SONGWRITING

Internships are the perfect opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience and learn how the industry really operates. At JMC we have a dedicated Internship Program which provides students the opportunity to work in real-life industry roles at reputable organisations during their course.

Undertaken as a credited course unit, you’ll be given the time to gain invaluable experience in your chosen field and make new contacts - all while gaining credits from the experience. Our Internship Program to date has successfully also led to paid freelance opportunities and to career progression post-graduation. 

Here are just a few of the incredible companies our students are interning at:

Kemo Bunguric
Head of Department (Sydney)

Master of Recording Arts
Bachelor of Music Education

Kemo’s teaching methods and influence reflect his own passion and extensive skills in composition, arranging and music technology, especially since he is a piano accordion virtuoso and an Australasian Accordion Champion.

By the age of 13, Kemo had learned early on how important it was to market one’s self as a musician, a concept which he aims to instil in his students. Kemo ensures that his students understand how to develop themselves as well-rounded musicians and teaches them the importance of being progressive within the industry. 

Rick Grossman
Sydney Lecturer

For the past 35 years, Rick has worked as a professional musician, spending five years (1982-1987) as a bass guitarist for Divinyls, and then in 1988 Rick began playing bass for the Hoodoo Gurus. From 1990 onwards Rick has been involved with a side project, Ghostwriters, along with Rob Hirst from Midnight Oil. Rick has toured both Australia and internationally with the likes of Jimmy Barnes and Men at Work and produced Albums such as ‘Caution: Life Ahead, Artists for Recovery’, a collection of Australian artists to raise awareness for drug rehabilitation. He has been inducted twice to the ARIA Hall of Fame, in 2007 for his work with Hoodoo Gurus, and also in 2006 for his work with Divinyls. At JMC Academy, Sydney Campus, Rick teaches Band ensemble and encourages his students to follow their passions and always have commitment, creativity and to write original material.

Shannon Brown
Sydney Lecturer

Specialist Certificate in Music History (Berklee College of Music)​

Shannon Brown holds a Bachelor’s Degree in music and has completed a Specialist Certificate in the History of Western Music at Berklee School of Music. He is a classically trained tenor vocalist and one of Australia’s leading Musical Directors. Former tenor and Musical Director for the internationally acclaimed group The Ten Tenors, Shannon toured full-time for six years, performing an average of 250 shows per year across five continents. The Ten Tenors recorded a platinum selling album ‘Here’s To The Heroes’ at Abbey Road Studios and performed the launch at London’s Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra. Shannon has conducted Hans Zimmer's 'Gladiator Suite' with the Sydney Chamber Orchestra for the Biaggio Signorelli Asbestos Foundation Autumn Gala held at Doltone House, Australian Technology Park. Shannon has toured as Musical Director for the 'Kings of Vegas' national tour with Harrison Craig, the 2013 winner of Australia's 'The Voice'. Shannon will be commencing a national tour as the Musical Director for the Johnny O’Keefe Show, starring channel 7’s Andrew O’Keefe. Shannon has gained invaluable experience working with some of Australia’s top music industry leaders including Guy Sebastian, Paulini Curuenavuli, Dominic Miller, Don Black, John Barry, John Foreman, Chong Lim, Ken Laing, John Morrison, Simon Franglen, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Nicholas Dodd.

Chris Pickering
Head of Department, Melbourne

Bachelor of Music (Hons)
Graduate Diploma of Education

Chris Pickering studied Jazz Drums at The Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, and played drums and guitar in a few well-known Australian groups before embarking on a solo career as a singer-songwriter in 2005. Since that time, he has recorded and released three full length albums and four EPs of critically acclaimed original material, and in 2009 relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. Based there as a professional musician until 2013, he gained solid support and recognition from the Nashville songwriting and performing community, and toured and performed all over the United States and parts of Europe. 

He now performs regularly in Melbourne, and around Australia and internationally when time permits. He also still harbours dreams of a late call-up to the Australian Test Cricket team.

Andrew Callaghan
Melbourne Lecturer

Masters in Music (University of Melbourne)

Award-winning composer & sound designer Andrew Callaghan has worked on numerous projects that have appeared locally and internationally. With a Masters in Music from The University of Melbourne under his belt, Andrew composes for film, documentaries, television commercials, galleries and theatre. As well as winning recognition in its own right, Andrew's music and sound design has appeared in a number of highly successful projects, including the short film Jerrycan (Cannes Jury Prize), the SBS documentary Paper Dolls (Hugo Awards Special Mention), and the multiple award-winning film Marco Solo. Some fo the television commercials Andrew has worked on have received multiple production awards, and have often been listed for attention relating specifically to music and sound.

Genevieve Pittorino
Melbourne Lecturer

Bachelor of Music Performance (Honours) - Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music 

Genevieve was the recipient of a scholarship at Melba Memeorial Conservatorium of Music and it was there she completed a Bachelor of Music Performance with Honours. Following her successful undergraduate degree, Genevieve undertook further study after being offered a place at the National Theatre, specialising in Music Theatre.

It was during this time her vocal pedagogy and contemporary vocal technique developed. She then further specialised and continues to specialise in ESTILL International Voice Training. Genevieve has performed and taught extensively in Melbourne working in the tertiary, secondary and private system and is the Principal of Sound Works Music Studio in Brunswick.

Sean Foran
Head of Department, Brisbane

Graduate Certificate in Arts (Admin)
Bachelor of Music
Master of Music

"As a performer, composer and educator, Sean has been fortunate to perform around the world, collaborating with a host of excellent musicians. When he is not teaching, he performs in a successful trio, Trichotomy, that performs his music. Trichotomy have won the QMA's Jazz Award five years in a row. 

Passionate about Jazz music, Sean has taken his music to the Tokyo Jazz Festival, Bremen Jazzahead and has toured China, Canada and the UK. As an educator he has taught at the Leeds College of Music, a range of schools in Brisbane, and delivered master classes in Australia, the UK, Canada and Indonesia.

The three key things that have attributed the success he has today are practical experience, networks and challenging himself. Sean encourages his students to consistently create things that are unique to them."

Emma Wilson
Brisbane Lecturer

Masters of Music Studies (Vocal Pedagogy) - Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
Bachelor of Music (Voice Performance) - Queensland University of Technology

Emma has over 10 years of experience as a professional contemporary singer; performing both covers and original music. She has been a regular on a variety of stages throughout South East Queensland as a lead and background vocalist, and on weekends can be spotted performing at weddings and corporate functions either solo or as a member of various duos and bands.

Having been a member of the JMC team since 2016, Emma loves playing a part in the development of aspiring artists as they build their skills and knowledge. Her specialty is in voice teaching and helping singers to get the most out of their voice and find their own unique sound. 

Emma studied a Masters Degree in Vocal Pedagogy under renowned vocal guru Irene Bartlett at the Queensland Conservatorium, and is passionate about high quality music and vocal education. As a member of the committee for the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing (ANATS), she also enjoys keeping up to date with research and literature on all things music and voice. In addition to teaching at JMC, Emma maintains a busy private singing teaching studio in South Brisbane, and regularly conducts workshops for singers and singing teachers.

Alanya Bridge
Brisbane Lecturer

"Masters in Musical Theatre Writing (TISCH School of Arts, NYU)
Master of Music (Music Composition) (QUT)
Bachelor of Music (Dist)"

Alanya is an award winning musical theatre composer lyricist.  Her work has been performed around the world, including the Lincoln Center, Feinstein’s 54 Below, and numerous theatres in New York, London and Australia.  A music director, pianist, performer, and singer songwriter, Alanya is also a passionate educator, having worked extensively with students in the theatre and music for over 15 years.

Alanya is a graduate of the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, Tisch School of Arts, New York University and former member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, APRA AMCOS and Mercury Musical Developments.  She studied in London at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, has a Master of Music and is a Licentiate of Trinity College, London.  She is the recipient of the Wirripang Publishing award for New Composition and Specialist award for best Vocal Composition (2013), was granted the Lew Wasserman Scholarship (2016) and received the Rhona Morton Scholarship twice, for both her A.T.C.L. and L.T.C.L.

Sheet music for her compositions can be found at ContemporaryMusicalTheatre.com, www.homegrownaus.com and alanyabridge.com.