Private Tuition
Gold Coast Christian College has the services of highly skilled private music teachers who offer private music lessons during school hours.
Musical instruments on offer for private tuition are:
- Vocal (Modern & Classical)
- Drums & Percussion
- Piano (Modern & Classical)
- Flute
- Guitar (Modern & Classical)
- Clarinet
- Bass Guitar
- Trumpet
- Ukelele
- Trombone
- Violin (Modern & Classical)
- Saxophone
- Viola (Modern & Classical)
- Theory of Music
- ‘Cello (Modern & Classical)
- Banjo
Music Exams
Students have an option to sit for Music Examinations each year. The examinations are held by the Australian Music Examinations Board (A.M.E.B.) and the students can achieve a Grade Level each year. Credit points for the Queensland Certificate of Education can also be achieved from Grade 4 and upwards.
Tuition Books for Sale
The College has Practical Tuition and Theory of Music books, guitar tuners and drum practice pads, available for purchase at the Administration Office. Please phone 07 5593 4571.
Enrolment forms are available at the Administration Office, or online by request - debbie.hinton@goldcoastcc.qld.edu.au
Our private tuition music teachers are:
Piano - Mrs Debbie Hinton
Mrs Debbie Hinton heads the external music program. Mrs Debbie Hinton has been a professional teacher of piano, keyboard and Theory of music since 1979. She holds an Associate Teaching diploma (Music) from Trinity College of London and is a professional member of the Music Teacher's Association. Debbie offers tuition in piano from Prep to Diploma level in either Classical or Modern syllabus and tuition in the Theory of Music - all grades.
Brass and woodwind - Jane Grimley
Jane brings with her a wealth of experience in music and creative education. As a teaching artist for The Sydney Opera House she used the transformational power of music, working with some of the most vulnerable young people in Sydney's west. In 2017 Jane was awarded a scholarship to attend the Lincoln Centre for Education in New York City. The 2017 conference brought music teachers together from around the world, to develop the best teaching techniques to enhance the capacities of our young people.
Jane teaches Trumpet and Saxophone but will try any instrument she can get her hands on. She loves ensembles and is thrilled to be conducting the GCCC Year 5 Concert Band and co-directing the GCCC Senior Concert Band - both part of the immersion program. Jane mentors within the Junior Chapel Band, and teaches individual and small group lessons.
In her previous work with Melbourne based company; The Song Room Jane held professional development sessions for classroom teachers integrating music into other key learning areas.
She also loved working closely with school communities running Ukulele and Recorder clubs...yes the dreaded recorder! Her clubs brought diverse communities together through music. Young and old played together before and after school. This thread of her practice is still alive today through her online teaching. Jane still teaches people of all ages, all across Australia via Zoom, Skype and video.
Jane will tell you passionately that making music should be a part of our everyday life!
Her own career is set in the foundation of playing music in school and community ensembles. Drawing upon years of multi-instrumental training through the Australian Music Education Board Jane attained a Bachelor of Performance at the University of Western Sydney. Following University she developed her career as an interdisciplinary performer. She toured Australia, Germany, Britain and The United States. One of her career highlights was playing the Sydney based band The Dusty Ravens. (And singing on a B track for Silver Chair but does anyone even remember Silver Chair anymore?)
In 2020 Jane relocated to the Gold Coast and is currently completing a Diploma in Art Therapy and a Bachelor of Psychology through Macquarie University. Her dream is to follow a path deeper into the enriching power of music and creativity.
Guitar - Mr Russel Hinton
Russell Hinton has been performing live music and teaching guitar for over 40 years. He has toured Australia with well known Australian band "Bullamakanka" and has performed for Queen Elizabeth at the opening of the Stockman's Hall of Fame. Russell has been a member of several other well known bands and still performs live to this day. He is much in demand as a studio musician and runs his own successful recording studio. As a professional musician, he is able to impart to his students the technical side of music as well as the live performance elements.
Drums - Mr Paul McCarlie
“Kits for Kids” is a drum kit refurbishment project that was initiated by Mr Paul McCarlie, our drum and percussion teacher, established in September 2019. It is a community based project that provides drum kits to children interested in the art of drumming but do not have access to a drum kit at home. The equipment is donated by musicians and friends that have disused drums in their homes. Fundraisers on Facebook where monies raised is used to purchase whatever is required to bring a drum kit to completion. All funds raised and equipment donated goes directly into the project. The generosity of local musicians who donate equipment and money to this cause is to be commended.
The drums are loaned free until families are able to buy a drum kit for their child to continue their drum studies. The drum kits are then returned for maintenance and cleaned ready to be loaned out to the next student.
Kits for Kids currently has four drum kits in homes of families with children learning to play the drums.
Wind - Ms Amelia Swift
Amelia graduated from Gold Coast’s Emmanuel College and went on to be accepted into the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, where she studied under clarinettists of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Amelia was accepted as a clarinettist at the university and went on to further her studies of saxophone and flute in her time there also. Her most enjoyable music experiences have been playing in musical theatre and in ensemble settings at the university.
Violin - Mr Paul Robinson
Mr Paul Robinson has been a violin, fiddle & 'cello teacher for over 30 years and has won a Golden Fiddle Award in Tamworth for the best fiddle teacher in Australia. He plays in several bands including the Leaping Lizards Bush band and the Round Mountain Girls. All of Mr Robinson’s students that enrolled for an Australian Music Examiners Board exam last year received an “A” accreditation. He also conducts the school String Ensemble which will soon become the school orchestra.
Vocals - Mrs Ann Sparks
Ann Sparks, A.Mus.A., Dip. Mus., Grad. Dip Mus., Estill Master Teacher, Estill Certified Course Instructor. Ann has been teaching singing for 30 years, and has also performed in many Operas, Oratorios, and Musical Theatre productions. Ann teaches every style of singing: Classical, Pop, Theatre Music, and Jazz, using the Estill Method, and enjoys preparing students for exams and for other performances.