COTTAGE SCHOOL of MUSIC - Senior

Workshops

Biography - Micheál McCarthy

Micheál graduated from University College Cork, Ireland with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) and Higher Diploma in Education. He pursued his postgraduate studies at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music in Hungary, where he studied under world renowned conductor and pedagogue, Péter Erdei. He graduated in 1988 with the Advanced Diploma of the Kodály Institute, the Institute’s highest award.

In 1990 he moved to Australia to take up a position at the Canberra School of Music teaching in the school's Primary Music Programme , a programme designed in part to pursue standards of excellence being achieved in the 'singing' primary schools in Hungary. In 1991 he took up a position in the school's tertiary programme lecturing in the areas of Aural Training, Music Theory, Pedagogy, and Choral Conducting. Between 1990 and 1993 he also conducted the Canberra School of Music Children's Choir. This choir gave a number of very successful performances at the 20th World I.S.M.E Conference in Seoul, Korea in 1992.

In 1994 he took up a position as Academic Sub-Dean and Head of Core Studies at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania. He was founding Director of 'Community Music Access', a programme which offered Musicianship and Instrumental training to children aged 2-14. From 1994-1998 he was director of the Chamber Vocal Ensemble 'VocE '96', and was founding Musical Director of 'Sisongke Community Choir', a choir which focuses on the multi-cultural nature of Australian society.

In 1998 Micheál moved to Perth to establish Cottage School of Music, and in 2001 he took up a position as lecturer in music at WAAPA (the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University). He currently Senior Lecturer in Music, specialising in the areas of Aural Training, Music Theory, Choral Conducting, and Chamber Music/Ensemble Skills Development. He is also the director of Eneskis Vocal Ensemble, a choir which has quickly gained a reputation as one of the finest choirs in Australia.

Micheál’s choirs have featured regularly on ABC Classic FM and have also been invited to perform for the members of the Upper and Lower Houses of the Western Australian Parliament on the occasion of the Centenary of Parliament Celebrations in 2004.

Micheál conducts regular workshops for teachers, students, community groups and corporate organisations in Australia and overseas; many of his workshops have featured at national and international conferences.

In 2010 Micheál received a Citation for Excellence in Teaching as part of the Australian Learning & Teaching Council's 'Australian Awards for University Teaching'.

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