Rob McPherson

Rob has been playing guitar for eighteen years and his influences and musical passions cover a wide range of styles and instruments. Although maintaining a focus on styles relating to his current bandwork, Rob dabbles in everything from Antonio Lauro to Bloodduster, Miles Davis to Van Halen, Tool to Charlie Hunter, Ry Cooder to Smashing Pumpkins, Malmsteen to Aphex Twin! The list goes on.

Since beginning on guitar, Rob's played, written and performed with a wide variety of rock, blues, acoustic, jazz, funk and metal bands, on guitar, bass, banjo, ruan and liuqin, exploring repertoires both original and covered. Some of these groups have included Boogie Chillun (w/ Ash Grunwald), Freeeze (having played with members of The Wizards, Pean and Crazyhaus), Ripcord, Jagged Little Pills (Aust. Alanis Morrisette show), Chairmen of the Bored, Big Johnnie and the Moneyshots, The Cassettes, not to mention extensive session work playing with the likes of Dan Hall (Taxiride), Anthony Dorkins (Sneak) and Roger McLaughlin (LRB).

Other main areas of focus over the years have included songwriting, sound production and establishing an independent record label, Garagee Records. Current bands include two AC-Dc tribute shows; 'AC-DShe' (on bass) and 'Tattoed Angus' (on lead guitar), and original projects; 'Lisa Spykers Band' (blues-soul), 'Tall Order' (a recently signed pop-rock outfit), 'Wren' (roots based world/acoustic music) and 'Garagee' (solo multi-instrumental world/electronica).

Apart from his general appreciation of music, the diversity of styles that Rob has enjoyed and experienced could also be largely attributed to time spent at the Box Hill Institute College of Music where he completed an Advanced Diploma of Music (Contemporary). He also went on to complete a Bachelor of Teaching at Melbourne Uni. , majoring in secondary level classroom music and instrumental guitar teaching. It was through ensuing teaching rounds and positions at Fairhills Secondary College, Blackburn Secondary College, Box Hill Tafe, and Ron Leigh’s Music Factory that Rob came to teach under the guidance of the likes of Mario Lattuada, Geoff Hughes, and Ron Leigh; all from whom he learnt not only further technical skills, but also a far more focussed approach to teaching.

Rob has coached dozens of VCE students through their coursework, some of whom have been accepted to and/or continued on to tertiary studies and subsequent employment in the areas of music performance, sound production and music education.

Ainsley Finn

Ainsley has been playing piano since age 4. He studied classical piano through the AMEB grades, and also studied composition when learning through the Yamaha Music Foundation.

At some point during his classical studies, Ainsley was introduced to Jazz. At 19 he began studying Jazz improvisation at NMIT, then went on to complete a bachelor of music performance at the Victorian College of the Arts learning from Tim Stevens and Andrea Keller.

Ainsley currently plays with 'gangster swing band' Frankie Wants Out, which has just released an album and completed its second East Coast tour of Australia. He also plays with funk/pop group Groove Child and has his own quartet that plays his own original jazz music.

Sim Kirkpatrick

Sim Kirkpatrick's passion for music and guitar has spanned over 26 years. Her progression as a guitarist began at the age of 7; learning folk, country, children’s songs and classical before discovering rock, grunge and metal as a teenager. Sim began playing in bands at the age of 15 and teaching guitar at 16. Since then, she has played in an array of ensembles performing jazz, funk, blues, metal, folk, fusion, Latin, performance art and big bands along the east coast of Australia and throughout the world.

Sim completed a Diploma of Contemporary Music at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium in 1996. During this time, the Conservatorium also employed her to teach guitar. Sim continued to further her studies and in 2003 completed a Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Music in 2003 at Southern Cross University. Upon graduating, she was awarded the Casino Centenary Prize for best academic performance in either the Bachelor of Music or the Bachelor of Arts. On completion of her studies, Sim relocated to Melbourne, where she began teaching guitar from her own school and performing in various bands.

Over the last 5 years Sim has lived, travelled and gigged overseas; performing in bands and solo in a multitude of countries including Ireland, Japan, Spain and Germany. Her time abroad has diversified her own music to incorporate sounds heard and learned in the many places she has travelled. Most recently, Sim ran a successful guitar school in Ireland, which inspired hundreds of young musicians to play and perform.

Sim’s goal as a music educator is to instill a love for music and help students develop into self-sufficient creative musicians. She incorporates technique, theory, improvisation, composition, musicianship and songs in a fun and relaxed environment. Having returned to Australia late 2009, Sim is currently performing solo and in various new projects and bands in Melbourne.

Cesar Rodrigues is a guitarist/composer/producer based in Melbourne, Australia. He picked up the guitar for the first time at the age of 15, and has since completed an Adv. Dip. (Music Performance) at NMIT and a BA in Music Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA)/University of Melbourne, where he explored improvisation, composition, and arranging. In his time at these institutions he was involved in several Ensembles including the NMIT big band, The VCA new music Ensemble and more. He has studied with some of the Australia’s leading performers and educators including Stephen Magnusson, Geoff Hughes, Ashleigh Cross, Andrea Keller, Adrian Sheriff, and Robert Vincs, as well as Classical Guitar with Owen Thompson. Cesar is essentially an improvising musician, though has also been involved in the Experimental, Jazz, Pop, Hip Hop, RnB, and Soul idioms. He has worked with some of Melbourne's best musicians in the Jazz scene and beyond including Scott Tinkler, Andrew Gander, Joe Talia, as well as Ella and Jesse Hooper, Phoenix Lake, Rhonda Burchmore, and a live appearance with Triple J FM Hottest 100 artist PES. Cesar has also performed with Melbourne based band The Melodics at various venues and festivals around the country. Cesar has had extensive experience as bandleader in such acts as, Ctrl Alt Dlt, Cesar Rodrigues Quartet, Lethalogica, and Harmless. He is also a major contributor to bands like Flow And Plenty, and Monsoon Moon as guitarist and has co-production credits and songwriting credits with both bands and is also featured on guitar and production in the Kate Vigo Band and top 20 artist Amiel.

Cesar is also the touring and recording guitarist with Melbourne based roots outfit Blue King Brown, and has toured nationally and internationally including the USA, Japan, and Europe, as well as major national and international festivals including The Montreal Jazz Festival (Canada), Gurtenfest (Switzerland), Das Fest (Germany), Falls Festival (Australia), The Big Day Out (Melbourne), Pyramid Rock Fest (Victoria), South By Southwest (Austin, Texas), East Coast Blues and Roots (Australia), Ragamuffin Reggae Festival (Australia), Womad (New Zealand) and more. Cesar has recently worked with producer and engineer, James ‘Bonzai’ Caruso (3 time Grammy Award Winner who has worked with the likes of Stephen Marley, Damian Marley, Madonna, Lauren Hill) at Sing Sing studio in Melbourne as well as recording dates and performances with Aria Award winner Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu and appears on Post Rock outfit, Teeth and Tongue's debut Album. Cesar Also appeared live with Indigenous artist and ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Kev Carmody performing the song “From Little Things, Big Things Grow” alongside Dan Sultan and others at the 2010 East Coast Blues and Roots Festival.

Cesar has also composes music for various documentaries, Short and Feature Films, including "Without A Shadow" which was nominated for best original score at the "Queensland New Film Awards" in 2007. He has Produced, Engineered, and Recorded music for acts such as Teeth And Tongue, Thrust, Video Day, String Theory, John Patterson Trio, Joe Talia, Cleverhorse, Hailey Cramer, Kate Vigo and much more.

Cesar has been a Musical educator for over 10 years and continues to explore music at its boundaries and various other musical styles...

Simon Sullivan

Simon has been singing and performing in bands for 10 years. He is currently singing in various jazz ensembles and in Melbourne based funk outfit 'Jester Crew'. Most recently he has graduated with distinction in the music performance degree at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Simon has studied a variety of vocal techniques. He studied the Estille Vocal Method, pop and r'n'b with David Jaanz, Jazz with aria winning vocalist Michelle Nicole and Classical technique (Speech Level Singing) with teacher to the stars Cosimo Ciconne. Through his years of training he has developed a teaching method that is both effective and safe.

Simon can cater to the learning needs of anyone from the beginner to the serious professional.

Galen Harvey-Allanson

Galen Harvey-Allanson has been playing for 15 years both in contemporary and classical settings, with a strong ambition to master the art of drumming.
His experience covers international performances in Europe and China with symphonic wind ensembles, performing at the Royal Danish Wedding in Denmark, principal timpanist for the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra, local and interstate performances at many of Australia’s renowned jazz venues and festivals, and has played with various original/cover bands/big bands and jazz groups.
At the age of 18 after completing 2 years of a classical music degree in Tasmania, Galen moved to Melbourne to attend the Victorian College of the Arts at Southbank.
After completing his Bachelor Degree in Music Performance in 2007, Galen also studied in Tasmania completing a Graduate Diploma of Music Studies in 2009, and this year he is undertaking a Bachelor or Arts – Creative Media – Honors at RMIT.
Galen is now concentrating on teaching students, and recording with an original contemporary music ensemble, which will release a CD of new works at the end of the year.