Meet the Team
Coaches at HOV
Photo of Alisha Gartland

Alisha Gartland

Director and Head Vocal Coach

Alisha Gartland is a graduate of Melba Conservatorium of Music (Dip.Mus) and the Victorian College of the Arts (B. Mus in Musical Performance: Voice) whom has studied and worked professionally as a contemporary pop, musical theatre and opera singer.

Alisha teaches many students from beginners (of all ages) to students already working in the music industry, rebuilding technique, developing vocal style within original songs as well as preparing auditions. All students whom completed their AMEB Certificates/VCE under Alisha’s guidance have received A Honours/Credit results in both CPM & Singing for Leisure from Preliminary to Grade 7.

Learn more about Alisha

Photo of Nathan Teo

Meet HOV Coach: Nathan

Piano & Piano for Singers Coach

Nathan is a graduate of the University of Melbourne having studied for his Bachelor of Music in Piano. He has performed classical piano and contemporary repertoire at both at the Conservatorium and public events in Melbourne as a piano soloist and accompanist. He actively performs with the Melbourne Bach Choir and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus and is a recipient of the 2019 Melbourne Bach Choir Scholarship where he sings as a tenor. He currently conducts the Citylight Choir and has performed at various community centres, concert venues and events as a pianist conductor, choral accompanist and chorister across Melbourne and Malaysia.

Learn more about Nathan

Meet HOV Coach: Allegra

Vocal Coach and Performer Meditation Coach

(Currently on maternity leave)

Allegra has spent her life thus far singing all over the world including performances at the Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House and on London’s West End. She is an ARIA nominated ABC Classic Artist and a PhD candidate at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, specialising in the teaching of Opera and Classical voice, as well as Musical Theatre and Commercial Pop/Rock styles.

Recent recordings include Evergreen Ensemble’s Curious Caledonians on ABC Classic, the Oscar Nominated and Ivor Award winning Anna Karenina film soundtrack and FOXTEL’s mini-series Fighting Season. Past performances include working with: Classic FM, ABC, Channel 7, Channel 10, Dame Judi Dench, Tina Arena, Marcia Hines, Jimmy Barnes, Neil Finn (Crowded House), Richard Tognetti (Australian Chamber Orchestra) and Russell Crowe; featured in the New York Times, The Age, Sunday Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald, LIMELIGHT, The Stage UK and others.

​Learn more about Allegra

Meet HOV Coach: Kimberley

Vocal Coach & Early Childhood Music Coach

Kimberley is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, with a Bachelor of Music Performance majoring in Voice. Although she is a classical voice/operatic major she has sound training in both classical and contemporary styles.
Kimberley has been a finalist in many prestigious classical singing competitions and was the 2014 winner of the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition.
Subsequent to completing her degree Kimberley has been fortunate to work with multiple opera and theatre companies around Melbourne, and has received scholarships to study and perform in Italy and Germany. She also performs regularly in concert and cabaret.

 

Learn more about Kimberley

Meet HOV Coach: Anthony

Guitar and Guitar for Singers Coach

Anthony is a graduate of the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts and regularly performs gigs around Melbourne!

Anthony is a passionate and driven teacher who encourages students to find their own personal musical drive, and a foster a passion for learning the guitar.

Anthony enjoys teaching all styles of guitar and aims to foster a love and appreciation for music through his teaching!

 

Meet HOV Coach: Sam

Vocal Coach

(Currently away on tour)

Is a graduate of the Prestigious Victorian College of the Arts (Musical Theatre) and is a professional soloist and teacher.

Sams principle roles include:
An American in Paris (GWB/Australian Ballet), Titanic the musical, Jesus Christ Superstar (The Production Company), Together Apart (Gertrude Opera), Les Miserable, Pricilla Queen of the Desert, Falsettos and 42nd Street.

Sam was also one of the Ten Tenors 2019-2021 and toured for 25th Anniversary Tour and Home for the Holidays Tour

Sam is a recipient of the Rob Guest Endowment Playbill Future Prospect Award

Learn more about Sam

Meet HOV Coach: Robert

Vocal Coach

Robert is a multi award winning singer, director and songwriter. After HMT Leipzig ‘Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and the Young Artist program of the Opera National de Lyon, Robert has sung nationally and internationally in a repertoire spanning the early baroque to contemporary popular music. The greatest character roles include: Mime in Wagner’s Das Rheingold and Siegfried (Melbourne Opera) Bob Boles in Britten’s Peter Grimes (Sydney Symphony), Tanzmeister in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos (under Simone Young) and Herod in Strauss’ Salome and reprise of Mime in Das Rheingold and Siegfried for Melbourne Opera.
Despite his acclaimed opera and directing experience he has extensive training in contemporary voice and belt voice with original releases in contemporary pop also.
Robert is a dedicated teacher of voice, songwriting and studio production, Robert has taught at Melbourne’s Monash University and Trinity College in South Australia, and former students are now professionals in their own right. He believes in finding the truth in every voice and helping overcome technical barriers to allow for a truly unique, individual form of expression.

Learn more about Robert

 

 

Meet HOV Coach: Jessie

Songwriting Coach

Jessie is a folk singer, story-teller, performer and voice teacher.
After completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Musical Theatre, at the Victorian College of The Arts, where she trained under Heather Fletcher, Pete Rutherford, Rosemarie Harris and Andrew Byrne (NYC), Jessie’s professional theatre credits include Teenage Girl 1 in ‘Lazarus’, The Production Company,  Ensemble in ‘Vivid White’, MTC, Ensemble in ‘Beauty and The Beast’, Rob Guest Endowment Fund, as well as Featured Vocalist in Morning Melodies at Hamer Hall (2017 and 2018). ]

Jessie released her debut EP, ‘Here, Now’ in 2021 and is currently working on her next full length album, to be released in Autumn 2022.

Learn more about Jessie

Meet HOV Coach: Gareth

Violin and Viola Coach

Gareth is a graduate of Melbourne University (Piano) and is a pianist and piano teacher.

Starting off his Piano journey as a self-taught hobbyist learning pieces off of YouTube before formal training in preparation to university. So Gareth had a later and more unconventional start to learning Piano than most others. However this allowed him a unique appreciation for the effort and patience required to attain virtuosity and understanding of how students of all backgrounds can apply themselves whatever their stage of development/background to achieve big things.

Gareth does not believe that starting piano at a later age means one is at a disadvantage so long as they are willing to afford themselves the patience required to start from the basics.

Learn more about Gareth

Meet HOV Coach: Chris

Vocal Coach

Chris was born in Melbourne, Australia and is an acclaimed operatic tenor, musical theatre principle, contemporary singer and music teacher.

He began his professional singing career in Australia in 2004 as a tenor soloist in concert and oratorio with local choirs and orchestras in Melbourne, and as a professional chorister with Opera Australia and Victorian Opera. He then went on to become a principal tenor with Opera Australia’s (OzOpera) primary schools company, touring Rossini’s Barber of Seville (2007) and Cinderella (2008), as well as singing leading roles for Lyric Opera of Melbourne and iOpera.

Amongst other music theater roles, he has also performed as Marius in Les Misérables, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Woof in Hair and Curt in Blues Brothers – the latter two shows broke Theater Augsburg’s box-office records at the open-air theatre (Freilichtbühne).

After winning the 2009 German Australian Opera Grant he relocated to Germany. Notable principle operatic leads in europe include: Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Don Ramiro (La Cenerentola), Don Ottavio, (Don Giovanni), Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Belfiore (La Finta Giardiniera), Witch (Hänsel und Gretel), Basilio (Le Nozze di Figaro) and der Steuermann (Der Fliegender Holländer).

Learn more about Chris

Meet HOV Coach: Calvin

Violin and Viola Coach

Calvin is a Violinist born in Hong Kong, a graduate from the Bachelor of Music in 2020 and Master of Music (Performance Teaching/Performance) at Melbourne University.

During his time in Hong Kong, he has achieved distinction in Grade 5 and merit in Grade 8 for the ABRSM exam. During his musical career, he has participated in an extensive amount of activities, such as Yew Chung Hong Kong 80th Anniversary Seeds of Hope Gala Concert in 2013, a premiere of a new piece at the United Nations of Peace Concert in Hong Kong 2013, the Yew Chung Shanghai 20th Anniversary Seeds of Hope Gala Concert in 2014, Philadelphia International Music Festival in 2015, and the St Ignatius’ College Riverview Music Tour to Italy in 2016.

Since his transition to Sydney in 2015, he has developed his musical career further. He has obtained a given a number of awards, such as the prize for Music Extension and the College Blue Certificate. He has performed in a range of ensembles such as the Conservatorium Philharmonic Orchestra and Baroque Ensemble. He also regularly performs with the Newman College Choir in the String Quartet.

Learn more about Calvin

Meet HOV Coach: Peter

Guitar Coach

Peter is a guitarist, pianist and teacher.

Peter is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts where he received his Bachelors of Music Performance before continuing to undertake his Diploma of Education and Masters of Teaching at the University of Melbourne.

He has taught at various schools throughout the past 15 years, most notably Methodist Ladies College and Melbourne Grammar Campuses.

Learn more about Peter

Meet HOV Coach: Ariana

Vocal Coach

Ariana is a pop and music theatre vocalist, performer and voice teacher.
She is a graduate of the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where she completed her Bachelor of Music Theatre. Prior to this she studied VCE and Acting at the acclaimed Victorian College of Arts Secondary School (VCASS) under the ‘Theatre Arts’ Scholarship.
She is a strongly technical and versatile singer, beginning her training from the age of 6. She specialises in Music Theatre in both contemporary and legit styles as well as Pop and Rock.
Some of her credits include, Ella ‘Mack and Mabel’, Brenda ‘The Pajama Game’, Fortune Teller ‘Side Show’, Dorinda ‘The Beaux Stratagem’ and a soloist for ‘Good Friday Appeal’.
Her teaching is suited to those of all levels, designing each session to align with students’ individual goals, whether they be professional or leisurely. She aims to create a journey with each student encouraging growth and maintaining love for the voice and all its wonders.

 

 

Learn more about Ariana

Meet HOV Coach: Crystal

Vocal Coach

(Currently on tour)

Crystal is a graduate of the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Having graduated with both a certificate in Music Theatre as well as Bachelor of Music Theatre, Crystal has refined her skills in music theory, aural, harmony, musicianship, character, performance presence as well as vocal ability. Crystal’s studies and professional performance has given her the ability and knowledge in all styles of voice including, rock, pop, jazz, musical theatre, cabaret, and gospel. Crystal has performed in all major theatres within Perth and has been in touring shows of Big Dreams. Alongside productions of Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, 42nd Street, Self written Cabaret and a soloist for Burton Lane in Concert.

 

Learn more about Crystal

Photo of Phoebe Baker

Phoebe Baker

Songwriting Workshop Facilitator

Phoebe Baker is co-frontwoman, vocalist, and songwriter of Melbourne-based indie-pop band Alpine. Signed to Ivy League Records in Australia and Votiv in North America, the band has released the EP ‘Zurich’ (2010) and the albums ‘A Is For Alpine’ (2012) and ‘Yuck’ (2015).

Learn more about Phoebe