Dominik Przywara
Violin

Violinist, Teaching Artist, String Orchestra & Ensemble Conductor, Lecturer, Pedagogue, Entrepreneur, Investor, Managing Director & Private Pilot Licence Holder for Planes

Violin and Viola Teaching Artist, String Ensemble Managing Director and Owner at Strings Embassy Music Studios
Managing Director, Instrument Specialist & Owner at Domenico Dragonetti Instruments

Master of Arts graduate from Academy of Music in Cracow (under Prof. Peter Tarcholik) and Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Sydney (under Andrew Haveron - Sydney Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster)

Producer and Violinist of hundreds of chamber music concerts in Poland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France & Australia

Ex-member of a few significant Polish orchestras including Krakow Music Academy Orchestra and Opera and Filharmonia Podlaska in Bialystok
Founder of non for profit organisation “Kultura nie Chałtura”

Ex committee member of Australian Strings Association NSW
Full Member of Music Teachers Association, NSW Sydney Australia

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:

https://www.dominikprzywara.com

Dominik’s career began in his native Poland well before he migrated to Australia in 2014. He was a violinist in the Orchestra of the Academy of Music in Krakow (Cracow), Poland, conducted by Helmuth Rilling, Krzysztof Penderecki, Gabriel Chmura and many other reputable artists from 2003 to 2008. During this time he was taking part in many regular concerts including concerts at the Philharmony of Music In Krakow.

In 2008 Dominik played his final Masters of Arts exam at The Academy of Music in Cracow, under Professor Piotr Tarcholik. From 2009 to 2012 he was First Violinist at the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic, European Art Centre in Bialystok - Poland, during which they performed in many prestigious European concert halls. He also founded and managed the non-profit organisation - “Kultura Nie Chaltura”. The organisation worked towards setting, by the Polish Parliament, guaranteed minimum income for musicians.

From 2011 to 2013, Dominik was a fundraiser for the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, arranging cultural events as First Violinist and producer of 200 chamber concerts in Gdansk and Warsaw, Poland.

On arriving in Sydney in 2014 Dominik founded the Menomosso Quartet and produced its concerts as a 1st violinist at the “Justice and Police Museum” at Circular Quay in Sydney. He also undertook postgraduate violin studies - A Master Degree course designed only for Mr Przywara, under Andrew Haveron, Concertmaster of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Before establishing his own music studio - Strings Embassy, he was lecturing violin at some prominent schools, including AMPA ( Academy of Music and Performing Arts ) at Surry Hills in Sydney.

From 2017 he performed on a Peta Piano recording project for recording producer Craig Field at Underwood Studios, recording the Australia Music Education Board (AMEB) violin syllabus. These recordings are helping students across the country to prepare for AMEB Violin exams.

Dominik tutors violin, viola and music theory, and is an ensemble conductor at the Strings Embassy, where he is also a managing director. The school opened at a new location in Chatswood CBD and offers lessons simultaneously at 5 professionally prepared music rooms. At the new location - 105 Archer Street in Chatswood, students and musicians can also rent and purchase Domenico Dragonetti instruments.

On the 1st of September 2021, Mr Przywara released his solo album with piano accompaniment via the most prominent streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music etc. and he is working on 3 new projects that he is going to record in 2022.

Philippa Collins - Violin & Piano

Philippa Collins grew up in Canberra and started violin lessons at the age of 8 with renowned French violinist Josette Esquidin. At the age of 11, she was offered a scholarship at the Canberra School of Music, and throughout her high school years, studied under Len Dommett OBE.
In 1986, she moved to Sydney and joined the National Ensemble under the tutelage of John Hopkins, touring extensively, and working with major international artists visiting Sydney. During this time, she studied under Harry Curby and Carl Pini.
Philippa has played in all of the major orchestras in Sydney including Opera Australia for 11 years, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. She has accompanied many artists such as Valery Klimov, Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti to name just a few.
Philippa is an experienced teacher who is committed to providing excellence in string teaching from the young beginner right through to tertiary level and the emerging professional. She has taught at many schools including Sydney Grammar, The Kings School, Brigidine College, Terrey Hills Public School, Ravenswood School for Girls, Roseville College for Girls and the University of New South Wales.

Anne ( available again from Term 2 / 2023 )
Browning Willson - Piano & Ear Training

Anne is a pianist with 20 years’ teaching experience who completed her music studies in England and the United States before moving to Sydney in 2016. She currently serves on the piano faculty at The Scots College in Bellevue Hill and is very pleased to be joining Strings Embassy to teach piano and coach group classes.

Anne completed her undergraduate studies at Smith College (Massachussetts, USA), studying classical piano under Alissa Leiser and John van Buskirk. She featured as soloist in 1999 with the Pioneer Valley Orchestra, performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54. Her post-graduate work included classical performance studies with David Hagan and piano improvisation with Margaret Ulmer at New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachussetts.

Anne completed her pedagogy studies at the School for Strings in New York City with additional Dalcroze Eurythmics coursework at Diller-Quaille School of Music and the Lucy Moses School (NYC), under the direction of Anne Farber, Cynthia Lilley and Michael Joviala.

Anne served on the piano faculty at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music for 9 years before relocating to Sydney in 2016 where she joined and continues to serve on the piano faculty at The Scots College. In addition to her teaching, Anne is also a professional singer and a songwriter. Her work has featured in TV advertisements, audio recordings, and a variety of live performance settings in the United States and Australia.

Darius Kaperonis - Violin & Viola

Darius is a skilled and sought after teacher. He has extensive experience teaching Paul Rolland string pedagogy and he recently completed a summer pedagogy course at the Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington Indiana, which was run by the renowned pedagogue Mimi Zweig. He is a certified Orff teacher, having completed professional teaching certification in Orff Schulwerk and is currently completing a Master of Teaching, specialising in early childhood and primary education.

He is also an established freelancer and experienced performer. Darius completed a Bachelor of Music, majoring in performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he studied with Janet Davies and Stuart Johnson. While studying at the Conservatorium he was awarded a $20,000 merit based scholarship for an outstanding audition. During his studies, he participated in masterclasses and lessons with many of Australia's eminent instrumentalists including Roger Benedict, Anne-Louise Commerford, Sandro Constantino, Giovanni Passini and Dale Bartrop.

He regularly performs at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra and he often tours professionally with established musicians including Mark Vincent and Peter Byrne.

Vladimir Schvedov - Cello

Cello teacher and performing artist. Studied for 8 years in Moscow State Music College named after Polish Composer Fryderyk Chopin.
Graduated as Bachelor of Performance with major in Cello in 1994.
Along with the main instrument, Mr Shvedov studied piano, music theory while playing in the college orchestra and singing in the college choir.
Upon graduation, worked as a teaching assistant in Moscow children’ music schools and gained 2 years of experience in pedagogy in this role.

At the same time he continued studying cello playing with prominent Moscow private teachers like T.G. Alekseeva, while also playing in ensembles and even took up the guitar which became my 2nd main instrument for many years to come.

Mr Vladimir Shvedov have successfully prepared students for AMEB exams with a record of many high marks. However, studying music is not just about passing exams. Learning and consistently developing the skill of playing an instrument – and using the voice alike – creates connection with the Magic.

As a music educator Mr Vladimir strongly believe that creative approach is essential for a healthy development of each and every child.
In group activities he design programs in a way that allows the highest inclusion of every member in his class.

Mr Shvedov: "I performed a lot on stage as a cellist and I know from first hand what the fear of stage is all about and how to deal with it"

Whether you or your child wish to start an exciting career or to advance in an existing one, or if you want to make playing the cello a beautiful hobby of yours that lets you express something that remained unspoken so far – you can rely on his knowledge, experience and creativity to take you or your child on any of those paths.

Daniel Tian

Daniel is a current Master of Music Student at AIM, with a Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance Violin). He is currently studying under Matt Bruce, associate concertmaster of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.

Daniel is experienced with teaching the AMEB violin curriculum from preliminary to AMus diploma. Daniel is capable of teaching both adult beginners and children and currently teaches students from ages 4 – 70. Although classically trained, Daniel is more than happy to teach contemporary repertoire if the child wishes and has transcribed multiple songs from movies and popular culture for his students.

As a violist, Daniel learned from his father, a graduate from the Central Conservatory in Beijing China. He enjoys playing viola chamber music, favouring Mozart and Brahms.