This workshop offers two programs, both occur on the same evening. Full Participating Conductors are able to choose which program suits them.
The choice of repertoire they wish to conduct will determine which program they select.
- In the One-On-One program, conductors will choose a few excerpts from one work to study with their mentor and conduct. They choose their own work, but must supply a full set of parts and an extra score. Have a recording for the tutorial will be helpful.
- In the Class program conductors will conduct two or three excerpts that are set – choose from First Suite by Holst (ed. Matthews) and Two Grainger Episodes by Percy Grainger (arr. Christopher Greco, publisher Barnhouse). Your mentor would be Roland Yeung, Music Director of The Grainger Wind Symphony.
CONDUCTING MENTORS
Full Conducting Participants may choose a mentor on a first come-first choice basis. They can discuss their choice with Roland Yeung, the convenor of the workshops as soon as they have submitted their application form. Below are all the conducting mentors – most are for the One-on-One Program.
Lynette Bridgland
Andrew van Gemert
Jo Heaton
Shane Walterfang
Roland Yeung – mentor for Class Program
See below for their musical biographies.
Lynette Bridgland mentor
Lynette has studied extensively in music, having gained her Bachelor of Education in Music at Victoria College, her A. Mus. A. Piano and a Post Graduate Diploma in Music – Conducting at the University of Surrey, England, where she studied under Professor Sebastian Forbes and Nicholas Conran. During her time in England she held the position of Conductor of the University of Surrey Symphonic Wind Band and also conducted the University Symphony Orchestra and Choir.
Lynette completed the Conductors Graduate Seminar with Jerry Nowak and the Advanced Conductors Seminar with Professor Larry Wagner and was selected to participate in the Symphony Australia Conducting course, under the direction of the Finnish conductor Maestro Jorma Panula.
Lynette has a long career in music education, firstly as Music Coordinator at Canterbury Girls Secondary College. As well as teaching classroom music she conducted the Concert Band, which culminated in an invitation for the Band to participate in the 1989 International Youth Music Festival for the 2000th year celebrations for the City of Bonn (Germany), followed by an accompanying concert tour of Europe.
From 1992 to 2003 Lynette was Director of Music at Fintona Girls’ School and from 2008 to 2017 taught music at Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School, where she conducted the Symphonic and Stage Bands.
Lynette’s involvement in music includes the Associate Conductor of the Eastern Youth Laureate Wind Symphony in 1992 and guest conductor in 2000. For six years Lynette conducted the Alexander Concert Band at the Border Music Camp, Albury. She was the Musical Director of the Western Region Concert Band and has been Musical Director of Theatre Productions, including Cabaret, Damn Yankees, Annie, Jesus Christ Superstar and the awards night for the Victorian Theatre Guild. Lynette is often invited to be a guest conductor for schools and community groups and to adjudicate at music festivals.
In 2000 Lynette received an Excellence Award from the Australian Band and Orchestra Director’s Association, Victorian Branch.
Lynette is currently the conductor of the South Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held since 1993. She is very proud of her long association with the South Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. During her time with the orchestra she has conducted works from all styles and forms of orchestral music and is delighted to rehearse and perform with the regular members of the orchestra and the special guests who have appeared with the orchestra over the years.
Andrew van Gemert
Andrew was presented with an Excellence Award by the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association. This award celebrates Andrew’s contribution over many decades to “outstanding work as an ensemble director” in the school and wider community and his mentoring throughout the state of Victoria especially in the field of conducting ensembles and rehearsal techniques.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Education degree from The University of Melbourne Institute of Education and is a member of the Association of Music Educators and a Friend of the Percy Grainger Museum. Through the Australian Band and Orchestra Association, he has been involved with teacher education, organising and presenting workshops on conducting technique and band literature. For many years, he has worked closely with many overseas conductors whilst in Australia such as Dr. Craig Kirchhoff, University of Minnesota and Dr. David Waybright, University of Florida.
He is also in demand as a conducting teacher and guest conductor of camps and workshops. He has been one of the adjudicators for the Royal South Street Society Concert Band Eisteddfod and conducting mentor for the Victorian Schools Music Festival in the past few years.
Andrew has been teaching with the Department of Education for 28 years and is currently Assistant Director of Music at Viewbank College where he teaches VCE music, music performance, music technology, general classroom music (Years 7-8) and directs several ensembles including the band for the school musical “Singin’ in the Rain”. He has been Producer and/or Musical Director for school and community musical theatre productions for 34 years.
Andrew has been associated with the Manningham Concert Band for 35 years, initially as a player of various instruments, then for several years as Assistant Conductor. For the last 22 years he has been Musical Director and has received the Menzies Australia Day Community award and the Victorian Bands League Merit award for service to community music.
Jo Heaton
Dr. Joanne Heaton’s career encompasses over three decades as a music educator and conductor, with international engagements in Australia, the United States, Asia, and Europe. Her previous appointment was as Band Director at Eastmont Middle School in Utah, where she also earned her Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Utah. She later completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Dr. Heaton’s expertise in ensemble direction is in high demand in the music education community, regularly serving as an adjudicator, conductor, and guest lecturer. Currently, Head of Bands at Haileybury College in Melbourne, her mission is to inspire young musicians and support ensemble directors through expert guidance, guest conducting, and international collaborations.
Shane Walterfang
Shane as been invited by the GWS Committee to return to the role of Associate Conductor 2023 from 2016.
Shane Walterfang is a Melbourne born conductor, trumpeter, and teacher. He received his Master of Education and Grad Cert (TESOL) from Deakin University, Diploma of Education from the University of Melbourne and Bachelor of Arts from the Victorian College of Arts.
As a conductor, Shane has been involved with community music for over 25 years. He believes that performances are unique occasions where audiences and musicians live in, and for the present moment. His aim is to provide innovative performances, which are engaging for both audiences and musicians. His conducting credits outside of Australia include performances in New Zealand, China, India and the USA.
As a trumpeter, Shane has played with 5 of Australia’s professional orchestras including 10 years with the Australian Pops Orchestra. He was introduced to styles ranging from Paul Whiteman to Frank Zappa while playing with the Anne and John Hawker Big Band.
Shane is also a committed educator who aims to provide a range of engaging and stimulating experiences to encourage people to pursue music as a lifelong activity. He has held the positions of Head of Brass, Director of Music and VCE Coordinator. He is also a past Chair of the Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) – Victorian Chapter. Shane is also a qualified Meditation/Mindfulness teacher.
Roland Yeung
For Roland’s biography click here.