Adjudicators in 2026

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We are delighted to welcome our adjudicators for 2026. 

Piano adjudicators

Amanda Miller - MMus, BMus (Piano Perf)

Amanda Miller, based in Sydney, NSW, AU, is currently a Private Piano Studio at Piano Teacher. Amanda Miller brings experience from previous roles at Knox Grammar School, NSW Department of Education and Communities and Sydney Grammar School. Amanda Miller holds a Masters of Music, Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. With a robust skill set that includes Pianist, Choral, Chamber Music, Composition, Tutoring and more.

Coady Green

One of Australia’s busiest concert pianists, Coady Green is acknowledged as a major talent on the international concert circuit, described as “a virtuoso pianist with sensitivity, intelligence and charm”, “accurate and exhilarating” (Musical Opinion, London), and with “a strong and versatile technique capable of the most delicate coloring and tonal brilliance, rising to the challenges of extreme virtuoso demands with relish” (The Advertiser, South Australia).

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In 2005, Coady relocated from Melbourne to London after winning almost all the most prestigious awards that his native Australia had to offer, including first prize in the City of Sydney National Piano Competition, a Winston Churchill Fellowship Award, a British Council Award, the Trevor Prescott Memorial Award from the Masonic Foundation, a Sir Ian Potter Cultural Prize, two awards from the Australian Council for the Arts and the South Australian Arts Council, and the Ormond Exhibition from the University of Melbourne.

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Coady was a lecturer in classical performance and staff piano teacher at Goldsmiths College, The University of London, and a piano teacher at the Royal College of Music, London. He now teaches piano and lectures on the performance staff at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, The University of Melbourne. He frequently gives masterclasses within Europe and the USA.

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Dr. Jerard Heffernan - MM, BMus, LMusA, AMusA

DR. Jerard Heffernan studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Sonya Hanke, earning a Bachelor of Music with high distinction.

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After winning numerous piano scholarships and competitions, Dr. Heffernan travelled to the United States. He completed a Master of Music in piano performance at the prestigious Peabody Institute, where he won the school’s Memorial Award for outstanding achievement. He was taught at that time by Julian Martin and Marc Durand, while also participating in masterclasses with Leon Fleisher, Vladimir Feltsman and Ann Schein.

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Dr Heffernan has participated in many international festivals, including in Aspen, Calgary, Banff and Orford. He recently visited the Juilliard School of Music in New York, where he attended lessons and doctoral seminars.

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In Australia, Dr Heffernan has taught piano at all levels, including at the Newcastle Conservatorium and the Australian Institute of Music.

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Ross Hamilton - BMus, MMus (MusEd), AMusA, LMusA

Ross Hamilton is a graduate of Sydney University, where he studied piano with Margaret Hair and music education with Peter Dunbar-Hall. His research interests included piano music by Australian composers and music education for gifted and talented students.

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Mr Hamilton has performed with many leading instrumental and vocal soloists and ensembles, including the Carlson Chorale, the Hills Chamber Ensemble and the Coruscations contemporary music ensemble. He has also performed in radio broadcasts and music club recitals, including at the Federated Music Clubs, the Aulos Society and the Australian Musicians Academy. Mr Hamilton has participated in premier performances of works by Kirsty Beilharz, Miriam Hyde, Miloslav Penicka, Paul Stanhope and Stephen Yates. For more than 10 years, he was an official accompanist for the Sydney Eisteddfod.

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In addition to his private studio, Mr Hamilton has taught at Barker College, Knox Grammar School, Newington College, the Sydney Conservatorium and the Australian Institute of Music. His teaching philosophy draws together various strands of current piano pedagogy, with the aim of developing a relaxed technique, sound intellectual understanding, and personal self-expression. He has extensively analysed many of the pieces in the AMEB syllabus in order to promote greater understanding of the background and essential musical elements of the works.

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Mr Hamilton has been an adjudicator for Ryde Eisteddfod and the NSW Music Teachers’ Association. He was a church pianist for many years and has also performed as a soloist and accompanist at nursing home concerts.

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String adjudicators

Caroline Otto - BMus (Perf), PGDip

Caroline Otto is an Australian cellist and dedicated strings educator, currently working as Head of Strings at Arden Anglican School. She previously held the position of Head of Strings at St Aloysius’ College and was a strings educator at the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music. Passionate about guiding young musicians at every stage of their development, Caroline is committed to fostering confidence, independence, and a genuine love of music in her students. Alongside her teaching and performing career, she is completing a Master of Teaching (Secondary) at the University of New England, further strengthening her commitment to excellence in music education.

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Caroline completed her Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music in the UK. She then spent two years at the Orchesterzentrum NRW in Germany, studying with Professor Gregor Horsch, principal cellist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Cecilia Bersee - BMus, ASCM

Cecilia Bersee studied violin at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Chris Kimber and Harry Curby, earning a bachelor of music majoring in performance. During this time, she was the strings winner of the ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition (Schools Division) and performed as a soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

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Mrs Bersee has played professionally with every major orchestra in Sydney, including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and, for over 20 years, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. She was also a member of the contemporary music group Magpipe Musicians, which toured New South Wales extensively and recorded many new compositions under the directorship of Vincent Plush.

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As well as performing, Mrs Bersee has taught violin in Sydney schools and in her own studio. She promotes excellence in string teaching by organising masterclasses and presentations by leading string pedagogues. Through her work with the Australian Strings Association (NSW), Mrs Bersee helps to stage music festivals and to provide online resources for regional music teachers.

David Saffir ​

Born into a musical family in Melbourne, Australia, David Saffir went to the Tasmanian Conservatorium where he studied with Professor Jan Sedivka. Post-graduate studies took David to the Koelner Musikhochschule in Germany where he studied with Professor Igor Ozim and members of the Amadeus Quartet.  

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He returned to Australia to lead the New England String Quartet, the resident ensemble at the University of New England in Armidale. After a successful stint there, David freelanced in Sydney, working with all the major orchestras, until taking a position of Director of Strings at Newington College.   

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David Saffir was appointed Director of Strings at Barker College in 2000. He works with students throughout the school as an instrumental teacher and ensemble director. He leads a vibrant team of eleven string teachers; consequently, string playing throughout the school has developed strongly, with over two hundred students playing in its many string orchestras. There is also a thriving chamber music program. 

David continues to perform professionally as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. From 2005 – 2015, he was Concertmaster of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and was Concertmaster Emeritus until 2019.  

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Sandi Oh - BMus (Perf) and BA

​Sandi Oh is a highly regarded conductor, educator, and composer with a deep commitment to nurturing young musicians and fostering the growth of string ensembles. Throughout her career, she has focused on providing students with the tools to excel both technically and artistically, creating opportunities for them to develop their potential as performers and musicians.

 

Sandi holds a Bachelor of Music (Performance) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales, where she studied violin under the guidance of Evan Elsley. Since completing her studies, she has enjoyed a multifaceted career as a performer, teacher, and conductor in Sydney, working across a wide range of educational settings. As an educator, Sandi has influenced generations of young string players, known for her warm and approachable teaching style. Her expertise in violin pedagogy and ensemble direction has made her a respected figure in Sydney’s music community. She has taught at various schools across the city and has conducted and mentored numerous student ensembles, helping them to develop strong technical skills while fostering a deep appreciation for music. In her current role as the Coordinator of Strings at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sandi oversees the development and growth of the school’s string program, providing guidance and mentorship to both students and teachers. She is also an AMEB Strings Examiner, assessing the progress of students and contributing to the broader music education community.

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