Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide (2026)

02/06/2026

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 (USA)

Davis Dorrough is a passionate pianist, educator, and author with a commitment to advancing music education. He holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, studying under Jane Magrath and Barbara Fast, and a B.A. in Music (Arkansas Tech University), where he studied under Timothy Smith. Recognised as a leader in the field of music teaching, Dorrough regularly presents at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Conference, and the National Music Council of the U.S. He has also co-authored ten books, including Easy Piano Lead Sheets and Chord Charts series.

Dorrough's dedication to the music community is further evidenced by his roles within MTNA, including as Chair of the National Certification Commission. His contributions have earned him multiple accolades, including the MTNA MarySue Harris Studio Teacher Fellowship Award. Currently, Dorrough is the piano editor at Alfred Music, where he helps guide and inspire the next generation of musicians.

At APPC 2026 Davis is presenting three workshops:
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: Inspiring the Next Generation of Pianists with Alfred Music
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: From Chords to Creativity: Teaching Functional Skills for the Modern Pianist
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: From Bach to Today: What Makes Great Teaching Pieces?

02/06/2026

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗠𝗲𝗸𝗵𝗹𝗮 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿 (South Australia)

Australian-born pianist Mekhla Kumar is a prize-winning soloist, chamber musician and dedicated educator,
currently based in the United States. Her international career spans performances across Europe and Australia, with collaborations alongside renowned artists including Bernd Glemser, Imogen Cooper, Claudio Martinez Mehner and Marc-André Hamelin. She has appeared as soloist with leading Australian orchestras under distinguished conductors such as Keith Crellin OAM, Michael Milton, Luke Dollman and Bryan Griffiths, and is featured on the globally recognised YouTube channel Rousseau.

Mekhla is deeply committed to music education, having served as a Lecturer at the Elder Conservatorium of Music and contributing to the Open Music Academy. She has delivered masterclasses internationally across Europe and now holds the position of Associate Instructor in Piano and Assistant to the Secondary Piano Program at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University. A recipient of numerous prestigious scholarships, Mekhla completed her studies in Australia and Germany with highest honours and is currently undertaking a Doctor of Music under Professor Émile Naoumoff.

At APPC 2026 Mekhla Kumar is presenting one session:
𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶 – Micro PEDx talk: Motivation, Measurement and Mindfulness

01/06/2026

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
Tim Topham (New South Wales)
Tim Topham has been reshaping instrumental music education since 2010 through his vision for creative, modern, and integrated teaching. An international speaker, Tim has presented globally, including the 2024 keynote for the Music Teachers’ National Association of America, and has produced hundreds of resources for teachers across articles, podcasts, and videos.

With over 20 years’ experience, Tim has served as classroom teacher, head of department, and head of campus, with roles at Oundle School (UK), Guildford Grammar (Perth), and Xavier College (Melbourne). His innovative strategies include improvisation, chord playing, lead-sheet interpretation, playing by ear, and effective use of technology to keep students engaged and inspired. Author of No Book Beginners and consultant editor for the AMEB Piano for Leisure Series 4, Tim also founded topmusic.co, a global teaching community. He holds a Bachelor of Music, Diploma of Education, MBA (Educational Leadership), and an AMusA in Piano Performance with distinction.

Tim is presenting two sessions at APPC2026:
𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶: Dare to Dream – Your students need your vision
𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗕 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Exploring Rockschool Exam Options and How They Compare with AMEB

26/05/2026

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
This July we are thrilled to have esteemed piano pedagogue, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗣𝗶𝗸𝗲 (USA) joining us at APPC. Professor Pike will deliver a Plenary Keynote on creative learning throughout adulthood, and two workshops discussing sight-reading strategies and pathways to research for piano teachers.

Professor Pike, PhD, is Spillman Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Associate Dean of Research, Creative Practice & Community Engagement at Louisiana State University, where she directs the group piano and piano pedagogy program. Winner of the university’s top research award (Senior Rainmaker) in 2025 and top graduate teaching award in 2019, she has also won
undergraduate and state-wide teaching awards in Arkansas and Louisiana. As an active researcher of pedagogical topics, she is a sought-after speaker and clinician in addition to being an extensively published author.

Professor Pike is editor-in-chief of the Piano Magazine, co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Piano Research, and is author-professor of the Great Courses curriculum, How to Play Piano video series. Her two solo-authored books from Routledge are The Adult Music Student: Making Music throughout the Lifespan (2022) and Dynamic Group Piano Teaching: Transforming
Learning Theory into Teaching Practice (2017).

There is a special package available to attend Professor Pike's 3 sessions at APPC available here: https://events.humanitix.com/australasian-piano-pedagogy-conference-2026/tickets

Plenary Keynote Presentation:
The Adult Piano Student: Facilitating Creative Learning Throughout Adulthood

Workshop for Teachers:
Inventive, Engaging and Effective Sight-Reading Strategies for Beginning and Intermediate Piano Students

Presentation:
Transformative Benefits of and Innovative Pathways into Research for Piano Teachers

16/05/2026

This year at APPC we are in for a treat with 6 concerts!! We will hear music from Bach to today's emerging composers and everything in between. A full conference registration gets you access to all of the concerts from Tuesday July 7th to Friday July 10th (only the opening recital and cocktail reception is separately ticketed). It is amazing value!

We know that these artists are in demand, and the opportunity to hear them perform in Adelaide is unique, so we have opened ticket sales for each of the concerts to allow family, friends and students to attend. Music is always better shared.

On Monday July 6th, APPC Patron 𝗣𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗢 is performing works of JS Bach and Chopin at our Opening Recital and Cocktail Reception.
Tuesday the 7th of July we have an evening recital- Schubert the Wanderer: Songs and Soliloquies with 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆 (piano) and 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹 (tenor), Wednesday July 8th we have an innovative lunch hour recital by 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 -Music Related, Music Recovered, Music Remade.
If you'd like to see some dueling pianos, then our July 9th Thursday lunch hour concert might be just the ticket as two pianists (𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗻) take to the stage for Sacred Whispers, Divine Rhapsodies. Thursday evening, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗿𝗮𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹, together with Conservatorium students will present our second concert of the day, a collaborative project performance: Piano, Poetry and Paintings (which sounds very intriguing).
Then to cap it all off, on Friday the 10th of July we conclude APPC with the 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁, where the shortlisted 8 pieces will be performed as their composers vie for the 2 major prizes to be awarded at the end of the concert.

Please share the details of these unique performances with those you feel would enjoy this glorious music too. Tickets are available on our website: https://www.rfr.bz/f1afe80

14/05/2026

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗞𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹 (UK)
Keith Snell began teaching piano when he was fifteen years old, under the guidance of his piano teacher mother, Carol Snell. Since that time, he has maintained an independent piano studio because of his passion for teaching. His students range from advanced high school students who will be music majors, to typical young beginners who will have a lifetime of music enjoyment.
Co-author of Piano Town, and the highly acclaimed Fundamentals of Piano Theory, Keith is also well-known to piano teachers as editor of the Piano Repertoire series, the Master Composer Library, and producer of the CDs for each series. He has shared his insights about piano teaching in workshops and master classes throughout the United States and abroad.
A successful performing career began for Keith after he won the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition, which provided his London debut in 1984. He subsequently signed with Columbia Artist Management and recorded for Virgin Records.
Keith received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where studied piano with John Perry.
At APPC2026 Keith will be presenting two workshops and a showcase:
𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀e: For Adult Beginners and Beyond
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: How to Choose Repertoire (And a Few of My Favourites!)
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: Preparing Successful Performance

11/05/2026

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 (New South Wales)
Samantha Coates is an internationally regarded author, composer, presenter and piano pedagogue, with almost four decades of experience in both private and group piano teaching. She is the creator of BlitzBooks, a music education series which has captured the imagination of students and teachers across many continents, and has transformed the teaching of sight reading, music theory, and the use of rote teaching in the piano studio.
Samantha holds a Bachelor degree in piano performance, and now specialises in pedagogy, with the particular goal of equipping her students with recreational music-making skills. She is passionate about helping the wider piano teaching community and regularly presents her own webinars and live sessions on a wide range of pedagogical topics.
Samantha also enjoys giving volunteer piano recitals at aged care facilities, in which she tailors her programs to maximise the residents’ memories and emotional connection. She loves dark chocolate, staring at the ocean, going for long walks, and shamelessly crying through Disney movies.

Samantha is presenting three sessions at APPC2026. Two workshops and her ever popular Pizza, Pinot & Pedagogy session!
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: Staying Ahead of Student Distraction
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: Great Pianist, Terrible Sight Reader
𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Pizza, Pinot & Pedagogy

10/05/2026

Today our Composition Competition Jury has released the shortlist of 8 compositions in the running to win the 2026 Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference Composition Competition prizes. To see the shortlist please head over to our main website: https://www.rfr.bz/ffbaac7

The top 8 compositions will be performed at the Composition Concert on July 10th as the grand finale of APPC2026, when we will crown our two major prize winners.

To secure tickets to the Composition Competition Concert, head to our ticketing website. Family and friends are very welcome to attend for this special occasion, please just ensure you've secured enough tickets (entry is free, but ticketed).

09/05/2026

Tomorrow is the day! Keep your eyes peeled on our website tomorrow, May 10th for the Composition Competition Shortlist announcement!

We can't wait to share the 8 compositions with you.

1 sleep to go!

07/05/2026

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗰𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 (South Australia)
Carly McDonald is an Australian piano teacher, consultant, and presenter who brings energy and insight to both early music education and the business of teaching. She is the founder of Novar Music, a vibrant community established in 2005 that now supports 22 teachers across four South Australian locations. Carly has combined a love of music education with a commitment to helping teachers develop the skills they need to thrive as small-business owners.
Alongside her studio work, Carly is the author of the blog Creative.Piano.Professional, which provides resources for piano teachers around the world. She is the Australasian Ambassador for Piano Adventures, co-editor of the I Want To Play That! piano series, and since 2022 has served as leading Piano Education Consultant in Australia. In each of these roles, she combines pedagogical expertise with practical strategies that support both teachers and students.
Carly is passionate about building creative, connected, and sustainable teaching communities. Her work champions strong musical foundations, innovative teaching practices, and collaboration across the arts, helping students and educators alike to grow, and discover wherever music may take them.

Carly is presenting two workshops and hosting a panel discussion:
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: Decoding Divergence – Because One-Size-Fits-All Never Fits Anyone
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: Little Humans, Big Algorithms – Young Learners, AI, and the Future of Music Education
𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹:The Last Word: Insights and Reflections – A Closing-Day Conversation with Leading Pedagogues

Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference

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