Australian Strings Academy Australian Strings Academy The Website of the Australian Strings Academy, Australia's dynamic new center of String Playing Excellence featuring Director, International Violinist Kirtley Leigh
 Welcome to the  Australian Strings Academy  the  Dynamic Studio of  String Performance Excellence​





                 
                                
                          













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Australian Strings Academy

Professional String Tuition
Private Lessons and Online
VIOLIN lessons
​VIOLA and CELLO lessons
based in Cairns. Queensland
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Meet the ASA Director Kirtley 

"I am passionate, joyful, dedicated and committed to encouraging the best music skills from every student."

I AM HERE TO OFFER YOU MY LOVE OF MUSIC AND MY KNOWLEDGE- MUSIC IS MY LIFE
Australian Strings Academy
​is the centre of excellence in Australia. ”
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​I was recently
​appointed at 
King’s School, Sydney  
as Tutor in Violin and
Viola, Chamber Music and Orchestra Director, and have now returned to Cairns to
​re-establish my Private Strings Teaching Studio 

Kirtley BRINGS A Wealth of International EXPERIENCE gained from Performances , REcitals, TOURS and TEACHING WORLDWIDE IN HER CAREER SPANNING OVER 40 YEARS.

 I am a solo violinist, chamber music artist, recitalist, teacher, and adjudicator.

I have an international career spanning some 40+ years. I am American born, dual National of Australia, and graduated BMus (Hons) from Indiana University Bloomington in 1983 as a student of the legendary violinist Josef Gingold.

My past teachers have included pedagogues Dorothy DeLay and Josef Silverstein. I have had extensive coaching in Chamber Music with the iconic Beaux Arts Trio as well as violinist James Buswell, cello maestro Janos Starker, and jazz legend Stephane Grappelli, amongst many others.

ABOUT KIRTLEY and her CAREER
I left my nearly-completed Master’s Degree in 1983 at 22 to accept the Associate Concertmaster position in the Hong Kong Philharmonic. I have lived and performed in over 23 countries since, including throughout Europe, Scandinavia, and Asia. I immigrated to Australia in 2003 after a long career based in London UK. In 2004, I established my highly respected Chamber Music Series in Cairns, Paradise Concerts International Chamber Music Series. I have been Artistic Director since its inception, and performed for 16 seasons as solo/chamber music violinist in the series with wonderful music colleagues and friends whom I invited to Australia from my international associations.

I have performed onstage with, or for luminaries of all musical worlds, from Pavarotti and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa to John Travolta, to Streisand, John Denver, Tony Bennett, Lynda Ronstadt, David Bowie, Prince, Diane Cilento, William Barton, and more recently, on stage in improv with Cieran Gribbon, lead guitar and vocalist of INEX. I have performed Command Performances for Heads of State, PMs and Royalty, including Tony Blair, Princess Diana, Queen Sophia of Spain, King Olav of Norway, Mahatmir Mohamed, PM of Malaysia, Sir Michael Somare, PM of Papua New Guinea, Quentin Bryce, and Anna Bligh.
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In addition to my Chamber Music Series, I also tour as soloist, and have a thriving Private Teaching Studio. Many of my students have gone on to major Conservatories and Orchestral positions in Australia and abroad, and one, Khalida de Ridder, is now a soloist based in Europe. I was Head of Strings at Jubilee Christian College, Atherton, Queensland. I also teach and perform on viola. I coach cello, theory and music history when required.I have enjoyed a bountiful career as a soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, teacher, orchestral leader, adjudicator and mentor.

My teaching concentrates on intermediate to advanced levels, through to Diploma levels, with particular emphasis placed on the higher technical and musical levels, preparation for Conservatory entrance, orchestral auditions, and recital coaching.. See my websites   australianstringsacademy.com   and  paradiseconcerts.com ​for more info on Kirtley and her career as performer and pedagogue.
​ Australian Strings Academy.
​Australian Strings Academy 
in Cairns, Queensland 
 accepting enrollments for
Violin, Viola and Cello Students.
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Kirtley has enjoyed a long career performing in many countries. She was invited to perform for Singapore’s National Day celebrations in the Grand Lobby of the iconic Raffles Hotel in 2018.
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Kirtley is a student of the legendary pedagogue, Joseph Gingold. Here pictured after a performance masterclass with Gingold and the great soloist, Henryk Szering.

Start spreading the word!

The region's premiere Australian Strings Academy offers quality tuition in Violin, Viola and Cello for talented strings players.
Kirtley has performed, taught, given Masterclasses, led Orchestras, given Recitals and Concerts and perused her aspirations in the study of Violin playing. She  brought her worldwide expertise and years of experience from the USA to London, to European centres and then Sydney, and is now thrilled and excited to re- open her Studio in Cairns for  2021. Her enthusiasm for teaching the performers and recitalists and soloists of tomorrow is palpable. She has the energy and joie d' vivre to impart all that is great about string playing to her classes. Not only violinists benefit, but viola is offered as well. If you choose to hone your musical skills, technical studies, and learn performance practices from an active performer who adores everything about violin and teaching, then you have found the right teacher! Kirtley is passionate about the violin, and it shows!
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Get In Touch
Please contact the Australian Strings Academy  Director, Kirtley, using the form on the
​Contact Page for enrollments.
Lessons available ONLINE from April 2020 and Private Lessons in Studio in Cairns









​The Professional Touch

            with KIRTLEY LEIGH International Violinist 
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Classes Offered
ALL CLASSES NOW OFFERED PRIVATE STUDIO and ONLINE
Violin
Viola
​Chamber Music
Orchestral Audition Preparation
Conservatory Entrance Auditions
Masterclasses
Theory
Musicianship
​Music History
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Cover Photography courtesy Toby Stanley of Toby Stanley Photography  Publicity Photographs c Bob Halstead and Press  Website Design Kirtley Leigh c 2020 All Rights Reserved 
Australian Strings Academy Welcome to the Australian Strings Academy, Australia's dynamic new center of String Playing Excellence featuring Director, International Violinist Kirtley Leigh. Offering Violin Lessons in Cairns and String Lessons in Viola and Cello.