Damian Crisp

Owner / Guitar / Ukulele

BA

Damian’s love of guitar began from a very young age, where he began guitar lessons whilst growing up in Melbourne. After completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Sunshine Coast he continued his studies, exploring and playing across a range of music styles. Now as Tempo Allegro School of Music’s owner and principal guitar teacher he brings a wealth of professional performance and teaching experience to his role. 

As an educator for over 20 years, Damian has worked as a primary school instrumental teacher, an instructor at private music schools in Brisbane as well as teaching many students of all ages privately. Working as a professional musician for over 20 years Damian has played in various bands and duos, has worked extensively as a session musician and has played alongside some of Australia’s biggest acts. 

Damian believes in a fun and practical approach to learning to play the guitar that combines building a solid technical foundation with increased musicianship, allowing students to realise their musical goals in a fun and inspiring environment.

Michelle Bull

Student Administrator / Voice

BMus Hons (Voice/Performance), GradCert (Creative Production/Arts Management)

Tempo Allegro’s vocal teacher Michelle Bull has been coaching aspiring singers for over 25 years. Since graduating from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music with Honours in Classical Voice, Michelle has worked with singers of all ages throughout Queensland helping them to discover the joy of singing and their own unique sound.

Michelle has taught both in a private studio setting as well as at schools and workshops throughout Queensland. Combining her love of teaching with a varied performance career, Michelle has performed at many events throughout Australia, Europe and the Middle East, highlights being the Italian Australian Film Festival Gala dinner with Sophia Loren’ in Sydney and the opening of ‘Reemalum Aluminum’ in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She has also performed at various Australian Festivals and events with Brisbane vocal ensembles ‘belladiva’ and ‘Babushka Cabaret’.

Combining her love of teaching voice with performing, she continues to work as a vocal soloist for various corporate and private functions and events across Australia and overseas.

Caeli Taylor

Piano / Guitar / Ukulele

Multi-instrumentalist and skilled pianist Caeli Taylor brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her teaching practice. 

“With my love of music, it seemed like a natural progression for me to teach others how to develop their own musical aspirations. I believe as a musician you never stop learning. I am studying secondary education at the University of the Sunshine Coast focusing on music and dramatic arts. I play and teach the piano, guitar, ukulele, and clarinet. I am also studying to complete my piano diploma and theory examinations as well as taking a narrower focus on the guitar into classical techniques. I am extremely passionate about my music and I strive to inspire my students.”

Caeli is able to tailor lessons to her students’ individual goals, be that examinations, public performance or personal enjoyment. She values creativity and artistic expression and aims to create a fun and engaging environment where students learn to play music they love.

Tanya Goltz 

Voice

BMus Performance (Vocals & Songwriting) 

Tanya Goltz is a professional vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with over 20 years’ experience performing across South East Queensland. With a Bachelor of Contemporary Music majoring in Performance Voice and Songwriting, Tanya also has significant experience teaching students across a variety of settings having worked with children, young people and students of all ages for over 15 years. 

Tanya regularly works as a solo artist, in bands, duos and trios at a variety of events including major festivals, large scale corporate events, private and public functions. Tanya independently released and recorded her debut EP with Aria award-winning producers, Steve James and Andrew Cochrane, which has amassed over 70,000 streams on Spotify, been added to 250 playlists and played in 90 countries. She has co-written with award winning artists such as Lyn Bowtell and Mike Carr in addition to Australian author and singer-songwriter Pip Drysdale and producer Adrian Hannan.  

Tanya is passionate about providing engaging and fun vocal sessions for any age and is committed to tailoring lesson plans to meet the individual needs and goals of her students. Tanya believes in encouraging each student’s creativity and supporting them to explore their individual expression and skill during each session. 

BRUCE ZHANG

Piano/Cello

Bruce started playing the piano at the early age of 5 in his hometown – Auckland, New Zealand. By age 11, he had further developed his love for music through learning the cello. As a multi-instrumentalist, this enabled him to perform in various music groups: duets, trios, quartets, orchestras, jazz bands, musical productions, and choirs. 

As a pianist, Bruce regularly participated in concerts and competitions. He passed his ABRSM Grade 8 Exam with distinction and the ATCL Diploma Exam with distinction by the time he was 15. Later, progressed to private piano teaching to students between the ages of 3-10. Only 4 years into learning the Cello, Bruce had already completed his Grade 8 ABRSM cello exam with high distinction. He held the position of Principal Cellist for 4 years at his high school, leading the cello section for the Premier Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. 

Aside from Bruce’s musical life, he is also a current undergraduate student studying Medicine at the University of the Sunshine Coast. 

“The unique approach and method required to teach each student are what challenge me to prioritise teaching in a way that is specialised and tailored towards each student. With almost 23 years of combined experience as a musician and knowledge from private teaching and theory to preparation for music exams, I have a deep understanding of what my students’ goals are and what I can do to help them achieve them.”

Cristoph Tychsen-Richards

Piano

Cristoph Tychsen-Richards is an accomplished pianist who has been playing for most of his life. Having completed his Associate Diploma of Performance in 2021, he is now working towards completing his Licentiate Diploma. Cristoph enjoys helping his students to learn skills that they will keep for life as they grow in their knowledge and ability.

“It is very rewarding for me to see how students grow in their musical journey, when they begin to understand, feel and see things in music, beyond what may be written down. Learning piano is a different journey for everyone, but it is almost always an exciting one.”

Cristoph is also studying a Bachelor of Laws and Economics at The University of Queensland. Aside from his studies, he enjoys learning languages and keeping active. He is extremely passionate about music and intends to share this passion with his students, helping them to see the musicality that is within them.  

CHRISTINE FERRARO

Piano / Voice

Bachelor of Music (Victorian College of Performing Arts), Post Graduate Diploma in Music Education (Australian Catholic University)

Christine Ferraro has an abundance of performance and teaching experience.

As a graduate of The Victorian College of the Performing Arts, she has performed and recorded with Australian State Opera Companies in major soprano roles plus modern and popular works. She has also performed with The Australian Pops Orchestra, The Victorian Concert Orchestra, The Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra (with the late John Curro) and with the Christchurch Orchestra (New Zealand) for broadcast and others.

Christine was the singing voice for actress Greta Scacchi in the ABC series, “Waterfront (1984)” and engaged in character voice work for the film “The W-word (2021)” by Lindsay McCauley.

She won a Melbourne Sun Aria scholarship and trained with the celebrated vocal teacher Daniel Ferro at The Juilliard School of Music in New York. She performed and lived in Europe, and sang in the “SpolettoFestival” as solo guest artist in Mozart and Stockhousen’s “Stimmung,” then returned home to take up roles with Victoria Symphony Orchestra (Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto) and other concert performances, including Melbourne Spoletto Festival singing “Olive” in Michael Tippets “The Knot Garden.”

Christine breathes and lives for music and appreciates the individual support each student needs. A primary goal in her teaching ethos has always been to teach young singers the art of natural voice production, stage presence, and poise and confidence while having heaps of fun! With her additional skills of piano accompaniment and voice training, she has been successful in teaching voice and choir direction to many aspiring singers including one of the 10 Tenors, who currently lives and sings in the UK.

Her other students have successfully auditioned for musicals all over Australia. She has enjoyed teaching young singers and directing choirs in Melbourne and now, on the Sunshine Coast, where she recently prepared young singers for their roles in “Aladdin” and “Annie.” She found it very exciting to see their joy as their young voices developed and they became confident on stage. For Christine, it is a very special privilege to do this job: nurturing young voices and helping them attain their dreams.