HEAD OF strings & guitar
Jacqueline Smith - Violin and viola
B.Mus, ARSM
A graduate of the University of Melbourne, Jacqueline is a violinist/violist with over 20 years’ teaching and performance experience. Her degree focused on the performance, research and publication of Early Music styles and she particularly enjoys music from these times. She also likes playing very modern music, especially when the composer is present to direct and guide performance. Jacqueline has often been found playing for Musical Theatre and enjoys playing Chamber Music whenever the opportunity arises.
Jacqueline was Strings Coordinator at Brindabella Christian College from 2006 - 2017, and while there was responsible for creating, teaching and directing a program of compulsory classes, individual lessons, group lessons and several ensembles. Her teaching approach is a blend of traditional western methods, Kodaly musicianship, Colourstrings, and elements of the Suzuki Method. She regularly attends professional development sessions and teacher training workshops to stay abreast of current thinking and pedagogies.
Jacqueline is currently based in Wagga Wagga NSW, having joined the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in 2019 and where she is now Head of Strings & Guitar.
JANE HAZELWOOD - Violin AND VIOLA
MTeach (Secondary) (UNE), D.S.C.M
Jane Hazelwood studied at the Sydney Conservatorium with Alexandru Todicescu and was accepted into tertiary studies on both violin and viola. In 1978, she was Co-Leader of the Australian Youth Orchestra (on violin). She began her professional career as a violinist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 1978.
In 1979, Jane decided to focus on viola and completed her D.S.C.M. with Merit whilst a member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
From 1983 until 1986, Jane undertook post-graduate studies with Wolfram Christ at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin. During this time, she played regularly as a casual with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, including two international tours and a Salzburg Festival under the baton of Herbert von Karajan.
On returning from Germany in 1987, Jane was Principal Viola of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and moved to Melbourne in 1989, where she was a String Lecturer at the Victorian College of the Arts, and a member of the Melbourne String Quartet. In 1993, Jane also undertook training in the Suzuki method of teaching for violin and viola with Robert Wakely.
In 1995, she returned to Sydney and spent 30 happy years as Tutti Viola with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She spent 3 months, on a job swap, playing with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London in 2006.
Jane has performed as a guest artist with the Australian Chamber Soloists, the Australia Ensemble, was a member of Pini, Hazelwood & Friends, and is a member of the Chanterelle Quartet. She was Guest Principal Viola of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra in November and December 2012.
Jane completed her Master of Teaching (Secondary) at UNE in 2015. She is a regular tutor at the Riverina Summer School for Strings and AYO activities. She has taught at the Sydney Conservatorium at tertiary level and for the “Rising Stars” Program and tutored Sydney Youth Orchestra.
Jane is the widow of violinist, Carl Pini, and they have three children, Daniel (35), cellist and conductor in Paris, Elena (33), amateur violinist and registered nurse/midwife based in Vanuatu, and Sebastian (23), Principal Bass, Cottbus Philharmonic Orchestra, and completing his Master of Music at the prestigious Hanns Eisler Conservatorium with Matthew McDonald in Berlin.
rhiannon xeros - Violin
BMusic (Sydney)
Rhiannon Xeros is a former student of Tamaris Pfeiffer and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (2003 – 2013), receiving many major scholarships including the Dr Ray King scholarship. Pursuing tertiary education at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2014, she studied violin under leading Australian teachers Alice Waten and Goetz Richter. During this time Rhiannon performed regularly as part of the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and was a section leader for the Sydney Conservatorium Historical Performance Ensemble under Neal Peres da Costa and guest conductor Paul Dyer. Rhiannon has performed in concert with Australian songwriter Megan Washington, the Riverina Chamber Orchestra and in the Sounds of Summer concert series in 2016 and 2017. Upon completing her Bachelor of Music in 2016, Rhiannon pursued her interest in violin pedagogy and joined the Riverina Conservatorium of Music staff in 2017.
pEARL bOWEN - VIOLIN
CertPerf (Violin)
Pearl Bowen is a former student of Elizabeth Walsh, Tamaris Pfeiffer and Rhiannon Xeros and learnt at Riverina Conservatorium of Music (RCM) from 2016 - 2021. During her studies at the RCM she successfully completed a Certificate of Performance on the Violin in 2018.
Pearl has a passion for music and teaching and has been a part of many ensembles, performing at weddings and private functions as well as performing with the Riverina Youth Orchestra. Her teaching is structured around the Western European Pedagogical approach and utilises much of the AMEB exam curriculum.
Pearl rejoined the RCM in 2023 as a teacher and has successfully presented students for AMEB exams with Honours results. She currently directs and conducts a Primary School String Ensemble as well as co-presenting a classroom program as an introduction to stringed instruments, focusing on violin, viola and cello. Pearl is currently completing a Bachelor of Music through the University of Central Queensland and is working towards completing her A.Mus.A.
Andrew callaghan - CELLO
BMus, GradDipEd (Monash), MMusic (Melb)
Andrew grew up in Queensland where he began the cello, first with Audrey Harris and then Gary Williams. On finishing high school, he moved to Canberra to study with Nelson Cooke at the Canberra School of Music. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music, Andrew moved to Wagga to teach at the Riverina Conservatorium, as well as Mt Erin High School and the Murray Conservatorium in Albury. During this time he was a member of the Riverina Trio and did numerous solo recitals in around Wagga. He also did a number of live broadcasts for the ABC and was secretary of the Riverina Summer School for Strings.
in 1994, Andrew moved to Melbourne where he taught cello at a number of schools, including Woodleigh School, Carey Grammar and The Peninsula School. He continued his performing activities as a member of The Melbourne City Opera Orchestra, The Frankston Symphony and others. During this time, Andrew also completed his Master's degree and later Grad. Dip. Ed. He then moved to Deniliquin, where he was for a number years, Music Director of South West Music.
in 2007, looking for new challenges, Andrew swapped the cello studio for the classroom. Over the next seven years, he taught secondary school music at a number of regional high schools in South West Victoria.
In 2013, the opportunity to return to cello teaching presented itself at the Orange Regional Conservatorium and the Macquarie Conservatorium. Over the next eight years his students won numerous scholarships and a number obtained high distinctions in AMEB exams up to and including certificate exams. He was also an active performer in the community.
Then in 2023, after almost 30 years, he returned to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.
Clare Brassil - Cello
MBA, BMus(Hons), GradDipEd, LmusA
Clare Brassil is Head of Creative and Performing Arts at The Riverina Anglican College, Wagga Wagga. She leads the delivery of Creative Arts and Performing Arts curriculum and the co-curricular Music and Drama Program for Prep to Year 12. She is artistic director and conductor of the College Band, Orchestra, Jazz and Musical Theatre programs. Clare studied with Nelson Cooke and has played as a professional cellist with the Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmanian and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and for many contemporary artists, including Barbra Streisand and Kayne West. As a conductor, Clare has been invited to conduct at the IPSHA and HICES Music Festivals, and is a Cliff Goodchild Fellowship recipient. A graduate of the inaugural ANAM programs, Clare studied with Walter Despalj in Croatia with the support of the Ian Potter Foundation and the E.V.Llewellyn String Fund. She studied composition in the USA with the support of the NSW Regional Arts Fund. She composes music for cello and loop pedal under the moniker Cello Riot, and released her debut album in 2017. Clare’s most recent passions are integrating Kodaly Music Pedagogy in P - 12 teaching programs and producing and musically directing musicals.
Rachel Roberts - Violin
Rachel is a multi-instrumentalist, proficient in both violin and piano. She began music lessons with local teachers in Cootamundra and Harden, NSW, where her early learning was primarily based on the Suzuki method. She later continued her studies at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (RCM), learning violin with Tamaris Pfeifer and Jacqueline Smith, and piano under Joanne Burrows.
During her time at the RCM, Rachel was awarded numerous scholarships, including the Strings Scholarship several times between 2018 and 2023, and the Piano Scholarship in 2024. She was actively involved in the conservatorium’s ensembles, performing with the Riverina Youth Orchestra and various chamber groups.
Rachel is particularly passionate about orchestral playing. Since 2021, she has participated in Regional Youth Orchestra (RYO) NSW projects, receiving mentorship from musicians from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian World Orchestra, Opera Australia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Acacia String Quartet. A highlight of her orchestral experience includes playing with the RYO while conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. From 2024 to 2025, she held the position of Principal Second Violin with RYO and toured Austria and Germany with the orchestra in 2025.
Continuing her musical journey in Canberra, Rachel performed with the Canberra Symphony Youth Chamber Ensemble from 2024 to 2025. She is currently studying violin under Kirsten Williams OAM in Canberra while completing her Diploma of Music through Central Queensland University. As part of her music Diploma, she continues to study piano under Joanne Burrows and recently achieved a High Distinction in her Certificate of Performance piano examination. Rachel joined the String Department at the RCM in 2026 under the mentorship of Jacqueline Smith and Brianna Seary as part of the RCM Mentoring Program.
Maggie-Rose Dunlop - VIOLIN
Maggie-Rose has grown up surrounded by a passion for music, influenced by generations of musicians in her family. Having learned from her mother since the age of two, Maggie-Rose has almost 17 years of violin education, perfecting technique, learning exciting repertoire, exploring her musicality, performing, and finding her love more and more for the violin. Maggie-Rose studied Music 2 for the HSC in 2022, and received a Band 6 for her violin performances. Maggie-Rose began teaching the violin in 2022, when she started teaching children as young as 4, focussing on solidifying the basics, reading music, and correcting technique, but most importantly, making learning enjoyable. Maggie-Rose is working towards completing her LMusA in 2025.
In addition to individual learning opportunities, the RCM string department also offers musicians access to ensembles and group learning activities, including:
Little Fiddlers - violin (4years Pre-School)
Primo Strings - violin/viola/cello (AMEB Prelim - Grade 1)
Junior Strings - violin/viola/cello (AMEB Grade 1 - 2)
Stringendo - violin/viola/cello (AMEB Grade 3-4)
Riverina Conservatorium Orchestra - Strings (AMEB Grade 5 & above)
Riverina Community Strings - violin/viola/cello (AMEB Grade 4 and above)
Adult Intermediate Strings - violin/viola/cello (AMEB Grade 4 and below)