Dr Debra Shearer-Dirié is an internationally respected choral conductor, educator, adjudicator and clinician whose career spans Australia, Europe and North America. A passionate advocate for collaborative music-making, she has worked extensively with choirs, composers, dancers, visual artists and cultural communities, creating innovative and inspiring artistic partnerships.

Debra holds a Diploma of Kodály Education from Kecskemét, Hungary, along with Master of Music Education and Doctor of Music degrees in Choral Conducting from Indiana University, USA. During her time in North America, Debra directed the Indiana University Children’s and Youth Choir, was assistant director to maestro, Paul Hillier with the Pro Arte Singers, and Director of the International Vocal Ensemble at Indiana University for two years.  From 2001-2002; Debra was Musical Director of the Northwest Girlchoir in Seattle, a 400-voice organisation of young women who performed frequently with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Since returning to Australia in 2003, Debra has become a leading figure in the national choral community. She is Director of Music for ChoirWorks (formerly known as the Brisbane Concert Choir), founder of Vox Pacifica Chamber Choir, Fusion Vocal Ensemble, and Vintage Voices, and continues to champion community engagement through singing across all ages and abilities.

A sought-after guest conductor, presenter and adjudicator, Debra has appeared at major conferences and festivals throughout Australia and internationally, including the American Choral Directors Association National Conference (New York, 2003), repeated appearances at the ANCA Choralfest, ACCET (2010, 2016, 2020), and New Zealand’s The Big Sing (2008, 2012, 2016, 2025). In 2024, she was one of three Australian conductors invited to serve on the international jury for the World Choir Games in Auckland.

With nearly 40 years of experience in music education across early learning, primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, Debra remains dedicated to making music education accessible to all. She has been a contributing writer, has stood on the editorial board, and reviewer to the International Federation for Choral Music’s International Choral Magazine, and was editor of ANCA’s Sing Out magazine for nearly 15 years. Debra is also a National past-president of ANCA.

She currently serves on the Academic Music Staff at Somerville House in Brisbane and continues to contribute to the broader choral community as a conductor, mentor, writer and past National President of the Australian National Choral Association.

Jen Teh is the Founding Director of Hush Little Baby Early Childhood Music Classes, and a specialist in Early Childhood music education. She holds a Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education from the University of Queensland and an Australian Kodály Certificate in Music Education (Early Childhood & Primary). Jen has taught early childhood, primary, high school and university music, directed choirs, presented workshops and papers for national and international conferences and symposia in music education and carved out a career as a professional live and studio singer. She is an accredited lecturer for the Australian Kodaly Certificate in Music Education and teaches in both the School of Music and School of Education at the University of Queensland. Jen also facilitates workshops around Australia supporting early childhood educators to ensure that music is an integral part of every child’s life, from birth.