Margaret Brandman is a highly experienced and accredited music educator, award-winning composer and a prolific author. She has published a wide and exhaustive range of innovative music education texts and highly-acclaimed compositions for orchestra, chamber ensembles and voice.

A represented composer at the Australian Music Centre, many of her works included in AMEB and ANZCA syllabuses are frequently selected for HSC and tertiary performances.

She is an accomplished pianist, accredited piano teacher, arranger and music educator, who conducts professional development courses for music teachers. Margaret also teaches piano, music theory, aural and chord skills, plus improvisation and compositional techniques to young children, teenagers and adults.

She has performed and lectured both in Australia and abroad and composed music for a variety of instrumental combinations and voice. Her publications include a complete range of music education materials, including Accent on Music (High School text) and the Contemporary Piano Method

2018 ABC Concert.

Margaret has received high praise for the way she combines her skills and exceptional experience as an acclaimed musician and composer to provide valuable music education materials and developmental courses. By doing so, she is enabling budding musicians and music teachers throughout NSW to gain unique first-hand knowledge of how to succeed in the industry.

In her teaching and published materials, Margaret has taken a creative and intuitive approach to education, which effectively simplifies and quickens the learning process. It also promotes student confidence and retention of information.

Margaret’s career spans over 55 years, starting at an early age studying several instruments, including piano, at the Conservatorium of Music, and completing a composition degree at the University of Sydney.

She attended the Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School, studying piano and clarinet, writing her own composition for the Higher School Certificate.

Margaret received a scholarship to attend Sydney University, where she would be taught by renowned musician composer Peter Sculthorpe AO OBE.

Whilst at Sydney University, Peter insisted she not write music in his style but continue to write ‘Brandman’ music, which she has done to this day.

Margaret’s parents owned the Brandman Music Studio in Rockdale from 1960 to 1980 and Margaret lived in the suburb for a short while, and then in Glebe, with her first husband. The couple had two children, Evan and Jeremy.

She moved to Glenbrook in the late 80’s, with the two boys, where she would work as a piano teacher, author and music educator for the next 15 years.

She is currently living in Cronulla but is a frequent visitor to Penrith and has strong ties to the District for her music.

Margaret’s career has included teaching piano, working in bands, as a musical director (including a pantomime with Ross Hutchison), composing and writing an extensive volume of work as a noted author on music education.

During her illustrious career, Margaret was invited to the first-ever ‘Women in Music’ Conference in New York in 1982. She is a multi-award winner for her compositions and has been described as the most-performed composer of classical music, transitioning across various music genres.

You can also read an excellent article on Margaret at: www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/artist/brandman-margaret

Margaret Brandman was nominated as a Legend of the Nepean by Ross Hutchison.
If you know a local legend, send us a nomination at nepeannews@aol.com