Associate ProfessorStephanie McCallum

Teaching Philosophy: My work as concert artist gives me expertise to draw on as a teacher. It allows me to act as mentor, role model and sometimes inspiration for those aspiring to both solo and ensemble careers, but also to widen the horizons of those just wishing to learn more about pianism as an enrichment to their knowledge of music. I encourage individual tastes in music and love to work with a wide range of repertoire.

My own approach to technique is highly methodical and thought out for muscular efficiency. It has evolved over many years of teaching and playing in a physically healthy and unstressed way. The technical approach, which I tailor to each student's needs, and which many find revolutionary, focuses on improving not only stamina and dexterity, but in particular, fine control of colour and the development of legato cantabile (smoothly singing) playing. This is designed to capture orchestral qualities of sound often required by the nature of idiomatic piano repertoire. I stress that this control and capability is only a means to an end- that it makes it possible, even easy, for the student to effectively communicate their own imaginative responses to music. My pianistic approach is also informed by my work on historic instruments.

Currently supervising:

Andrei Hadap in early eighteenth century repertoire and associated improvisation.

Marina Lundgren on Schnittke Piano Sonatas.

Past students include:

Jihyeon Lim in a project on piano music of Unsuk Chin
Dr Kerry Yong -London based performer of contemporary music and pianist for Apartment House
Dr Erin Helyard- Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney, early music performer, Artistic Director of Pinchgut Opera (university medalist)
Julian Hamilton- member of The Presets
Carolyn Chan - active as recording artist, performer and composer in Hong Kong
Kevin Hunt -jazz performer, Lecturer at Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Ben van Tienen- composer, performer and conductor (university medalist)
Jacob Abela - new music exponent and pianist for Rubik's Collective

Cowley Fu - emerging soloist, recent top prize winner in the Athens Alkan/Zimmerman International Piano Competition