About -

ABOUT US

OUR PHILOSOPHY

South West Strings was founded to provide high quality violin lessons and viola lessons in the Bankstown area and around Western and South West Sydney. It is a low volume, highly personalised studio aiming to develop talent through affordable access to quality teaching. South West Strings also strives to build the profile of art music in the area, and create performance development opportunities for students.

OUR DIFFERENCE

Students learning with South West Strings can expect lessons to be delivered by a qualified and highly experienced teacher who plans around their unique needs and goals.

Sufficient time is dedicated to each lesson so that learning happens in a relaxed environment and material can be covered properly. Parents can expect a flexible, helpful approach including assistance with instrument selection, practical advice, along with regular communication around student progress.

We are patient, encouraging, and promote dialogue and exchange of ideas with students to help them develop their own musical ideas and express them with confidence.

OUR SERVICES

South West Strings offers violin lessons and viola lessons for all ages and levels. We also closely assist with instrument selection and setup, sourcing accompanists, rehearsal spaces, and finding performance opportunities including in ensembles. We support our students' success and advocate for art music opportunities in the region.

FROM THE FOUNDER

Joanne Gad

I have been teaching since 2002 and genuinely enjoy seeing pupils progress and develop as unique, individual musicians. In addition to instrumental lessons, I encourage all students to learn Musicianship and Theory to ensure they build upon on a sound musical foundation.

A graduate of Sydney Conservatorium of Music, I studied the violin (both performance and pedagogy) with internationally renowned teachers including Wanda Wilkomirska, Wenancja Strugarek and Janet Davies. I held the position of Head of Strings at Strathfield School of Music between 2004-2008 and was winner of the Ewa Malewicz Wieniawski Medal in 2011.

After graduating, I became a representative on the Sydney University Academic Board, working with the University's senior management and advising the University and Government on matters affecting postgraduate students. I understand the immense value of developing creativity and expressive communication, and the opportunities these transferable skills can bring. I would say that in today's world these skills are essential for success.

More recently, I was a director of the Greater Sydney Orchestra. I am a founding member and was formerly Secretary of the Co-operative Orchestra - Australia’s only member-owned, member-run registered charity that is dedicated to the advancement of Australian art music in all its forms. I continue to be closely associated with the Charity and continue to advocate for more equitable access to high quality classical music education regardless of background or financial means.

As well as being a dedicated musician and music educator, I have a successful career in governance, risk, compliance and business consulting. I am currently Director and Principal Consultant at Governance & Information Professionals Australasia, and a Member of the Board of the Corruption Prevention Network where I lead the organisation's Governance & Strategy portfolio.

I am also currently an Industry Advisor and Consultant for Melhem Legal & Consulting, a legal specialist firm that helps clients to strengthen policy, practice and systems, and to drive reforms which promote the rights, safety, and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

I hold a Working With Children's Check, regularly complete training on Child Safety and Wellbeing, and ensure all associates and adults who work with students, such as accompanists, guest teachers, and co-performers hold, equal training and certifications/checks.

Finally, I leave you with this quote from Peter Gouzouasis, PhD, of the University of British Columbia, on why high schoolers who take music courses score significantly better on exams in certain other subjects, including math and science, than their non-musical peers:

“Learning to play a musical instrument and playing in an ensemble is very demanding. A student has to learn to read music notation, develop eye-hand-mind coordination, develop keen listening skills, develop team skills for playing in an ensemble and develop discipline to practice. All those learning experiences play a role in enhancing children's cognitive capacities and their self-efficacy.We think that the effects we see are partly a result of the fact that children engaging in school music over many years mostly receive quality music instruction and need to master the high expectations of performing at a high school band or orchestra level. In fact, it is that high levels of music engagement for which we saw the strongest effects.”

Yours sincerely,

Joanne Gad