The Music School,
Methodist Ladies’ College
207 Barkers Rd, Kew

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Australian Choral Conductors Education and Training (ACCET) welcomes your presence at its 33^rd Choral Conductors Summer School. Four exciting and involving days of demonstration, participation and learning will fit conductors with new skills and confidence to face the music, and the choir, in 2026.

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Accet presents

Dr Heather Buchanan
(USA / Australia)

Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies, Montclair State University, USA
Body Mapping Educator   

Australian-born conductor Heather J Buchanan, PhD, is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Montclair State University where she conducts choirs ranging in size from 24 to 150 voices. Choirs under her direction have earned critical acclaim for their “heartfelt conviction,” “vibrant sound,” “grace and precision,” “being a marvel of diction, tuning, rhythm,” “eloquence,” “impeccable dynamics and diction,” “new-minted enthusiasm and vibrancy,” and for singing with the “crispness and dexterity of a professional choir.” Her choirs have collaborated with a variety of renowned national and international performing artists, perform masterworks regularly with the New Jersey Symphony, and have sung on commercially produced recordings with Meredith Monk (Songs of Ascension) and the NJS (Carmina Burana and Verdi Requiem).

A Licenced Body Mapping Educator since 2002, Dr Buchanan specialises in this neuro-anatomical educational technique that trains musicians to attain freedom of expression through effective movement. With a reputation as a vibrant teacher, dynamic performer, and passionate musicians’ health advocate, Dr Buchanan is in demand as a guest conductor and somatic educator in the US and abroad.

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Dr Carl Crossin OAM
(Australia)

Conductor, educator, composer
Founding Artisting Director and Conductor of Adelaide Chamber Choir
Associate Professor of Music, University of Adelaide

Dr Carl Crossin OAM has been building and directing choirs within the professional, community and educational realms for almost 50 years. He founded the multi-award-winning Adelaide Chamber Singers in 1985 and subsequently led them to national and international acclaim and respect for thirty-six years before stepping down as Artistic Director and Conductor in 2021.

Following 25 years in the secondary school and pre-university sectors, Carl has worked in the university realm since 2002. He is currently Associate Professor of Music at the University of Adelaide where he has served in a number of leadership roles over the past 24 years, including Head of Vocal and Choral Activities, Head of Conducting Studies, Head of Undergraduate Music and Programs and, from 2009 – 2014, Director of the Conservatorium.

Carl has been Co-Conductor of Gondwana Chorale since 2011, and, in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the National Youth Choir of Australia (NYCA) from 2008 – 2014, has conducted several sessions of NYCA since 1998. Carl has been a guest conductor, choral clinician and adjudicator throughout Australia and internationally over many years and recently served as a member of the International Jury for the 2024 World Choir Games. He has toured Britain, Europe, South-East Asia, North America and Australia with various choirs on many occasions.

In 2007, Carl was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to music, and, in recognition of his long-serving contribution to music in South Australia, was inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame in 2021.

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Curtis Bayliss

Curtis Bayliss brings his experience as a teacher of young voices, and an accompanist, to ACCET 2026. Specialising in cambiata and young male voices, he is a voice teacher at Camberwell Grammar School and at Melbourne High School.

In addition to maintaining a busy private voice studio with music theatre students ranging from beginners to coaching off-Broadway and West-End experienced performers, he has conducted the Australian Children’s Choir and music theatre groups for Melbourne Youth Music.

Curtis was until recently the Chapter President of Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing (ANATS) in Victoria.

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“This has been a life-changing Summer School. Epic and inspiring. 
Fantastic tutoring, loads of ideas, positive environment.”

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Emphasis on conducting

Development of your conducting skill is the central goal of the 33^rd ACCET Summer School. This will occur through group tuition, demonstration and master classes. In five group conducting workshops you will improve your skill and confidence in choral conducting. To assist you in nominating your current skill, for the application form, consider the following: 

Basic

• has limited experience rehearsing and conducting a choir 
• needs basic conducting patterns
• needs confidence in score preparation 
• needs confidence in cueing entries and executing cut-offs 
• needs beginning information on running rehearsals 

Intermediate 

• has substantial experience rehearsing and conducting a choir 
• has had previous conducting tuition
• wants to increase technical skills with entries and cut-offs,
  phrasing, legato, staccato, accent, pauses, dynamics
  and time changes 
• wants to advance knowledge of music interpretation

Advanced 

• is willing to audition on the first day to gain a place
  in the advanced group
• has had much experience rehearsing and conducting
  skilled choirs 
• has had considerable conducting tuition 
• is willing to tackle advanced music

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The Programme

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“I came to the Summer School knowing next to nothing and have come out with so much.
So much good repertoire that I look forward to using with the choir.”

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