Music

The Creative Arts at Dominic College offer many opportunities to enhance the creative skills of students. The extensive co-curricular options for Music are continually growing, with these groups performing regularly both within the school and to the wider community.

Private instrumental lessons during school time are offered to students from Prep to Year 10 by a talented group of instrumental tutors.

To enrol in the Individual Music Tuition program at Dominic College, please complete the application form, and confirm you have read and understood the terms and conditions. For questions regarding this program please email Katherine Denholm kdenholm@dominic.tas.edu.au

Individual music tuition is organised by Dominic during school hours for the following instruments:

* Lessons may be available in a shared situation at the discretion of the teacher.

Fees for 2022 are $42 for a 30-min lesson or $26 per student for a shared lesson

Information and Enrolment for Music Tuition Program

Brett Budgeon – Vocal Tutor

Brett Budgeon has been teaching singing for nearly 20 Years. Brett is currently the co-Head of Classical Voice at The Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music. He is a prolific performer both here in Tasmania and internationally. Brett has attended three of Australia’s elite music schools and was a scholarship recipient at The University of Melbourne. He also holds qualifications from London’s Trinity College.

He regularly travels to Los Angeles and links in with music industry and educational leaders on vocal and music business developments. Brett’s performance career continues to grow. He played The Phantom in Tasmania’s premier of The Phantom Of The Opera in 2013. In 2018 he played Jean Val Jean, in the Encore Theatre Company’s, Launceston production of Les Misérables.

John Keenan – Woodwind Tutor

John started playing clarinet in 1999 and in 2001 he took up the saxophone and started playing both instruments across several ensembles, including the Hobart Wind Symphony for 7 years.

He has graduated from the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music in 2010, majoring in contemporary saxophone. He then graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Masters of Teaching in 2013.

Since completing his studies, he has taught woodwind instruments across several schools in the Hobart area. He plays saxophone with various rock and jazz bands and is a member of the Australian Army Band Tasmania.

Hans Kooij – Piano Tutor

As a first class Honours graduate of the University of Tasmania, Conservatorium of Music, Hans continued as a doctoral candidate in musicology at Monash University, presenting and publishing in several academic forums. He has worked as a performing artist, accompanist, conductor and musical leader with numerous professional theatre and dance organisations, as well as orchestras and vocal ensembles.

He has taught at a tertiary level, however he finds teaching at a grassroots level much more challenging, rewarding and creative. Each child responds to, and absorbs music in their own unique way. Therefore using one single music learning system seems less effective than an individualistic approach. Hans therefore endeavours to tailor piano learning with a central focus on the child’s understanding, musical interest and needs, making lessons as much ‘fun’ as possible, as learning is best achieved when children enjoy themselves.

Mark Schmalfuss – Guitar Tutor

Mark Schmalfuss is a musician and educator from Hobart, Tasmania. A passionate guitarist, Mark has worked as a professional musician since 2005, performing in a wide range of styles and venues, and has taught as an instrumental tutor since 2011.

Performing under the pseudonym Mangus, Mark has successfully released two albums, and supported a large number of local, national, and international artists. Mark has performed at a considerable number of festivals including; Falls Music and Arts Festival, MONA FOMA, Junction Arts Festival, Festivale, TASTE of Tasmania, Cygnet Folk Festival, Festival of Voices, Devonport Jazz, Clarence Jazz, and many more. Mark’s 2012 album Mangus Duo also received national airplay on Triple J Radio. In addition to this, Mark has also recorded and toured with American jazz and soul vocalist Katy Raucher, composed themes for TV, and has worked with music theatre production company Bijou Creative.

Mark graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music in 2013 under the supervision of Dr Glen Hodges and Dr Nick Haywood.

A passionate, enthusiastic, and experienced instrumental teacher, Mark especially enjoys focusing on developing young guitarist’s passion and understanding of the instrument. By using student interests to guide learning, Mark is able to use songs as a vehicle to guide the learning of proper techniques and approaches in a fun, enjoyable, and interesting way. In addition to guitar, Mark is also an experienced vocalist and drummer.

Jeremy Sibson – Drum Tutor

Jeremy Sibson started his professional music career at the age of 12 playing percussion for “Pirates of Penzance” and has since gone on to play many shows as pit drummer in the Tasmanian music theatre scene. He has been Musical Director on many shows including Rent (2005), High School Musical (2009), All Shook Up (2010), and 13: The Musical (2010/11). In 2009 he was chosen to play in the Australian Tour of Broadway to Australia .

Between 1984 and 1992 Jeremy Sibson was a Musician in the Australian Army Band Corps. He gained enormous experience here as well as playing alongside Australian big band legend Ed Wilson. Jeremy has studied widely including drum kit lessons with Daniel Glass, David Jones, Virgil Donati, and Darryn Farugia,

Jeremy Sibson is a well-respected performer and educator on both the Drum Kit and Bodhrán. He completed his Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Teaching at the University of Tasmania in 2013 and is a fully registered teacher, as well as having a hectic private teaching schedule.

Current band projects include the corporate/function group Manhattan with Greg Souter, The Blues Brothers Revival show band, and 80s cover band Styne’s Legends.

Dana Badock

Dana Badcock is a contemporary singer and current scholarship holder at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music. Since she took up singing at the age of eight, Dana has performed around the world in places such as London, Los Angeles, Salzburg, and Vienna. She has also had the privilege of performing at a variety of noteworthy places in Australia, including Canberra’s Parliament House for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Skyfields festival singing with both Missy Higgins and Neil Finn, and Hobart’s Government House for the Governor. Dana is regularly requested to sing at and open official events such as the Hobart Cup, the Hobart Citizenship Ceremony, and the Australian Bowls Championship.

Dana began teaching singing when she was fourteen, an endeavour for which she has developed great passion over the years. As a young teacher, Dana relates well to her students, prioritising student engagement above all else. Dana helps her students not only to improve through their lessons and practice, but to have a good time while they do it.

Craig Russell

Craig has been a prominent figure within the Tasmanian music scene for over 30 years and has been teaching in schools for the past 10 years. Craig started learning various brass instruments before finding a real passion for the Trombone and Euphonium. He then completed a Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance at the Canberra School of Music (Australian National University)

He then auditioned and won the position of second trombone with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and held that position for 18 years. Craig has worked with various youth groups, concert bands, and conducted the Wind Ensemble of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra for 2 years.

Craig is a strong mentor who enjoys working with children to develop their own passion for music.

With the knowledge and skills Craig has acquired over many years, he has the ability to help students to have fun learning their instrument while developing a strong foundation in brass fundamentals.