
• Van Diemens Band,
• Tafelmusik Summer Institutes (Canada)
•  Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (UK).

Modern Viola Students:

• Australian Youth Orchestra programs (AYO, National Music Camp, Young Symphonists, Chamber Music)
• independent school music and academic scholarships at Meriden, Trinity Grammar, St Lukes Grammar
• Entry to Nepean CAPA High School music programs - students from St Marys North Public School
• Sydney Youth Orchestra programs
• Regional Youth Orchestra programs and teaching-assistant positions

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