Meet the Teachers | The Yarra Voices | Melbourne Children's Choir

RENEE HERON

Artistic Director

A dynamic music educator and choral conductor, Renee Heron brings a wealth of experience to The Yarra Voices. She is currently a primary music teacher and choral director at Caulfield Grammar, Malvern Campus and has enjoyed stints working with the Australian Boys Choir as Teacher-in-Charge of the Probationer training group, Xavier College and Methodist Ladies College. Renee is one of Melbourne’s leading practitioners of the Kodály music education philosophy and in 2016-17 had the privilege of attending Kodály Institute of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary. She is a musicianship and methodology course lecturer for the Kodály Music Education Institute of Australia, where she serves as President of the Victorian Branch and acts as a regular adjudicator and workshop presenter. Renee is a talented musician in her own right, holding a Bachelor of Music from the University of Queensland, and an AMusA in Violin. She also holds a Master of Teaching from the University of Melbourne. Renee is a member of Melbourne based chamber choir, Polyphonic Voices.

PETA RUST

Junior YV Accompanist & Rehearsal Tutor

Peta Rust is an experienced music teacher, accompanist and choral conductor who has been working with children’s choirs for over 10 years. She currently holds a music teaching position at Xavier College, Burke Hall where she is involved with Early and Middle Years choirs, classroom teaching, piano teaching, accompanying and a whole lot more. Peta also holds positions at Choir Victoria as a conductor, and regularly accompanies for various Sing Australia groups around the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Peta holds a Bachelor of Music Performance in Piano, and has completed qualifications in both Kodály teaching method and Orff Schulwerk.

TIMOTHY MALLIS

Performing Choir Accompanist & Rehearsal Tutor

Timothy Mallis is a Melbourne-based musician specialising in composition and piano accompaniment. Timothy is a passionate advocate for music education and bringing new Australian compositions to life. While teaching at The Yarra Voices, Timothy holds the position of Teacher-in-Charge of Tyros as part of his ongoing relationship with the Australian Boys Choral Institute since 2003. Timothy is a graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in organ and composition. As a composer, he has written for some of Australia’s finest ensembles and is frequently commissioned for works by local arts bodies including Arts Centre Melbourne in their 5x5x5 program and Choral Edge in the award-nominated Stories from the Choir. As a former member of Young Songmakers Australia and former student of the Franz-Schubert-Institut, Timothy is in high demand as an accompanist. He is also the current Director of Music at St Bartholomew’s and St Stephen’s Anglican Churches in Richmond.

MONIKA HARRIS

Voice Consultant & Rehearsal Tutor

Monika Harris is a qualified speech pathologist, passionate music teacher, singer and musician. She completed her Bachelor of Music with Honours at the Melbourne Conservatorium majoring in classical voice in 2017 and completed her Masters of Speech Pathology in 2019. Monika has also completed 6 years of Kodály Methodology training through the Kodály Music Education Institute of Australia obtaining both her primary and secondary levels.

Monika is currently teaching part time at the Australian Boys Choral Institute, The Melbourne Youth Chorale, Parkinson’s Victoria Therapy Choir, and as a choral scholar at the St James’ Old Cathedral. With over 18 years choral experience, Monika has travelled both nationally and internationally with various choirs and vocal consorts including the Young Voices of Melbourne, Exaudi Youth Choir, Choral Edge, Burgundy Blue Jazz Quintet, the Nineteen Quartet, and the National Youth Choir of Australia, as well as worked as the musical director of the Melbourne University choir, Ring of Choir, during her undergraduate.