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Meet the Team at The Rhythm Tree

Gillian

Gillian is the founder and director of The Rhythm Tree, Australia’s largest licensed Music Together® centre. With decades of experience as a teacher, music specialist, teacher trainer and former BBC music consultant, she brings heart and soul to everything she does. Shaped by a childhood where music brought joy during hard times, Gillian is passionate about creating inclusive spaces where young children and families feel connected, uplifted and truly at home through music.
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Claire

Claire is a much-loved member of The Rhythm Tree community and has been teaching with us for over 10 years. Authentic, grounded, and wonderfully engaging, she brings warmth, humour, and a delightful quirkiness to every class. Before settling in Melbourne and starting her family, Claire worked as an actor and singer-songwriter in Canada, releasing two albums and touring extensively. Her music has featured in film, theatre, and on national radio — and alongside her teaching, she continues to perform. Her journey began as a parent in Gillian’s baby class with her eldest and her deep connection to the program continues to shine through.

Sarah

Sarah is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer known for her extraordinary musicality, creativity, and playful spirit. She has taught and performed across the US and Melbourne, and joined The Rhythm Tree in 2016. A certified Music Together® teacher and mum of one, Sarah brings heart, humour and joyful energy to every class—helping families connect, create, and grow through music.

Matilda

Matilda is a much-adored teacher and mentor at The Rhythm Tree, known for the deep connections she builds with every child, every grown-up, and every teacher she supports. She brings warmth, humour, and a wonderful energy to every class. After beginning her journey as a parent in our program, Matilda has been teaching with us since 2013. A certified Music Together® teacher, she brings a musically rich background in jazz, performance, and early childhood education — and continues to inspire us all with her heart, creativity, and playful spirit.

Sarah

Sarah is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer known for her extraordinary musicality, creativity, and playful spirit. She has taught and performed across the US and Melbourne, and joined The Rhythm Tree in 2016. A certified Music Together® teacher and mum of one, Sarah brings heart, humour and joyful energy to every class—helping families connect, create, and grow through music.

Matilda

Matilda is a much-adored teacher and mentor at The Rhythm Tree, known for the deep connections she builds with every child, every grown-up, and every teacher she supports. She brings warmth, humour, and a wonderful energy to every class. After beginning her journey as a parent in our program, Matilda has been teaching with us since 2013. A certified Music Together® teacher, she brings a musically rich background in jazz, performance, and early childhood education — and continues to inspire us all with her heart, creativity, and playful spirit.

Maeve

Maeve has loved music her whole life—growing up attending folk festivals, singing in choirs and learning a variety of instruments. With a Master’s in Music Therapy and a passion for inclusive, joyful music-making, Maeve brings warmth, creativity, and a deep belief in the power of music to every class at The Rhythm Tree.

Rezz

Rezz grew up surrounded by music and creativity—from early violin and piano lessons to performing in rock bands and working in film and TV sound production. Now studying her Master’s in Music Therapy, Rezz brings a beautiful mix of musical passion, tech know-how, and heartfelt joy to her classes at The Rhythm Tree.
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Gillian

Gillian

With over 30 years’ experience in education and early childhood music, Gillian is the passionate heart behind The Rhythm Tree, Australia’s largest licensed Music Together® centre and a leading hub for teacher training.

Originally from the west of Scotland, Gillian grew up in a home where music brought light to some very challenging times. With early experiences shaped by adversity, music became her refuge—an escape, a joy, and a spark of hope. Her parents loved to sing and dance and those musical moments were often when her family felt most connected. Gillian played piano, sang constantly and found joy and purpose through performance—whether in school concerts, Burns’ competitions, theatre groups, or playing flute in the school band. Singing became her identity, her outlet, and her dream. Looking back, it was a powerful realisation to discover that what she now offers families through her classes is exactly what music gave to her: connection, comfort, and the freedom to feel joy-even in the hardest of times.

Her professional journey began as a primary school teacher in Glasgow and London, before training in Kodály-based music education (Colourstrings International) and founding a highly regarded early years music school in Glasgow’s Southside. She later became a trainer for early childhood professionals, a curriculum adviser and a music consultant for BBC Scotland while also performing and supporting community arts and jazz initiatives.

After immigrating to Australia in 2005, Gillian explored how different cultures nurture musicality from birth.

As a mother of three, she deepened her understanding of how children learn and connect through music. In 2009, she travelled to Japan to complete her Music Together® teacher training and later returned to complete her Certificate Level 1-an award recognising excellence in teaching, musicianship, and mentorship.

Since then, The Rhythm Tree has welcomed tens of thousands of families into its joyful, inclusive community

—where music is not just taught, but lived