Christine Gora 

M.Ed.Studs.; B.Ed.; Dip. Arts in Music.; T.T.C.

Vice Chair of Advisory Board for the Partnership of Educators Australia & New Zealand

My interest in teaching young children music began when as a young mother of four children I realised the importance of music and movement to the overall development of the child. I began my professional teaching career more than 30 years ago as a high school music teacher and once I became a mum my focus shifted to the early childhood sector and primary school teaching. As well as teaching music in the classroom I taught music privately in my own studio, offering piano, singing, guitar, group keyboard and recorder tuition for children and adults. Prior to Kindermusik I developed my own program and offered “Music Kinder” for preschoolers.

Kindermusik was an amazing discovery for me and I am now in my thirteenth year as an educator. At our recent conference in Queensland in October 2008 I received an award in recognition of being the longest continuously serving educator in Australia and New Zealand. So I am one of the originals and still very passionate about all the curricula and the benefits they provide for children. There is no other early childhood music program that does this as well and as thoroughly as Kindermusik. I personally teach all the classes from my studios at New Town, Bellerive and Kingston. I am also the Tasmanian GymbaROO franchisee, an association which came about interestingly through my Kindermusik families who were also attending Gymbaroo.

As well as teaching, a major focus of my working week is as a Research Fellow at the University of Tasmania studying young childrens’ musical identity and well being. A number of children from my Kindermusik classes are participants in this exciting research which is a longitudinal study conducted over a three year period under the direction of Professor Margaret Barrett. It is being funded by a $200,000 grant from the Australian Council for Research.

 Rebecca Gora

(B. Mus.)

Rebecca has been immersed in music since before she was born. As a musical family we have encouraged a love of music in all our children. Rebecca began her formal music study at the age of five when she commenced piano tuition under Eric Mitchell in Hobart, one of the pioneers of the Suzuki method in Australia. Rebecca thrived with the Suzuki method, developing exceptional memory skills. Eric's approach to reading has given Rebecca a formidable skill in sight reading. Rebecca performed at concerts and eisteddfods and gave a major recital in Hobart while still at school. She went on to the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music under the tutelage of Ian Monro and David Bollard. It was under David's inspirational teaching that she won the fourth year prize at the University of Tasmania. She has done some teaching of classroom music in primary schools, but now has consolidated her career as a studio teacher of piano and as an accompanist of singers and instrumentalists. Rebecca has an understanding approach with very young children and is the perfect teacher for children who have completed the Kindermusik programs and wish to commence private piano tuition.