The Story of Holistic Music

How This all began...

When I was first learning music, I wanted to quit, every year.

I begged my mother to let me. But she kept saying "just one more year, dear..."

Not what you'd expect from someone who has built their life in devotion to music, right?

I'm so glad I did keep learning - now - but there were really good reasons why I hated lessons as a kid.

I wasn't learning in a way that connected me to joy, inspiration and meaning in the music I was being taught. I was never even really asked what music I liked!

I wasn't included in the learning process... I just had to play what I was told.

I finally did quit lessons at age 16... but I didn't stop playing and exploring....

This is when I started a creative journey, and discovery of what music was really about for me - and this sparked a journey that has lasted my entire adult life.... and shows no signs of stopping.

It became about a relationship with myself

It became about following my fascination and my joy

It became about discovering who I really am.

It became about connecting with others.

It became about understanding and expressing my life experience.

It became about self-realization.

And I realized - we don't usually get taught how to navigate all of this when we're learning music! There are so many more dimensions to being human than are often included in the music learning journey.

And because music reflects and expresses ALL of who we are - we need to have ways to become aware of this, and to include it all in our learning journey.

Music has the power to bring realization, transformation and expansive potential to individual and collective lives.

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The Story of

Holistic Music

How This all began...

When I was first learning music, I wanted to quit, every year.

I begged my mother to let me. But she kept saying "just one more year, dear..."

Not what you'd expect from someone who has built their life in devotion to music, right?

I'm so glad I did keep learning - now - but there were really good reasons why I hated lessons as a kid.

I wasn't learning in a way that connected me to joy, inspiration and meaning in the music I was being taught. I was never even really asked what music I liked!

I wasn't included in the learning process... I just had to play what I was told.

I finally did quit lessons at age 16... but I didn't stop playing and exploring....

It become about a relationship with myself

It became about following my fascination and my joy

It became about discovering who I really am.

It became about connecting with others.

It became about understanding and expressing my life experience.

It became about self-realisation.

And I realised - we don't usually get taught how to navigate all of this when we're learning music! There are so many more dimensions to being human than are often included in the music learning journey.

And because music reflects and expresses ALL of who we are - we need to have ways to become aware of this, and to include it all in our learning journey.

Music has the power to bring realisation, transformation and expansive potential to individual and collective lives.

There's so much more to the journey of music...

...and through curious awareness, your experience can be transformed from confusion, frustration and demotivation,

into a rich, satisfying and deeply meaningful pathway into yourself

and the joy and beauty of music...

And it can be FUN!

Now I am on a mission to help others discover this path for themselves!

Show me how to get started!

more About Kirsty

I am a musician, teacher and music facilitator from Melbourne, Australia, passionate about the power of music to transform individuals, and the collective.

I have been learning, practicing, playing, performing, writing, and creating music for a total of over 35 years and teaching privately and in schools for nearly 20 years. In that time, I have been through a journey through the challenges and glories of playing and practicing music, and witnessed many others do the same.

I am an active musician, currently performing in Balkan/European folk ensemble Anja & Zlatna. Past projects have spanned styles from vocal a cappella trio Myriad, to orchestral folk/rock (Lamplight, The Forgotten Ghost) to soul/funk/groove (North City) and stylistically diverse solo project Kotet.

My professional study has included a Bachelor of Music, as well as postgraduate study in Community and Cultural Development (VCA) and professional development with Kalani Das (USA - Developmental Community Music), Orff Schulwerk Level 1, as well as Bobby McFerrin and Rhiannon (Circlesongs - Omega Institute). Through this breadth of experience, I have facilitated group vocal and musical improvisation workshops and classes since 2015.

In 2018, I began developing my own signature work, initially under the name of Collective Music. The philosophy of this work was that music should be learnt, practiced and created together. Through being on both sides of the traditional individualistic paradigm of education - as student and teacher - I found very telling gaps in this landscape. These gaps spoke of the musical legacy we have inherited from European traditions, and the cultural attitudes this has embedded within us around talent, elitism and the place of music in our society.

An evolution then occurred in my teaching approach as I realised that it needed to include both the inner relationship with self, as well as the external relationship with others and the environment. This led me to rename my teaching work as Holistic Music, to truly reflect all the dimensions of the music journey.

Music is powerful, and Music Is Life. I hope to show this through my work, and I invite any music lovers into my world, to create a new culture and new relationship to this magical and profound sound-language we have created.

work with me

Music Coaching with holistic music.

Music coaching is more than just lessons.

It is a complete experience of learning music,

tailored to access your deepest musical yearnings and inspirations,

and designed to power your personal growth!

CHart Your Path

Work with me to uncover your unique musical pathway to self-expression.

Together we determine what your deepest musical yearnings are, then based on this we curate the Holistic Music pathway to fulfil them.

Combining instrumental tuition, technology, creative musicality and the personal growth approach of the Holistic Music Method, no stone is left unturned in bringing you the most transformative experience of learning music!

Musicality First

Music does not live in an instrument, it lives within YOU!

Discover the music that lies waiting to be found within, through your body, your voice, your ears and your imagination.

THEN apply that to your instrument(s) of choice.

No singing experience necessary, just a willingness to use the voice and body as tools to develop your inner sense of music which then extends out on to any and every instrument.

Express Your self

Uncover your deepest self and express it in music.

Uncover the true purpose and meaning of music for YOU, and learn to translate what calls you with the musical language.

This could include choosing repertoire you love, improvisation, songwriting, composition or jamming.

This goes deepest into your relationship to yourself in music, and what is most meaningful to you.

I am a musician, teacher and music facilitator from Melbourne, Australia, passionate about the power of music to transform individuals, and the collective.

I have been learning, practicing, playing, performing, writing, and creating music for a total of over 35 years and teaching privately and in schools for over 20 years. In that time, I have been through a journey through the challenges and glories of playing and practicing music, and witnessed many others do the same.

I am an active performing musician, currently with Balkan/European folk ensemble Anja & Zlatna. Past projects have spanned styles from vocal a cappella trio Myriad, to orchestral folk/rock (Lamplight, The Forgotten Ghost) to soul/funk/groove (North City) and stylistically diverse solo project Kotet.