Australian Music Centre, Staff

John Davis | CEO

John Davis is CEO of the AMC, a position he has held since July 1995, although he has worked in the organisation since 1989. He has an extensive knowledge of Australian contemporary music, and has worked as a performer (jazz and classical), composer, and administrator.

He holds a Masters Degree in Creative Arts (Music Composition) from Wollongong University, and has been active in the new music community through his work with AMC, having developed strong relationships with composers, performers and ensembles, and music institutions and organisations.

He has also been active in establishing strong relationships internationally, representing Australia as Vice-President of the International Association of Music Information Centres (IAMIC), and the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM), serving as an elected member of the Society’s Executive Committee.

Brian Strohfeldt | Financial Controller

Brian has a range of experience in Accounting, Administration & Operations roles within the Construction, Retail, and Music industries. He has worked for a diverse range of companies including the Boral Group, Woolworth's Ltd and currently works for a private group of companies in the Music industry that encompass royalty collection & administration, music licencing, music publishing. He has an interest in Martial Arts and is an incurable revhead. Brian brings a diverse range of skills to the Centre where he been for over 10 years.

Janet Piper | Finance Administrator

July 2001 to May 2003 Janet worked as an MYOB bookkeeping consultant to clients in fashion, PR, interior design and building. In 2002 she also worked as Assistant Project Officer for the federal government funded Australia Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP). For three years she was the Administration Manager at Paradiso, a café chain in the CBD. She has also managed two businesses of her own, a café in Glebe and a souvenir design and printing business.

She speaks Indonesian as a second language and has worked as an Indonesian TV news monitor at SBS. She has a strong interest in the arts, especially fine art and music, both as an appreciator and practitioner. She enjoys drawing and painting and have had several works exhibited, including works from batik painting and life drawing. She sings with a cappella group the Stairwell Singers with musical director Stuart Davis and has recently taken up Egyptian drumming on the tabla.

Simon Chambers | Project Manager

Simon joined the Centre in 2000, initially working in the library before being appointed project manager for the Centre's major online initiative in 2004.

He began university studying music performance in flute and baroque flute, but quickly switched to the social sciences and graduated with an honours degree in Communications from the University of Technology, Sydney. His degree also took him on exchange to the UK, where he studied journalism and media studies at Westminster University. He has recently completed postgraduate studies in project management.

Simon continues to be active as a flutist in ensembles such as the Stables Ensemble, for which he has also arranged a number of works by Australian composers.

Judith Foster | Music Resources Manager

Judith has been with the Centre since 1995, and has over 20 years experience working as a librarian in a diverse range of libraries including those in arts, education and tourism organisations. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, along with librarianship qualifications, and has a long association with the popular music scene both in Australia and her native New Zealand.

She has two daughters and in her spare time sings in the gospel choir Café of the Gate of Salvation of which she has been a member since its inception in 1986.

Linda Kirkpatrick | Music Resources Coordinator

Linda has been with the Centre since 1997 and has brought to her position a diverse range of skills. She has a Bachelor of Music Performance (Flute) from Canberra School of Music, and Certificates in Business Studies and Office Technology from the Canberra Institute of Technology. Her music and administration skills have made her a valuable addition to the AMC.

Rob Laurie | Music Resources Coordinator

Rob, who has been with the AMC for longer than he can actually recall (but it’s in the region of 15 years), studied music composition, theatre, and visual arts for his Bachelor of Creative Arts at Wollongong University.

Outside the Centre, he still manages to work as a percussionist, singer and performer as well as being the father of two boys.

Current performing groups include rock/soul band Jessemae, retro rock-lounge band The Vaulting Horse (house band for the Vault Cabaret, Port Kembla), electro-acoustic-neo-post-drone-noise trio A Slow RIP (http://aslowrip.sevcom.com). He also performs with swamp/blues singer Matt Foster & the Tenon Saws, and Johnny Bachelor (ex Dropbears).

Chris Williams | Production Coordinator

Chris started work at the AMC in 2006, and is currently an undergraduate student in composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He enjoys a variety of music from rock to classical, but has a strong passion for contemporary music.

Maria Rivera | Library Assistant

Maria has worked at the AMC since August 2006. She holds a Diploma in Library and Information Services from the Sydney Institute of TAFE and will be pursuing futher studies in Communication (Information and Media) from the University of Technology Sydney. She also works part time as a Library Technician at the law firm Blake Dawson in Sydney. She enjoys pop, indie, alternative, gospel and classical music, particularly works for piano. Most of Maria’s spare time is taken up by sport and music: she is an avid tennis fan and player, attends concerts regularly and plays piano and bass guitar in a pop/rock band called One Hand Clapping.

Meghan FitzGerald | Membership Coordinator

Meghan, a flute and piccolo player, joined the Centre in 2001. Originally from Launceston, Tasmania, she completed a Bachelor of Music Performance (Orchestral Instruments) at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. There she studied with Paula Rae and graduated in 2001. Since 1994, she has been teaching both privately and as an instrumental teacher in schools.

She has a keen interest in music education and particularly enjoys working with primary school children. In support of contemporary music, Meghan has worked with several VCA composers in staging and premiering their works. She moved to Sydney to work at the Centre, and will eventually emerge from her lonely practice room and find some people to play with!

Danielle Carey | Publications Coordinator

Danielle is a musicologist, writer, teacher and musician. A graduate from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, she joined the AMC in 2005 and is currently working as editor of resonate - the AMC’s web magazine. She writes for various national music publications as a freelance writer and has recently discovered the world of blogging (alittlehummingbird.blogspot.com). For the last ten years, Danielle has also worked as a pianist and a music educator. In 2005 she co-founded  Sounds Free, an organisation aimed at promoting new music in schools.  Danielle currently lives in the Blue Mountains where she is able to continuously feed her obsession with rock climbing and mountain biking.

Philippa Horn | Marketing Coordinator

Philippa holds a Diploma in Fine Arts from the National Art School and has pursued further study in graphic and web design which has equipped her to make an important contribution to the organisation, and to the music community. She has worked as Administrator for the Electra String Quartet, and in Publicity for ABC Classic FM. She has designed publications for many organisations including the Sydney A cappella Association and the National Jazz Coordinator. She currently works as a freelance designer for the New Music Network and many of its members, and Orchestras Australia.