Dr Imogen Coward
Dr. Imogen Coward is a Sydney-based scholar-performer and educator, specializing in teaching violin, viola, improvisation, and coaching performance skills for all instruments & voice (both solo and ensemble settings). She is tertiary qualified and a Music Teacher’s Association (NSW) accredited music teacher of violin, viola, piano, improvisation & music theory. An experienced distance educator and assessor, her teaching practice includes both in-person and remote/online music instruction.
Since 2003 Imogen has been in demand as a studio teacher, consultant/coach and workshop presenter. Her students are regularly selected for opportunities and awards including HSC’s ENCORE nominations (performance and composition), Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) workshops, Opera Australia’s Regional Children’s Chorus, and Sydney Youth Orchestra, as well as gaining university placement (bachelors, masters and doctoral) in Australia and Europe.
Imogen is an active performer, musical director, multi-instrumentalist and singer (featured soloist on the award-winning Canadian film 2BR02B:To Be or Naught To Be dir. Marco Checa-Garcia); and in 2014 she became the founding director of the internationally recognised Australian chamber orchestra Camerata Academica of the Antipodes, dubbed ‘musically combustible’ by Criticks (UK). Her appearances as a soloist include guest artist and speaker for the Solomos Society, and soloist for the University of New England, the Queensland sequicentenary celebrations and numerous chamber music appearances. Imogen has also served as an adjudicator for Ryde Eisteddfod’s string section, and as an adviser to schools’ P&C Associations on the founding and successful development of string group programmes, including for Epping West Public and Pymble Public.
Imogen’s qualifications include: Historically Informed Performance and Improvisation studies, PhD (UNE), B.A. Hons First Class (Music), and Diplomas in Suzuki Violin and Viola teaching. She is the recipient of the Commonwealth Government’s prestigious Australian Postgraduate Award for her PhD studies, the Harold Brissenden Memorial Foundation Fellowship and was made a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society for academic brilliance. Her research on music has been published by Cambridge Scholars Press and the University of Otago, New Zealand. Imogen is an active member of the Musicological Society of Australia (MSA) and regularly presents at international academic conferences.