Anne Hilberts BMusEd, AMusA, MMTA, MVMTA

Anne is a fully qualified music teacher, specializing in teaching piano, keyboard, composition, theory, musicianship, music craft and aural skills, with over 25 years experience.

She completed her music degree, studying both music and pedagogy, in 1989. During this time at Newcastle Conservatorium, she majored in piano performance with the late Dr David Jones, and continued further piano studies with him after graduation. This was a highlight of her studies, and means that her teaching line traces back through Gordon Watson to both Egon Petri and Busoni, who was a colleague of the famous pianist, Franz Liszt. 

Anne likes to keep her music skills up to date and has participated in masterclasses with Gordon Watson, Gerard Willems, Philip Shovk, Warren Thompson, Clemens Leschke, Danielle Salamon, Richard Morphew, James Muir, Gian-Franco & Natalia Ricci, Catriona Stafford, Elizabeth Jacobs, Simon Tedeschi, and Gilbert de Greeve.  She has also enjoyed professional development courses with Dr Noa Kageyama, specialist performance psychologist on faculty at the Juillard School of Music, New York, and with Róża Kostrzewska Yoder, from the Chopin Academy. 

Having herself learnt excellent piano technique from a master of such technique, she loves to impart this to students in their piano lessons, inspiring them with confidence through their own musical development and personal achievements. 

Matthew Hilberts A.Mus.A

Matthew teaches both singing and piano. He is currently studying in the Bachelor of Music program at Sydney University Conservatorium, majoring in classical voice with the internationally acclaimed baritone, Simon Lobelson.

He is both an accomplished classically trained singer and a pianist, having studied music for many years - learning classical voice with Patricia Woods, and piano with Anne Hilberts, before heading to study at Sydney Conservatorium. He completed all his AMEB grades by 2016.  

Over the last few years he has enjoyed participating in music masterclasses with Gerard Willems, Tamara-Anne Cislowska, Catriona Stafford, Gilbert de Greeve, Phillip Shovk and David Greco.

Matthew has been teaching music privately for several years, coaching children and adults, for both their own pleasure and for exams.  

He particularly enjoys seeing the light bulb moments in a lesson when students really connect with their music, and get excited about their achievements!

Kathrine Hilberts  Performance Certificate (Distinction) 

Kathrine has been playing piano since she was six!  She loves classical music, learning composition and improvising, and also plays both violin and pipe organ to an advanced level.  While learning from her mum, Anne, she has completed all the Australian Music Exam Board piano grades, including her Certificate of Piano Performance, which she was thrilled to achieve with a Distinction in 2020. 

In 2021, Kathrine competed in Coffs Harbour piano eisteddfod gaining several first places, and winning the Intermediate Piano Championship.  She also competed in Cowra piano eisteddfod, winning the Marine Centre Teenage Piano Championship.  In June she competed in Tamworth Piano Eisteddfod, winning the Senior Piano Championship.

In 2020, she competed in several piano competitions, including the inaugural Gunnedah Online Eisteddfod, in 2020, where she won both the 15 yrs piano sections, and was also awarded runner-up in the 'Most Promising of all Competitors' (across 600 entrants).  She also entered the International 'Piano Star' Competition amateur division, and was thrilled to gain a 3rd place.  Locally, she competed in the Newcastle Nan Price Open Age Scholarship, gaining a second place.

In 2019, her most notable achievements included winning first place in the Newcastle Joyce Blewitt Scholarship, and the Intermediate Piano Championships at both Muswellbrook and Kempsey piano eisteddfods, as well as all her other sections in both eisteddfods.

Katie relates well to children and loves teaching piano, and being able to pass on the love and joy of music to others!  And in her spare time she enjoys painting and writing books.