Piano

Ting-Chia Hsu | Head of Keyboard Studies

Ting-Chia Hsu is an award-winning pianist who recently has completed his Doctorate equivalent degree in piano performance (Konzertexam) with distinction at the Hochschule für Muzik Franz Liszt Weimar in Germany.  

At his early age, Ting was offered full a scholarship to study at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, USA. Later he went on to complete his undergraduate degree and Masters of Music with a full scholarship at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Dr Paul Rickard Ford.

Ting has won top prizes at international piano competitions, such as first prize at the 7th Anton Garcia Abril International piano competition in Spain, 3rd prize at the 5th Campillos International piano competition in Spain, 1st at the Taiwan Taichung International piano competition, and many more

Ting is an active performer, he has given recitals worldwide, including in Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, USA, and Switzerland. Ting has appeared as a soloist with many orchestras, including Liszt Piano Concerto no.1 E flat Major with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Liszt Piano Concerto no.2 with Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra.

As an educator, Ting has 10 years of teaching experience in private studios as well as, the Open Academy at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and a teaching assistant at the Hochschule for music Franz Liszt Weimar. Many of his pupils won competitions in Australia and Taiwan and are scholarship recipients in school music programs.  

Ting is a specialist in helping injured pianists suffering from pains, or whom with technical difficulties, to play with healthier techniques under the Taubman piano approach.

David Shaw | Executive Director, Piano

David Shaw is a multi-instrumentalist, specialising in flute and piano. He has extensive experience in many genres of music, including performing, arranging and teaching. As an orchestral musician, David has performed with several state orchestras in Australia and enjoys chamber music collaborations and projects with colleagues Australia-wide. David is a champion of new Australian music, with a long list of composer collaborators and premieres.

In Orange and the Central West, David has been involved in innumerable musical offerings. He has been a repetiteur and music director for the Orange Theatre Company in more than a dozen shows, and has performed in many school musical theatre shows. He has also led the Orange Symphony Orchestra as music director since 2017. David is a regular performer in the Orange Chamber Music festival and has also been onstage as part of the Orange Winter Jazz Festival. He founded the ORC Chamber Academy to give students a chance to explore the complex nature of chamber music while still at school and is always looking for innovative programs and ideas to share with new students. In 2023, David gave his first public performances on two new keyboard instruments – the piano accordion and the church organ – both of which were joyously tackled. David loves to connect with community and engage with the many varied musical offerings around him.

Marianne Bangert | Piano

Marianne has been playing the piano since she was 11 years old, and has been involved in a variety of musical performances and productions over a range of genres. She is a passionate and enthusiastic teacher of all ages, and delights in the opportunity to walk alongside students on their musical journey.

Philip Rees OAM | Piano

When Philip Rees was eight, two events impacted his life: his first piano and brass lesson and his parents being given a complete recorded performance of Messiah. Since then he can’t recall a time of not wanting to be a musician. Philip has spent his entire working life involved in music education and performance. As the musical director of the Central Coast Philharmonia, he conducted many major works of the choral tradition, as well as a number of Australian premiere performances of works by Christopher Tin, (Calling All Dawns) Karl Jenkins, (Joy to the World) John Rutter (Feel the Spirit) and Alexander Lestrange (Zimbe and Ahoy). He was the chorus master for Central Coast Opera productions of Magic Flute (2016), Carmen (2017) and La Bohème (2018).
Since moving to the Central west in 2019, Philip teaches brass and piano at the Orange Regional Conservatorium, is the conductor of the City of Orange Brass Band, and participates in a variety of school music programs.
In 2010 he was awarded an OAM for services to music

Kate Rose | Piano

Kate graduated with a Bachelor of Music and a Diploma of Education in 2002. Many of Kate’s piano students have progressed from beginner to taking on the challenge of AMEB exams.
Kate enjoys teaching classical, popular and jazz piano to all ages.

Annette Houghton | Piano

Carmel Follent | Piano

Carmel graduated from the University of Queensland in 1985, majoring in violin and teaching. She taught in schools before moving to the central west of NSW. For the past 25 years she has been involved in local community work, raised her family of boys and continued to teach the creative arts in classrooms and privately. With training and experience in the Suzuki Method and Kodaly she brings a wealth of creativity, fund, insight and passion to her lessons.

Dahle Innes | Piano

Dahle Innes attended the Conservatorium High School, where she majored in piano and French horn, studying piano with Nea de Mestre and Josephine Bell and horn with Alan Mann and Clarence Mellor. She then continued at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with tertiary music studies.

For six years, Dahle played horn with the Elizabethan Sydney Orchestra (now the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra). She was a member of the ABC Sinfonia for 18 months, occasionally performing as a soloist. She has played casually with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, as well as at events such as the Leningrad-Kirov Ballet tours. In the field of music theatre, she has played in professional productions including Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and Man of La Mancha.

Since the mid-1980s, Ms Innes has been primarily engaged in music education. As head of Brass at Kinross Wolaroi School for over 30 years, she tutored in all areas of brass from Years 2 to 12 and was also involved in senior performance technique development and accompaniment. She directed various ensembles including the secondary school orchestra, which successfully toured Europe and the United States under her direction.

Since 2021, Dahle has been a staff member at the ORC, where she teaches brass, piano and Musicianship. She also currently directs two brass ensembles and is a co-conductor of the Orange Youth Orchestra.

Her interest in learning styles and the social and cognitive influences on behaviour led Ms Innes to pursue and gain an honours degree in psychology.

Dahle has been an examiner for the AMEB since 1997.

Anna Kovalenko | Piano

Glenys Ramage | Piano

Glenys has been involved in music since childhood learning brass instruments first, then moving on to Clarinet and Piano which became Major studies at Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education in Sydney where she completed her Music teaching qualifications. She has taught piano, clarinet and recorder privately for over 40 years with students of all ages including adults.
She has worked many years with bands of different types, playing in, tutoring and directing. As a school music teacher, Glenys has had experience with all ages of students, from infants to year 12, in private and State schools, in Sydney as well as overseas. Part of this teaching has involved directing many different ensembles, choirs, bands and recorder groups.