Music Teacher 

Discover from this page more about Justin McKee's: 
 

• Music study, background and experience

• Work in the community 

• Working With Children Check 
  
   

Music study, background and experience
 

Justin has enjoyed teaching for over 20 years as a private music tutor and Primary School Music teacher. He is an Accredited Member of the Music Teachers Association of NSW. 

"My approach to teaching the piano is to facilitate, collaborate and provide support so that my students can utilise their strengths to achieve their goals. 
 

"I encourage students to direct their own learning as early as possible. I start by giving students choices in the pieces that they learn, even at the beginner level with younger students. It's very important to me that my students are playing the styles and pieces that they want to play so that they are enjoying the process.
 

"I get a great deal of joy out of teaching and I feel very lucky to have such a diverse mix of students aged from 5 to retiree age, some of whom are neurodivergent and have Down syndrome, autism, ADHD or dyslexia. I think its an openness to realising that you can teach anyone who want to learn to play the piano that keeps you robust and agile as a teacher."

 

Justin began learning the piano at the age of seven, studying under the late Margaret Sumner in Lake Macquarie, NSW. He further developed his musical studies by taking Music as a subject at Belmont High School, gaining first place in the school for his School Certificate and High School Certificate studies. Justin was also awarded the Hunter Region Award in his final year at school in 1993.

 

He developed a fondness for jazz and 20th Century composers such as Bartok, Debussy and Ravel from the guidance of his much admired Belmont High School music teacher Stephanie Garside who helped establish the school as a Performing Arts School with Ollie Maywald. 

Justin commenced vocal studies under Karen Walmsley at aged 15. Karen has been appointed as the Head of Vocal Studies at The Kings School since 2005. Justin's studies lead to performances as a soloist and ensemble vocalist at various events across the Hunter and Sydney. He was a member of the prestigious Hunter Singers from 1992-1993 under Kim Sutherland, OAM.  In 1993, he was proud to gain a place in the Newcastle Cathedral Festival Jazz alongside one of Australia's finest vocal talents Miriam Allan, and perform with James Morrison and the Ray Brown Trio. 

 

At age 17, Justin began teaching piano and musicianship privately from home and has been teaching ever since.

Justin studied three years of a Bachelor of Music Education from 1994-1996 at Newcastle Conservatorium of Music taking piano studies under the highly accomplished Catherine Davis and vocal studies under Katherine Capewell, formerly of the Welsh National Opera. 

 

In 1994, Justin played the role of Lesgles in Opera Hunter's production of Les Miserables in a cast that included David Harris and Dr Christopher Allan as well as Conductor Ross Fiddes. He also began performing in various piano playing concerts at the Conservatorium that was coordinated by Catherine Davis. 

​

After studying at the Conservatorium, Justin moved to London, UK and commenced a private teaching business, delivering lessons in piano, voice, violin, percussion and theory, working at times in various capacities for the Music House for Children.

 

In 2001, Justin became Head of Music at St. Stephens Church of England Primary School where he established a Music Department and began running various music programs such as the school vocal ensemble, school choir and drumming classes. 

Continuing on with his success, Justin was appointed as the Music Ensemble Director for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in 2001 where he conducted a junior orchestra, providing disadvantaged children with the opportunity to perform in an orchestral context. 

 

Upon returning to Australia in 2005, Justin has continued to teach piano, singing, composition, musicianship and theory privately. 

Justin completed teacher training with Daphne Proietto OAM, Keys of Life in 2022. Keys of Life strives to "enable students with disabilities and diverse learning needs to flourish through music". 
 

Work in the community 

​

Justin conducted the Parent Choir at Dulwich Hill Public School in 2019, an initiative coordinated by the school's P&C Committee. The parents perform at the school's annual music week and at local events in Dulwich Hill, helping to inspire longterm musical goals for children at an early age. 

​

Justin donates funds, services and time to local school events and charities such as the Australian Music Children's Music Foundation, Summer Hill Primary School and Ashfield Primary School. 
 

As part of the response to managing the impacts of COVID-19 on the community, Justin was very successful in transitioning all students to online lessons when necessary and created a COVID Financial Hardship Policy to ensure that no student lost the opportunity to take piano lessons during a very challenging and changing year. 

​

​

Working with Children Check

​

A Working With Children Check is a requirement for people who work or volunteer in child-related work. It involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct.
 

Justin McKee is a qualified, experienced teacher and has an up-to-date, Working With Children Check (WWC) number from the NSW Government: WWC1046965E

 

Parents and guardians can check the status of a Working with Children Check online: 
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/check-working-children-check-status

​