Who we are

We are musicians, educators, and visionaries united by a singular purpose: to elevate the standard of music education across the primary years.

Drawing on decades of classroom experience and deep respect for proven pedagogical traditions, we have crafted a platform honouring music's integrity while embracing modern technology's opportunities. Our work is grounded in the enduring principles of Kodály and Orff, shaped by contemporary educational research, and inspired by the belief that every child deserves a rich and meaningful music education.

We understand the realities of the classroom—the pressures, possibilities, and daily balancing act between creativity and curriculum. That’s why our resources are not only expertly sequenced and curriculum-aligned but also beautifully designed, deeply intuitive, and crafted with the teacher in mind.

Young Maestro exists to support the profession, preserve excellence, inspire musical discovery, and ensure that wherever there is a music teacher, there is also a sense of confidence, purpose, and joy in every lesson.

Dr James Cuskelly OAM is a senior adviser, celebrated music educator, lecturer, musician and mentor. He is internationally renowned for his expertise in Kodály methodology and practice, choral conducting, research on the importance of meaning in music, and his deep involvement in community music. He is highly regarded for his contributions and service to the teaching profession and music education, as well as for inspiring and mentoring numerous students and teachers to achieve excellence in performance and pedagogy. He has transformed music education both locally and globally.

 

Dr John Davis, a proud Murri Ambae family man, contributes to Indigenous content. He is a Traditional Owner of the western sides of Bunya Bunya Mountains (Boobagarrn Ngumminge.) John has worked as a lead educator in schools locally, regionally and nationally. He has held the positions of Principal, Statewide Manager, and National Chief Executive for Indigenous Education, in addition to serving as an advisor to education systems statewide, the QCAA, nationally, ACARA, and AITSL. He is a founding alumnus and creator of new 'Research & Impact' flows at the Stronger Smarter Institute.

Megan Flint, M.Mus (Hons), B.Ed., Dip. Tchg., ATCL (Voice) holds a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Auckland, where she studied with Dr Karen Grylls. She has a particular passion for working with treble choirs and is the co-author of Hear Our Voices, a handbook for leaders of children’s choirs.  Megan is a board member for both the Music Education Association of Aotearoa, New Zealand and the Association of Choral Directors.  She presents the successful national workshop series Singing Matters for the New Zealand Choral Federation, as well as being a national conducting mentor.

Lucinda Geoghegan is a theory and musicianship lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, working in both the Senior and Junior departments. She has been delivering and assessing RCS-accredited modules in Kodály Philosophy to external students. She is a regular tutor, a member of the Trustees, and Chair of Education for the British Kodály Academy. In 2017, Lucinda was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Kodály Society. Lucinda is the Creative Learning Director for NYCOS, and her work involves Staff Development training across Britain, presenting workshops in many countries worldwide.

Katie Hull-Brown, with a Master's in Education, Leadership and Management, Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching, and Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, is a respected music educator and lecturer with over 23 years of experience spanning early childhood, primary, and tertiary education. She is a passionate mentor and advocate for inclusive, play-based music learning, currently undertaking doctoral research on social-emotional learning through classroom music. As President of the Victorian Orff Schulwerk Association and recipient of the 2025 ASME Experienced Teacher Award, Katie leads professional learning across Australia, empowering educators through collaborative and creative approaches to music education.

 

Patrick Pickett CSM B.Mus, M.Mus was CEO of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and a Federal Examiner for the Australian Music Examination. Appointed to the AMEB (QLD) Panel of Examiners and Advisors (Instrumental). Awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal in the Australia Day Honours List. Became an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland (UQ), where he lectured on Multi Instrumental Pedagogy, Instrumental Conducting and Group Music Skills. He holds Licentiate and Associate Diplomas in music from the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, and Trinity College of Music in London, where he was admitted as a Fellow in Conducting.

 

Maree Hennessy Diploma of Advanced Conducting (Kodaly Institute, Hungary) and a Master of Music Studies (University of Queensland). She has lectured in Australia and the USA, taught in London and a respected educational leader and mentor with extensive experience across early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, and community education. She is currently a lead facilitator of music teacher training in Australia and New Zealand with the Cuskelly College of Music. She directed the Kodály Center at Holy Names University, overseeing postgraduate programs and building leadership pathways. Previously, Maree was a senior writer for Queensland’s C2C curriculum resources and co-created the KMEIA ‘Middle Years Music Education’ DVD. She also coordinated KMEIA QLD’s Open Classroom Series and lectures in Aural Pedagogy for the Sound Thinking Summer Program, affiliated with universities in Brisbane, Canberra, and Budapest. A regular presenter at national and international conferences, Maree is committed to teacher development, championing collaboration to build professional learning communities and strengthen music pedagogy.

 

Our Promises

We stand behind every lesson, every feature, and every note.

  • Always Current
    Our content will be continually reviewed and refreshed. If something feels out-of-date — whether it’s repertoire, pedagogy, or examples — we’ll fix it. Quickly.

  • It Just Works
    Everything in Young Maestro is built for the classroom. If a feature isn’t working as it should, we take it seriously and will resolve the issue promptly. You should never have to fight the tech to teach music.

  • Musically Sound
    We hold ourselves to the highest standards in both music and education. If you ever find an error in notation, terminology, or teaching approach, we’ll investigate and correct it, because musical integrity matters.

Our Principles

Young Maestro is designed by world-leading music educators. teachers, for teachers — guided by principles that reflect how real music education happens in classrooms:

  • Make research-backed pedagogy effortless
    Kodály, Orff, and other proven approaches are seamlessly integrated into lessons that flow naturally, with no extra preparation and no hidden complexity.

  • Teach for lifelong musicianship, not just assessments
    We equip students with a genuine understanding of music — including inner hearing, ensemble awareness, and expressive performance — not just test scores.

  • Technology should enhance the teacher, never replace them
    Our platform puts teachers in control. You lead the music. We support you with resources that save time and enrich your delivery.

  • Universal Design for Learning Principles
    Our resources adhere to the principles of Universal Design for Learning, making every lesson accessible to diverse learners and inclusive of all voices.

  • Flexible and adaptable to suit your students
    Every class is different. Every resource is editable, allowing you to extend, simplify, localise, or personalise it.

  • Surpass expectations
    We aim to impress you every time you log in — with rich resources, intuitive design, and tools that make your job easier.

  • No manuals needed
    You shouldn’t have to ‘learn the software’ before you teach. Everything is designed to be intuitive and classroom-ready from the moment you log in.

  • Uncompromising on quality
    We are relentless in our pursuit of excellence — in lesson design, in content, and in the impact we make on music learning across the country.

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