AROUND THE SCHOOL
STAFF
PROFILE
Kieran Hurley
Director of Music
the music man: what can’t he play?
Director of Music, Mr Kieran Hurley,
is many things. A talented and respected
musician, a visionary, and a passionate
advocate for the arts. He has been the
brainchild behind some of the Music
Faculty’s most successful events, including
7 Hours of Sound, several Telethon
performances and Symphony on Swan,
which led to an annual community concert
on the bank of the Swan River.
Kieran joined the School in 2013 before
which he was Head of the Arts Faculty at
Wesley College for 17 years. Kieran’s role
involves him working across the whole
school, overseeing the music program from
an academic and performance perspective.
His biggest role, however, is to empower
staff and students to go above and beyond
Kieran’s top five gigs
1. The inaugural Symphony on Swan concert in 2016
to make the Guildford Grammar School of
Music the best in Australia! A lofty ambition
and one that is clearly within his reach.
Kieran is inspired by working with young
musicians, witnessing the depth of feeling
they bring to their musical endeavours. “As
Georgia Cates once said, ‘music is what
feelings sound like’. Music allows students
to connect with themselves and a greater
consciousness and break free of the confines
of societal norms and really feel something.
Any time that students are empowered to
pursue their passion is a wonderful moment
for any educator.”
Over the past few months, the Music Faculty
has embraced the idiosyncrasies of remote
learning in creative ways, resulting in some
innovative new ways of communicating with
2. East Kalgoorlie and Guildford Grammar School Telethon performance in 2017
3. Hearing the first performance of the Year 2 String Ensemble, every year!
4. The final performance of the 2019 Malaysian Cultural Tour
5. Performing in the “Elvis, the Wonder of You” show or performing alongside
Frankie Valli. Those two are a tie!
and teaching
students. Some
initiatives were
so successful Mr Kieran Hurley
they will be
implemented on a more permanent basis
across the faculty.
Kieran is passionate about Indigenous
culture and music and works closely with
organisations such as Madalah and Future
Footprints to encourage the sharing and
acceptance of Indigenous culture through
the medium of music. “I want to travel the
song-lines from Perth across Australia and
witness the true power and the spirit as it
occurs in our land.”
Outside of school, Kieran is just as passionate
about his own musical career. As well as
performing and writing music, he is an
executive member of the Music Arrangers
Guild of Australia (MAGA) and is in the
process of completing his second large
Orchestral Show commission of 20 songs for
the Darwin Symphony Orchestra. He is also
working on his own show to perform with
his group, the ‘Classic Album Orchestra’.
“I have been fortunate to write for many
bands, orchestras and chamber groups
around Australia and am blessed to be
able to perform alongside so many of my
Guildford Grammar School friends and
colleagues, including Mr Mark Underwood,
Mr Martin Pervan, Ms Amelia Peachment, Mr
Quentin Edmonds and Mr Brian Kruger. No
matter what genre, we are happy to play it!”
When he is not teaching music, writing
music, or performing music, Kieran enjoys
spending time with his wife and three
children, dog, seven chooks, six quails,
cockatiel, various fish and wild quendas!
Never a dull moment!
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