MARDI MALONE
Mardi Malone (nee: Chillingworth) brings with her over 25 years of professional performance experience and string pedagogy of the highest level. She developed her musical skills progressing through youth orchestras and then the Australian Youth Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra at the same time as completing tertiary music performance study under Max McBride at the Australian National University. Further Post Graduate study was undertaken The Sydney Conservatorium. Subsequently she has appeared with most major orchestras across Australia including the noteworthy Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. This experience has provided Mardi with an in depth knowledge of most performance genres inclusive of Symphonic, Opera, Ballet, Musical Theatre, Cinematic and Pop music. Additionally she has extensive experience in freelance and contractual performance work with commercial theatre productions, visiting artists and performing arts companies, commercial recordings. Her achievements in all arenas of music performance and education are held in the highest esteem by her friends, professional colleges and students, placing her in demand as a panelist for audition and exams, as well as a guest bass tutor across Australia.
Following the birth of her 3rd and final child in 2014, Mardi made the choice to move her professional focus away from evening performances and other engagements that impacted on the development of her own children. Since then Mardi has embraced and combined both passions for music & childhood development and education. Mardi strives to achieve a lifelong passion for music and music performance for her students through personal engagement, respect, support and pastoral care. She has a vibrant charisma, proven to engage, inspire and develop a strong student/teacher rapport. Carefully selected and tailored timely repertoire is used to create and develop strong fundamental technique and musicological skills, all whilst remaining fun, relevant and engaging. Her ability to adapt teaching methods to individual learning profiles ensures every student is able to achieve to their potential. At every school and institution Mardi has or is still currently working with, her student and ensemble portfolio continues to expand and grow with word and display of her excellence in teaching, charisma and developmental contributions.
Mardi has an extensive portfolio of former students who have embraced her professionalism, passion and success in their own adult lives, reaching the highest order in their chosen professions. She has an extensive track record of students achieving Music Scholarships from schools across Sydney. In addition to her musical experience, she also draws from her own personal interest in teaching diverse learning styles and neurodiverse learners. Over the last 10 years she has attended, observed and applied the knowledge of Occupational Therapies, Speech Therapy, Assistance Dog training, Music Therapy and has incorporated that knowledge into her teaching style. Mardi is highly active within the Autism, Twice Exceptional and other neurodiverse communities. She has and continues to attend and participate in related conferences, seminars, webinar’s, personal and professional development opportunities.