DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

Mr. Gareth Baard, MMus, MTeach, BMus, LTCL, UPLM

Gareth Baard was appointed as Director of Music at St John’s in March 2022.  He was born in South Africa, where he completed his undergraduate music studies at the University of Cape Town in 2011, with double majors in clarinet and organ performance.  Having a keen interest in church music, he was appointed in 2008 as organ scholar at the parish of St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church Observatory, where he subsequently served as Assistant Organist from 2011 until 2014.

Gareth was also a music teacher at a number of primary and high schools in Cape Town, where he taught the clarinet, saxophone, piano, class music, conducted concert bands and was a cricket and junior rugby coach.

In December 2014, Gareth and his wife moved to Sydney.  Since then he has held the positions of Director of Music at St. Luke’s Anglican Church Mosman and Assistant Organist of St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, Sydney, as well as assisting a number of other local churches and choirs with their musical repertoire.  He has given organ recitals in Sydney at St. Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral, St. Stephen’s Uniting Church Macquarie Street and St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral as well as at St. Matthew’s, Albury, NSW.

In 2018 Gareth completed a Masters of Music Performance, majoring in Organ, at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and in 2021 completed the Master of Teaching degree with the University of New England, Armidale, NSW.

Gareth and his wife, Lorna are keen foodies, enjoy travelling, and are keen cricket enthusiasts.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

Miss Nicola Chau, BMusStudies, MClinAud, MAudSA.

Nicola Chau holds the degree of Bachelor of Music Studies from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, for which she majored in organ, studying with Phillip Swanton. She has sung with the world-renowned Tallis Scholars under director Peter Philips at several summer schools.  Most recently, Nicola has performed with The Song Company, under the direction of Antony Pitts. 

Nicola has many years of experience in parish music, previously coordinating the music at St. Basil’s Church in Artarmon.  She was Organ Scholar here at St John’s Church, Gordon in 2008 – 2009, and from 2009 has been Assistant Director of Music.

Nicola is also an audiologist and maintains this professional work as well as her church music duties.

Former Musicians of the Church:

Organist

  • 1887-?              W. Pymble, F.Shaw (Choirmaster)
  • ?-1908              Mrs King
  • 1909-?              G.H. Turner
  • 1923 – 1928     G.E.M. Coomber
  • 1928                 Edward Massey
  • 1929 – 1933     Mr Hannagan
  • 1933 – 1934     R. Griffiths
  • 1934 – 1936     Sydney Cooper ARCO
  • 1937 – 1938     Martin Giles LLB
  • 1939 – 1946     Charles Maddocks AMusA
  • 1947 – 1950     Allan Jenkins
  • 1950 – 1951     Oliver Craddock MA
  • 1951 – 1955     L. Gent BA
  • 1956 – 1965     L. Trimble BA
  • 1965 – 2001    Graham Anderson, Enid Anderson AMusA

Organist & Director of Music

  • 2002 – 2008    Jane Stewart MMus
  • 2008 – 2021    Dr Brett McKern PhD DCA BMus BTh BEd FTCL FGCM LMusA ARCO AMusA ACertCM CertRS HonGCM

Assistant Organists (1972 – 1997)

  • David Alexander
  • Jeff Barlow
  • Clifford Cowdroy OAM FACE
  • Dr James Forsyth PhD HonFGCM
  • Chris Sillince
  • Richard Simpson

Organ Scholar

  • 2008 – 2009   Nicola Chau

Deputy Organists

  • 2010 – present  Cliff Cowdroy, OAM FACE
  • 2010 – 2018      Theo Yardley (now deceased)