Staff News
AICM is excited to welcome a bunch of new and returning teachers this semester: Leon Gaer, Adrian Barr, Avigail Herman, Daniel Portelli and Jamie Castrisos.
LEON GAER
Born in 1954 and raised in Los Angeles, Leon moved to Sydney in 1987. He has been a full time professional musician since 1973 and as a bass player, has played on over 1,500 recording sessions in Los Angeles, New York and Sydney for CDs and television. He has also performed in concert with many artists worldwide such as Barry White, Tommy Emmanuel, Hugh Jackman and Keith Urban to name a few. His compositions and productions have been performed and broadcast worldwide on many programs including The Oprah Show and Channel 7 Sports Tonight.
Having taught at AICM many years ago, Leon returns in 2012 as a principal study tutor in Bass Guitar.
ADRIAN BARR
Adrian has worked at UWS for many years as a technical officer and lecturer/tutor in Music Performance and Technology. He also holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and has recently completed his PhD, The Transcendent Experience in Music Performance. Additionally, he is the manager, producer, performer and sound engineer for his own company, Space Project.
Adrian was recruited by AICM as the new Coordinator/Lecturer in Music (Contemporary & Jazz Performance), teaching Recording and Production electives, Ensemble and acting as Technical Supervisor for Performance class.
www.spaceproject.com.au
AVIGAIL HERMAN
Avigail is a multi-talented performer known primarily for her wonderful music theatre and cabaret performances. She has worked in TV, is in demand as a teacher/vocal coach, director/musical director and has an illustrious career as a voice-over artist and session singer. She has performed in many musicals and concerts such as Cats and her list of TV credits include Rush, Heartbreak High and Always Greener. She has toured with Sammy Davis Jr, and has performed a series of successful one-woman shows including “Hey World Here I Am (the Streisand Story)” to rave reviews.
Formerly she was the Head of Music at NIDA for a few years and is now teaching the Music Theatre/Drama elective at AICM.
www.avigailherman.com
DANIEL PORTELLI
Daniel is a music composer-scholar with diverse interests across visual arts, dance and film with a focus on an East-Asian and European art music influence. Currently he is a composer for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chronology Arts, and is a lecturer at UWS in ‘Sound Composition for Screen Media’ and ‘Music Composition: Text and Visual.’ His composition for chamber orchestra entitled Allegory of Nature was presented at the Aspen composer’s conference in Colorado, USA, earning him a commission to write a new piece, Finding Kensho, with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as part of the Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers Program. This work earned him an APRA music composition prize in 2011.
Holding a Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts (Honours) at UWS, Daniel will be teaching core subjects Music History 3 and Music History 5 at AICM.
www.danielportelli.id.au
JAMIE CASTRISOS
Jamie has been playing drums since he was 9 years old, leading his passion at a young age to complete a Bachelor of Music (Percussion) and a Diploma of Music (Jazz) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. For years he worked in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Big Band touring around Australia and the Middle East. He is currently a freelance drummer and percussionist, having worked professionally with popular artists and bands such as James Morrison, The Sydney All-Star Big Band, Sydney Jazz Orchestra and The McClymonts. He has worked on professional theatre shows such as Candy Man, Guys and Dolls and Wicked. He also spent time working in Singapore as the resident drummer for Disney production The Lion King at luxury casino and hotel, Marina Bay Sands.
Jamie will be teaching Drums in principal study at AICM.
www.jamiecastrisos.com
