Music

Thalia is a pianist and musicologist with a passion for holistic education. For the past ten years, she has engaged in gentle teaching methods that place important emphasis on the student’s well-being, fostering a deep and lasting connection to music that extends beyond formal lessons.

Her musical journey began in her hometown - Geneva, Switzerland - where she studied classical piano at the Conservatoire Populaire with Anne-Claude Schaeppi and began a life-long love story with music.

Thalia studied classical piano performance at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music where she received extensive training in music pedagogy, piano performance, orchestral writing, conducting, and music theory, earning a Bachelor's degree with Honours in 2017.

As a postgraduate, Thalia specialised in historical musicology and obtained her Doctorate in 2022. Her thesis delved into the world of the twentieth-century publisher Louise Hanson-Dyer, examining her prolific patronage of women musicians and visual artists. Thalia has presented her work at several international musicological conferences and published academic articles, book reviews, and a book chapter - a list of which can be found below.

Piano Lessons

Embark on a musical adventure and discover the timeless satisfaction of learning the piano. Children and adults of all ages and levels are welcome.

Each lesson is tailored to the student’s needs and desired outcomes, to ensure that their learning experience resonates with their individual goals and ambitions.

Whether you need to prepare for an exam or just want to have fun, you will be guided along each step of the way.

30-minute and 60-minute classes available.

Music Theory

Gain confidence in your theoretical knowledge with a deeper appreciation of music’s inner workings. Dive into the fascinating world of harmony, aural training, melody writing, musical elements, scales and modes.

Each lesson is tailored to the student’s desired outcome, whether they need to prepare for a music theory exam or simply want to better understand their instrument.

Children and adults welcome.

30-minute and 60-minute classes available.

Musicology

Musicology encompasses historical analysis, cultural context, sociological impact, theoretical frameworks, compositional techniques, performance practices, ethnomusicology, and the examination of musical artefacts, fostering a holistic understanding of the art form.

Musicology sessions are tailored to the interests and needs of the student and will help you take your musical understanding to a whole new level.

Musicological tutoring also available for tertiary students. Contact for more information.

List of Publications

Laughlin, Thalia, and Carina Nandlal. “Louise Hanson Dyer and Rose Adler: Scores by Design.” In Pursuit of the New: Louise Hanson-Dyer, Publisher and Collector. Edited by Kerry Murphy and Jennifer Hill. Melbourne: Lyrebird Press, 2023.

Laughlin, Thalia. “Marie Laurencin’s Forgotten Watercolours for Venus and Adonis (1939).” Musica & Figura (2023).


---. “Isabelle Nef (1895-1976): Claveciniste préférée des Éditions de l’Oiseau-Lyre.” Revue de Musicologie 108, no. 1 (2022).

---. (2021). Recording Artists: Isabelle Nef. From the Archives, University of Melbourne.


---. (Host). 11 November 2021. Annabel Abbs. Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women. New Book Network. https://newbooksnetwork.com/windswept.


---. Review of Australian Music and Modernism, 1960-1975 by Michael Hopper. Revue de Musicologie 107, no. 2 (2021): 482-86.


---. Review of Performing Propaganda: Musical Life and Culture in Paris during the First World War by Rachel Moore. H-Net Reviews (October 2021).


---. “Preface” dans Alexandre Tansman: Suite Baroque pour orchestre de chambre. Edited and translated by Peter Dietz. München: Musikproduktion Höflich, 2020.


---. Review of Écoles de Paris en Musique 1920–1950 : Identités, Nationalisme, Cosmopolitisme by Federico Lazzaro. Context 46 (2020): 109-12. 

Conference Papers

20th Conference of the Répertoire International d’Iconographie Musicale association (Virtual, 2021)
“Intersections of Modern Art and Early Music: Marie Laurencin’s Shepherdess” 


43rd Conference of the Musicological Association of Australia (Virtual, 2020)
“Reflections on Publishing: Marie Laurencin’s Venus and Adonis Publications”


42nd  Conference of the Musicological Association of Australia (Melbourne, 2020)
“Louise Hanson-Dyer and Rose Adler: A Publishing Affair”


19th Conference of the Répertoire International d’Iconographie Musicale association (Hobart, 2019)
“Louise Hanson-Dyer and Rose Adler: Scores by Design”


International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology (Berlin, 2019)
“Louise Hanson-Dyer and Yvonne Rokseth: A New Perspective”


41st Conference of the Musicological Association of Australia (Melbourne, 2018)
“Louise Hanson-Dyer and Yvonne Rokseth: A New Perspective”

Awards

Ormond Exhibitions Scholarship (2020)

Travel grant by the Society for Education, Music, and Psychology Research (2019) 
                                                            
Jim Marks Postgraduate Scholarship (2019)

Norman Macgeorge Travelling Scholarship (2019)