Ann-Thu Nguyen Nikitin - Class Of 2013
MUSIC PERFORMER
Music was always a motivating factor for Ann-Thu while a student at Loreto Toorak. Many of her favourite activities included Performing Arts Festival, Music Camp, and Oak Parlour Recitals. The School not only provided a first-class education, but also taught her valuable life lessons such as diligence, hard work, and resilience.
Following her Year 12 graduation, Ann-Thu completed a Bachelor of Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music with First Class Honours. She continued her studies at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, completing an Honours degree in 2016, and a Master of Music Performance in 2018, again obtaining First Class Honours. During these years, Ann-Thu was awarded five scholarships for excellence: the Francis Quinn Arts Encouragement Award (2014), the DW Gardiner Fund Award (2016), Florence Menk Meyer Prize (2016), Madeleine Orr Scholarship (2017) and the Grace Funston Scholarship (2018).
Ann-Thu now performs as concerto soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. At least once each year, she organises and performs solo or chamber music concerts; the freedom to choose the music program brings her great pleasure, however, the most rewarding and joyous moment lies in seeing how audience members respond to the music. In addition to her busy performance schedule, Ann-Thu is also the director of her own music school, Melbourne Music Education, where she teaches piano. She has plans to expand the school to offer opportunities for students to learn other instruments. The music school currently provides lessons in violin, improvisation/composition, and music theory.
In her personal life, Ann-Thu is thrilled to have recently become a new mum to a one-year-old baby. She enjoys taking her baby on walks and, when time permits, exploring and touring new places. The next step is a mystery, although Ann-Thu hopes to continue making music and to share her love of music to everyone, especially children, through her school.
Ann-Thu credits Loreto Toorak for teaching crucial life skills and values. She can see how diligence and resilience has helped form her into a hard-working person, one who never gives up easily. Ann-Thu is also thankful to Mr David McNicol, her piano teacher at Loreto Toorak for being very encouraging in her studies and guiding her to complete her AMusA (Association Diploma of Music) at the age of 11 and her LMusA (Licentiate Diploma of Music) at the age of 14.
Ann-Thus Nguyen attended Loreto Toorak from 2007-2010.
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