Tutors — Bathurst Academy of Music

Meet Your Tutor:

Our tutor staff are experienced, enthusiastic, and deeply interested in helping your child achieve their musical goals. All staff are in possession of current Working With Children checks, as per NSW regulations.
We are a team of 11 music teachers.
Meet our team:

Mickey Photo 3.jpg — **MICKEY PYE** **-Founder & Director**

Mickey Pye is the 2015 winner of Toyota Star Maker. He released his debut album *Unleashe*d in 2015 which peaked at #2 on the Australian Country Aria Charts with the debut single making #1 on the country Itunes charts. Mickey is a five time Golden Guitar finalist and touring guitarist for country superstar Travis Collins.
Mickey has worked at a touring guitarist for Adam Harvey, Beccy Cole, Amber Lawrence and Tania Kernaghan.

He has toured festivals across Australia, Canada and the USA, most recently working on the 2019 Tim McGraw tour of Australia with the Travis Collins band.

Mickey works as music director for international country music festival Tunes in the Tropics, Fiji, and is a well respected artist and musician in the Australian Country Music industry.

Mickey completed formal music studies at the JMC Academy Sydney, completing a bachelor of popular music and in 2009, graduating with the highest regarded award, the 'Elizabeth Cass Award' for highest achieving student across all courses. Mickey founded Bathurst Academy of Music in 2011 and has facilitated over 1100 music and dance students since the Academy began. Mickey works closely with the JMC Academy, Continous Music, The Vault Studio Sydney and the CMAA Academy of Country Music Tamworth to tutor and mentor young musicians and artists as a passionate musical educator.

**TAMEKA KENNEDY** **-Guitar, Bass, Vocals & Ensemble Tutor**

Tameka is a singer, songwriter & guitarist from Bathurst, NSW. Tameka’s vocal & guitar ability is turning heads across the country, impressing audiences and the country music industry alike.
With chicken-pickin’ guitar chops and a world class voice, Tameka is charming audiences with her humble persona and fresh new sound, proving a festival favorite among audiences across Australia.

Introduced to touring life on Dami Im’s ‘Dreamer’ Tour in 2019, Tameka has since toured Australia with the likes of Catherine Britt, Ashleigh Dallas, Troy Cassar-Daley and a long list of country music’s best. Tameka has also travelled internationally to play music festivals in Fiji.

Tameka was a top 3 winner in NQ’s ‘Reboot’ Competition, Coca-Colas 2019 Winner of ‘Tamworth’s Battle of The New Stars’ and was a Top 10 finalist in Kix Country’s KIX START competition in 2022. Tameka is x2 graduate of the CMAA Academy of CountryMusic, completing both the Singer/Songwriter course and Instrumental course. Since graduating Tameka has been apart of the CMAA Academy staff for the past 6 years.

Tameka’s unique pop-country sound reflects a Rascal Flatts vocal style with the guitar flair and energy of Keith Urban.

Tameka is gearing up for the release of her debut single in 2024 and a busy year on the road bringing her music to stages across Australia.

**FINDLAY WEBB**
**- Guitar, Vocals & Ensemble Tutor**
Findlay is a singer, songwriter, lead guitarist and an ex-student of Bathurst Academy of Music. Findlay studied guitar with Mickey Pye from a young age and his love of music and performance drew him towards a career in music.
Findlay is focused on growing his artist career and passing everything he learns onto his students.
Findlay is a dedicated teacher focused on motivating and inspiring his students to fall in love with their instrument the way he did when he first came to the Academy.

Findlay performs regularly around the Central West of NSW in the pub and club circuit and has opened for artists such as Clancy Pye, Mickey Pye and Catherine Britt.

Findlay is a recent graduate of the 2024 CMAA Academy of Country Music instrumental course.

**DAVE FERRY** **- Drum Tutor**

Dave Ferry is a proffesional drummer with over 20 years experience in the recording and touring scene.

Dave was the long time drummer in the Frankies World Famous House Band, and having also played with renowned musicians Doug Parkinson, Peter Northcote and many others.

**ROD MOTBEY**
**- Guitar and Bass Tutor**
Rod Motbey is one of the leading session guitarist in Australia and has been working in the music industry for over 20 years. Rod is best known for working with some of Australia's most respected artists including Shannon Noll, The Choirboys and Wendy Matthews as well as numerous high profile Australian Country Music Artists such as Adam Harvey, Lee Kernaghan and Melinda Schnei
der.

Rod is also the owner of Tracking Dog Studios, a professional recording facility located in Shellharbour, NSW. Having spent many hours gaining experience with some of Australia's leading producers and engineers has fuelled Rod's passion for music production. He has recently been working with many artists to help them achieve first class production in a creative and relaxed environment.

With Rod's ability to play multiple instruments, his innovative production/engineering skills and his access to some of the finest musicians in the industry, he offers his students a world of knowledge and skills.

Andrew Pic.jpg — **ANDREW GRANT** **-Drum Tutor**
Andrew is a touring musician, session drummer and music teacher, playing and teaching a range of styles including Jazz, Funk, Latin, R n B, Reggae, World Music, Rock, Metal, Country and Alternative.
At the age of sixteen Andrew won Australia’s Best Up and Coming Drummer Intermediate Competition at the AUDW festival in 2006.
While completing a Bachelor of Music at The University Of Western Sydney, Andrew studied via exchange at California State University Los Angeles where he performed with the Cal State LA Big Band regularly and

learned from some of the world’s best drummers (Gil Sharone – Marilyn Manson, The Dillinger Escape Plan).

Andrew has experience in a range of gig types including TV (Australian Idol, X Factor, house drummer in ABC’s comedy series Wednesday Night Fever and ABC’s Friday Night Crack Up), video clips (Christie Lamb, Kaylen’s Rain, Daggerz and more), Music festivals (Big Valley Jamboree – Alberta Canada, CMC Rocks, Urban Country Music Festival, Deni Ute Muster, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Wollombi Music Festival and many more)

Andrew has played for many Australian and international artists including; Ricki Lee, The Platinums, Knox, John Foreman, Eddie Perfect, Dave Eastgate, Jamie Lindsay, Daggerz, Christie Lamb, Mickey Pye, Jayne Denham and many more.

From 2015 to 2021 Andrew served as the in house drummer at the well-known Sydney venue ‘Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice’.

**JOHN ARMSTRONG** **- Guitar, Bass, Harmonica, Ukulele, Banjo, Double Bass and Slide Guitar Tutor**

John Armstrong is a multi-instrumentalist from Bathurst, NSW.
John is a passionate musician who strives to pass on his knowledge and love of music onto the youth of today.
John regualry gigs around the Central West solo and also in a band with his brother, Peter Armstrong.

Mark Website Photo2.jpg — **MARK WILLIAMS** **-Piano Tutor**

Mark has been a School Teacher for over 40 years. He learnt the piano for seven years in the 1970s and has been playing ever since. He has taught High School Music and has his AMEB Teacher Number.
Mark has been a piano teacher at Bathurst Academy of Music for many years and a great mentor to his fellow teachers. Mark enjoys a range of musical styles and is inspired by such musicians as John Lennon, Billy Joel, Elton John and The Beatles.

Meet Your Tutor:

JUNIOR STAFF