Sheila Guymer is Artistic Director of the Autumn Piano School. She first joined the New England Conservatorium of Music in 2007 as an Educator Member. In 2011, Sheila moved to the UK, but returned to Armidale in 2019 to take up a permanent teaching position with the Conservatorium. She was appointed Head of Keyboard in 2021, teaching piano, music theory and composition, and chamber music/accompaniment.
Committed to supporting quality music education in rural NSW, she was a touring educator for Sydney Conservatorium’s MusicLink! (2005-06) program before moving to Armidale, presenting teacher-training seminars and master classes in regional areas across the State. At tertiary level, Sheila has been a staff member of the University of Melbourne, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Cambridge, Victoria University, and University of New England, where she held various positions as a studio teacher in solo piano and ensemble performance, a staff accompanist, and lecturer/tutor in music craft and music history.
Having an interest in music administration, Sheila was Artistic Director for several chamber concert series in Melbourne, Sydney, and Armidale; Coordinator of Academic Studies at Melba Conservatorium (1998-2001); and has coordinated accompanist teams for events such as the Sydney Flute Festival and Australian String Academy.
In 2011, she was awarded the Freda Bage Fellowship to study in the UK. While at Cambridge University (2011-15), she was twice invited to be Convener of the Music Faculty’s Colloquia Committee. As a member of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Sheila was Artistic Director of her College’s weekly recital series; and President of the Emmanuel College Music Society. She was also Secretary of the Cambridge University Baroque Ensemble; and a keyboardist in the Cambridge University Music Society’s Orchestra. In 2016, with violinist Rachel Stroud, she coordinated a three-day international conference, Performing Knowledge, also held at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
Sheila has a BMus (Hons) from the University of Queensland, and Masters degrees in piano performance from Melbourne and Sydney Universities. She has presented concerts and conference papers in the USA, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and around Australia, often performing with colleagues from the SSO, MSO, Orchestra Victoria, and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. Her performances have been broadcast in Australia by ABC Radio and the MBS networks. Her repertoire interests include solo and chamber music of the Classical period, Lieder, and string-piano duo repertoire.