Lorraine Chai

Lorraine is an international multi-talented instrumentalist and educator.  She graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music Studies in 2008 and then completed her Graduate Diploma of Education at the Australian Catholic University a year later. In 2009, Lorraine completed the ATCL Recital (Associate Diploma Trinity College London) in classical singing and in 2011, completed a certificate of conducting from The Australian Band and Orchestra Director’s Association (ABODA) under the direction of Jerry Nowak.

Having grown up with a musical family, Lorraine began playing and performing from the age of four. Through her years, Lorraine studied the Guitar, Percussion, and Oboe and completed final grades on the Violin, Clarinet, and Voice.

Although classically trained, Lorraine has extensive music skills having studied with many renowned jazz teachers such as Judy Bailey, Sandy Evans, and Kerrie Biddell and music theatre with Pat H. Wilson.

Lorraine has created multiple arrangements for choirs, duets, and ensemble groups, and this has furthered her skill and ability of passing on her extensive knowledge to others. In 2010 and 2011, she arranged choral scores for St Mary Primary School, winning 1st prize in the State music competition.

Lorraine has been teaching for over 20 years in and out of Australia as a private and classroom teacher in Public, Private and Catholic Schools in NSW. She has also tutored throughout Sydney's Primary and High schools, Lane Cove Music and Cultural Centre and runs ensembles, choral workshops, and professional development weekend workshops for studio teachers...

Lorraine loves finding new and exciting ways students can learn music in either a classroom setting as well as in private lessons. Along her musical journey and exposure to the various educational methods including Kodaly, Suzuki, Orff, and Dalcroze, Lorraine has also attended Alexander Technique workshops, and has found that she can integrate these various methods into her own teaching technique for the benefit of her students. Lorraine is the author for Stringstastic books which are music theory books for string players. Her teaching approach differs with the age and capability of each student. She strongly believes that Music should be a FUN experience, and endeavours to achieve nothing but this through all her teaching experiences Lorraine has been adjudicating at several music competitions in and out of Australia.

Lorraine has extensive ensemble and orchestral experience in Malaysia and in Australia. She also co-ordinates instrumental programmes and runs string ensembles for some of Sydney’s most celebrated schools.

A former MTA NSW Council member, Lorraine is also a chapter committee member with the Australian Strings Association of NSW, AUSTA.