Philippa Paige
About
Violin
AYO: 1971-76
Philippa played violin with AYO from 1971-76 and participated in the AYO 1975 international tour to Asia and the 1976 tour to the USA. Philippa’s achievements include:
Has been a violinist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) since 1986 and participates as a mentor in the SSO’s Sinfonia education program.
Teaches at the Sydney Conservatorium and has tutored with AYO and many other organisations.
Worked as a string adviser to AMEB for many years and wrote the 2002 Violin Manual List and the 2012 Violin Technical Workbook.
Received the 1999 Australian Music Centre Education Award for her publication of Australian Violin Music: Concert Pieces (Currency Press).
Recently completed a Masters degree in Music Education.
Q&A
Question: What do you enjoy most about teaching/mentoring?
Answer It’s the most incredible privilege to pass on the teaching tradition that was passed on to me – I get so much joy from it. As a mentor, it’s wonderful to see a young musician come in timid and green, then in a few years see them on the front desk doing a great job.
Question: How did AYO inform your interest in music pedagogy?
Answer When I was young my musical training was very disorganised. I then attended my first AYO National Music Camp and immediately started marking off the days until the next one! I’d never come across anything like this before – the camp was teeming with people playing instruments and tutors who could answer my questions. I started lessons with conductor/violinist Robert Pikler, who was from the Hungarian school and from the generation that had had pedagogical as well as practical training.<br> <br> Being at camp and studying with Pikler were revolutionary; these experiences made me realise how important it is for teachers to have systematic teaching methods. The AYO tutors also demonstrated how to handle tutoring as to not terrify people so much that they can’t play. e.g., how to humanise teaching to get the best out of students.