Elissa Higgins

Elissa is a versatile music educator with over 25 years’ experience as a piano and woodwind pedagogue.  While private teaching is her predominant area of expertise, she is also a keen conductor, directing ensembles both within schools and as an Associate Conductor for Queensland Wind and Brass.  As a performer, Elissa has acted as a featured soloist and as an accompanist for other solo performers, choir and instrumental ensembles.  In 2019, Elissa was appointed to the Australian Music Examinations Board (Qld) as an examiner for piano.  She is also an experienced adjudicator and has been invited to adjudicate the Enoggera Eisteddfod, the Queensland Piano Competition, the Nancy Weir Scholarship, and various intra-school competitions.

Elissa’s study commenced at the Yamaha School of Music in Grange, with her later studies taken under the guidance of Joanne Schravemade, Joyce Skelton, Mitchell Leigh and Max Olding.  She obtained her Associate and Licentiate diplomas in piano performance at an early age and went on to pursue her Bachelor studies at the Queensland University of Technology.  Elissa was later awarded an Associate diploma in piano teaching and she also holds an Associate diploma in flute performance, which she gained under the guidance of Janine Grantham.

Elissa is an advocate for the development and encouragement of the studio music teacher.  This led to her nomination to the council of the Queensland Music Teachers’ Association, where she served for eight years, including four years as President.  During this time, she was also the Treasurer of the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference in 2019.  In 2024, Elissa returned to the QMTA Council and is their nominated representative to the Queensland Advisory Committee of the AMEB (Qld).  Elissa is the current coordinator of the Queensland Piano Competition, a position she has held and enjoyed for almost the last 11 years.