Branches

Anthony Schulz is a highly respected accordionist and music educator who has spent decades championing the versatility and expressive power of the accordion. His work spans performance, composition, and intercultural collaboration, with appearances alongside artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Barre Phillips, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and ARIA award-winning Zulya and the Children of the Underground. Anthony has played a significant role in shaping the perception of the accordion in Australia, contributing to diverse musical projects across genres including chamber music, improvisation, and original works.

With over 30 years of teaching experience, Anthony is a dedicated tertiary music educator and ongoing lecturer in the Bachelor of Music at Melbourne Polytechnic, where he previously served as Head of Program. He has also contributed internationally as a jury member and presenter at major accordion competitions and conferences. Holding degrees in music and education from the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne University, Anthony combines academic and artistic excellence. He currently serves as Chair of the multicultural music organisation The Boite, continuing his commitment to community and cultural connection through music.

Versatile accordionist and accordion teacher with a lifelong devotion to the promotion of the accordion.

Kim is a qualified accountant (FCPA) and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has considerable experience on the governing committees of not-for-profit organisations, such as The Australian Ballet School, The Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Victoria (CLASAX) (as current secretary) and the Musical Society of Victoria. She is also a committee member of the Victorian sub-committee of the ASA.

During her teenage years, Kim was an active music student, playing piano and clarinet, but she gave this up to develop an academic career, eventually becoming an accounting professor. Kim is delighted that she returned to her musical foundations about six years ago. She plays piano accordion in the ASA Victoria Orchestra (ASAVO) and Prahran Accordion Band and is a member of two clarinet ensembles.

Maurice has over 25 years’ experience in the private sector working as a financial accountant and over 20 years’ experience teaching accounting on a casual basis at UNSW. As a teenager, Maurice took up playing the guitar and mandolin and continued to do so during his adult years. After playing in numerous failed garage and folk bands Maurice took a left-turn and started learning accordion. After a few years struggling with the Palmer Hughes books Maurice came across the ASA and joined the community. This gave him access to local teachers and the opportunity to network with like-minded musicians.

Maurice loves folk, rock, blues and thinks every band should have an accordion player. He currently working on blues licks on the accordion and aims to join a blues band.

Nerida Farmer began accordion studies at the age of 7 in Brisbane with Leo Mazzei. Australian champion at age 16, she represented Australia at the world accordion championships in 1980. Also studying violin and piano, she completed a music education degree at the Qld Conservatorium of Music, going on to work with Education Qld as a music teacher for many years, while also examining accordion for the AMEB in Qld.

She now enjoys teaching and performing in an accordion trio.

Dave has played piano accordion professionally for more than thirty years. Performing recording and writing in a wide variety of styles including jazz, folk, rock, singalong, cabaret, klezmer, tango, French and Italian. He's a founding member of The Band Who Knew Too Much, who continue to write, play and tour. He has worked as a health musician at Royal Melbourne Hospital for over ten years. 

Highlights include playing a live score around the world for the classic Australian silent film “The Sentimental Bloke” with Jen Anderson and Dan Warner, and playing, acting and singing in the Australian production of the Royal National Theatre (UK) show "Warhorse".

Jeannette is classically trained accordionist, whose music journey started as a young player in accordion orchestras in Germany, and continued as a church organist, Pianist at Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School, Eb Tenor Horn brass band player and accordionist.

As well as having a career in the Health Care sector as a paediatric nurse and raising her family, she holds a Graduate Diploma of Education from Melbourne University and Business administration qualifications.

Throughout the years, Jeannette has been passionate about teaching private music students and above all enjoys creatively supporting the wider accordion community.

Guy Bellman is an accordion repairer. He completed extensive training in accordion repair and tuning with well-renowned and highly respected accordion repairer Peter Anderson. After finishing his accordion repair training Guy established a workshop in Melbourne early in 2022. His work is focused on general repairs and tuning with a particular interest in restoring vintage accordions. Guy primarily plays diatonic button accordion, but he can also play piano accordion and c-system chromatic button accordion.

theaccordionworkshop.com

Kelly's interest in the accordion began in the late 1990s after hearing a busker play the instrument. It wasn’t until 2022 that she finally took up the accordion herself. Kelly studies with Lucy Riddett and regularly plays with the Prahran Accordion Band. She has loved discovering both the instrument and Melbourne’s vibrant accordion community, and is delighted to contribute to that community through her involvement with the Accordion Society of Australia.

Palmi has played the accordion professionally most of his life and has supported the music industry for over 60 years. He contibutes his extensive accordion knowledge and industry expertise to the ASA.

Nerida Farmer began accordion studies at the age of 7 in Brisbane with Leo Mazzei. Australian champion at age 16, she represented Australia at the world accordion championships in 1980. Also studying violin and piano, she completed a music education degree at the Qld Conservatorium of Music, going on to work with Education Qld as a music teacher for many years, while also examining accordion for the AMEB in Qld.

She now enjoys teaching and performing in an accordion trio.