Teachers | Mae Collard School of Music

Mae Collard

Principal and Voice/Piano Tutor

Mae is the Principal of the Mae Collard School of Music. She is a skilled teacher of voice and piano and the lead vocalist of the Mae Collard Trio. Mae has extensive experience teaching both adults and children in private tuition settings and various schools, including the teaching of VCE Music (classroom and private voice tuition). She has facilitated many choirs throughout her career, as well as taken on the role of Musical Director for a number of productions.

Highly qualified, Mae holds a Bachelor of Music (Contemporary Jazz Voice - Monash University), Bachelor of Performance Arts (Monash University), Postgraduate Diploma of Teaching (Melbourne University), Estill Voice Training Certificate for Levels 1 and 2, has a current registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and a current Working with Children Check.

David Youings

Head of Piano, Voice Tutor, Piano Tutor and Percussion Tutor

David is a pianist, singer, music director, pit musician, composer, and arranger, and is thrilled to be a part of the Mae Collard School of Music team. After early music training with the National Boys Choir of Australia, he has studied voice (Helen Jackson), Piano (Adrian Portell, Siegfried Franke) and Percussion (Justin Olson, Dave Davis). He has completed ANZCA Modern Singing Exams with First Class Honours, as well as AMEB Piano exams.

David most recently composed an original score and lyrics for Fab Nob’s Summer Pantomime Little Red Riding Hood. He has contributed orchestrations/arrangements for Amazing Grace (Manilla Street Productions), You Will Be Found (Tiny Moose Productions) and Starbound (Launchpad). He is currently studying a Bachelor of Music (Applied Composition) at Box Hill Institute.

Alice Woodberry

Head of Voice, Voice Teacher and Piano Tutor

Alice is a qualified music, singing and choir teacher, a professional musician and a singer-songwriter.

She performs across many genres including in rock bands, jazz ensembles and contemporary/original music groups, as well as for musical theatre, classical and opera performances.

Alice completed her Bachelor Degree in Contemporary Jazz Voice (Monash University), Postgraduate Diploma of Teaching (Monash University), Estill Voice Training Certificate for Levels 1 and 2, has a current registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and a current Working with Children Check.

With extensive experience teaching in both private and in various school settings, she is skilled at working with a wide variety of ages and abilities.

Through her teaching, Alice strives to guide her students toward the sense of joy and success that can be achieved through music practice and performance.

Bonnie Smith

Voice Tutor, Piano Tutor and Guitar Tutor

Bonnie Smith is a singer, composer, piano player and guitarist. She is a deeply creative artist and a passionate teacher. Bonnie holds a Bachelor of Music and she has studied music in Canada, the United States, Australia and Spain. She also holds a Postgraduate Degree from Spain.

Bonnie is a world music extraordinaire, singing in many languages such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, Turkish and not to forget English. Her strengths are also in Jazz and improvisation where she has studied at the VCA and under the likes of her teacher Rhiannon and Bobby McFerrin (United States)

Tahlia Makunde

Voice Teacher and Piano Tutor

Tahlia is a graduate of the Australian National University School of Music with a degree in vocal performance majoring in jazz/contemporary and is moving to Melbourne to study her honours year at the Melbourne Conservatory of Music. She has been performing around Canberra and interstate in choirs, bands, and as a soloist since the age of seven.

Tahlia has been teaching voice and piano since the commencement of her degree in 2014 and is passionate about theory games, and enabling her students to reach their full potential as musicians through a thorough understanding of their instrument.

Jonathon Moore

Expert Guitar and Drum Tutor

Jonathon is the newest addition to the Mae Collard School of Music, and is now available as our expert guitar tutor. Jonathon is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts where he specialised in jazz and improvisation, studying under some of Australia’s finest musicians such as Stephen Magnusson, Geoff Hughes, Andrea Keller, David Jones and many more. While jazz is Jonathon’s area of specialisation he has also undertaken extensive classical guitar study, and has over 15 years of performing experience playing with a wide range of bands in many different styles.

Jonathon’s teaching is centred on the belief that everybody is capable of creating music, and with the right guidance each person can discover their own individual musicality. As a teacher Jonathon recognises that each person engages with music differently, and aims to help people develop their own musical identity and achieve their individual musical goals. From total beginners to advanced players who want to take their music further, no matter what your age, skill level or musical goals are, Jonathon is keen to meet you and help you on your way to an enriching, music-filled life.

Stephanie John

Voice Teacher and Piano Tutor

Stephanie studied Music Theatre at APO Arts Academy and is currently part of the A capella group ‘Ginger and Tonic’. Other recent performances include StageArt’s ‘NINE’ and the ‘The Pied Piper’ with the Victorian Opera, where she sang the role of the Piper’s sweet-talking Cat.

She won the 2017 Guild Award and Lyrebird Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Millie Dillmount in ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’; and the Lyrebird Award for her role as Mary Poppins in the Disney classic ‘Mary Poppins’. Other theatrical roles include Violet Karl in ‘Violet’ and Mary Flynn in ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ directed by Pip Mushin.

She believes there is no greater love than music, and is so lucky to be able to share that with others!

Sarah Ferris

Voice and Piano Tutor

Sarah is a highly-qualified teacher with a passion for music and social-emotional learning. A graduate of both the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne, she has been singing, playing piano and dancing since age six and has a four-octave vocal range.

Singing along with classical musicals taped from television since an early age, she first started her formal musical training with the Australian Youth Choir, performing as a featured soloist at events including at the Sydney Opera House. While at school, Sarah completed AMEB Piano examinations up to grade six and had eight years of performance and voice training with Joy Sweeney, focused on building and extending her vocal range. Sarah also completed a range of Dancesport ballroom dancing medals, training at the Hand-in-Hand dance studio for six years and winning both solo and group awards at competitions.

Stewart Garrett

Piano, Guitar, Voice, Drums and Double Bass Tutor

Stewart Garrett is a highly accomplished musician that has worked with theatre groups and school groups as a Music Teacher, Education Support and Production Musical Director. A highlight of Stewart's career was training under Jonathon Welsh at the School of Hard Knocks.

Stewart is an experienced music teacher in education, specifically in Special Education focusing on levels prep to year 12 and early childhood years.

Matt McFarlane

Drama, Film and Voice Tutor/ Workshop Facilitator

Matt McFarlane is a graduate of WAAPA, where he was awarded the coveted 'Hugh Jackman Award for Excellence' in his graduating year. Over the past 15 years, he has appeared in both National and International stage and screen productions. His musical theatre credits include National tours of ‘CATS', 'Love Never Dies', 'Guys and Dolls', ‘Priscilla' and ‘FAME', as well as Victorian Opera productions of 'Into the Woods' and 'Sunday in the park with George'. On stage, Matt originated the role of Benedict Perring in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Joanna Murray-Smith’s 'True Minds'. He’s also no stranger to the camera, appearing in Kath and Kim, Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Dr Blake’s Murder Mysteries and more recently as Simon in My Life is Murder. He also originated the role of William in Opera Australia and ABC’s telemovie 'The Divorce' - also written by Joanna Murray-Smith, starring alongside Marina Prior, Lisa McCune and Hugh Sheridan. He starred in the hilarious webseries 'Little Acorns', and has written and directed two short films, both entered into Tropfest film festival. He recently starred in the US film 'Electric Love', which won the San Diego Film festival, and has since been purchased by US streaming giant Hulu. Matt is also set to appear in the upcoming ‘The Fantastic Mr Dundee', set for worldwide cinema release later this year! As a qualified School Teacher, Matt has a passion for using his experience to help advance the careers of our young stage and screen performers!