CLAIRE PRESTON
Educator, accompanist and conductor Claire Preston is currently a Lecturer in Music at the Victorian College of the Arts. She has taught in both state and independent schools- from early childhood development through to secondary and tertiary levels. She received a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Melbourne and is in the final stages of a Master of Education (Arts Administration) at RMIT. She also holds a Licentiate in Music (pianoforte accompaniment) from the Australian Music Examinations Board. Claire has served as Director of Music at Shelford Girls’ Grammar, Head of Choral Studies at Ivanhoe and Westbourne Grammar Schools, Head of Strings at Winona Drive Public School and Head of Junior Music at Branksome Hall, Toronto.

Specializing in developing young singers, she has worked extensively in Australia and North America. Claire has been assistant conductor of the Toronto Children's Chorus, assistant conductor/chief accompanist for the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus and served as accompanist for the Elmer Iseler Singers, Canada’s foremost professional choir. While accompanist at the University of Toronto, she worked with Dr. Doreen Rao, Sir David Willcocks and Helmut Rilling. Performance highlights include: appearing at the World Symposium on Choral Music in Minneapolis, Joy of Singing International Choral Festival and recording the world premiere of Harry Somers' children's opera A Mid-winter Night's Dream for CBC Records (recently nominated for a Juno Award).