We exist to cultivate a life-long love of the arts. Our key objective is to support quality arts education and we're always excited by seeing where that can take learners of all ages.
We acknowledge that young people are at our core and make this public commitment to the safety of children and young people in all that we do.
Growing up in Townsville, Queensland, Alexis discovered music early, picking up the violin at the age of nine. During her school years she threw herself into every musical opportunity available – string quartets, ensembles, orchestras and even pit work for local productions. Little did she know that these experiences would shape the direction of her career.
Alexis studied music at the University of Queensland, followed by a Diploma of Event Management, before heading south to Sydney to begin her professional life in the arts. Her first role at Symphony Services International saw her coordinating artist services and touring logistics for hundreds of international soloists, conductors and touring personnel annually across Australia's six state orchestras. She also assisted with coordinating the Young Performers Awards and conductor training programs during this time, discovering early on that supporting the development of emerging talent was some of the most rewarding work she could do. It was a baptism by fire, but one that instilled an appreciation for the complexity and beauty of the performing arts ecosystem.
The role of Chorus and Artistic Coordinator at the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra brought Alexis to Hobart, where she spent nearly eleven years coordinating performances, regional Chorus tours, community events, specialist masterclasses, and even led the implementation of new orchestra and chorus management systems along the way.
Feeding a curiosity that extends well beyond the arts, Alexis has since worked in management consulting and energy retail, building skills in operational leadership, strategic planning and project governance. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics and is currently completing a Master of Business Administration.
Now as the State Manager of AMEB Tasmania, Alexis is thrilled to return to her musical roots and to the organisation that supported her own journey as a young musician. She is passionate about making music education accessible to learners all over Tasmania, and is particularly excited about the opportunities that the AMEB Award, Rockschool, musical theatre and online examinations bring to a new generation of learners. She is also a parent of primary school aged children and sees firsthand how transformative music education can be. Alexis looks forward to connecting with teachers, students, examiners and families across Tasmania and contributing to AMEB's next exciting chapter.
Alexandra is a violinist and teacher, tutoring young musicians alongside performing for over twenty years. She has played with ensembles and orchestras in Sydney and Tasmania, and holds a Bachelor of Music (Perf) and a Master of Music (Stud) through the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. As part of this study, she received the Dorothy Glover scholarship to study with The Institute of Jacques Dalcroze in America.
Alexandra also has a passion for storytelling. Her recently published middle-grade books, Violetta and the Venetian Violin and Violetta and the Paganini Poltergeist include albums of classical music and a suite of resources for students. By exploring themes like the transformative power of music, its universality, and its ability to unite, she hopes to encourage and inspire future music-lovers.
Alexandra is excited to be the Exams Coordinator for AMEB Tasmania. She says "It’s a joy and privilege to work alongside Alexis Hargrave and the AMEB Tasmanian team, supporting our community of incredible teachers, examiners and students."
Our Examiners are highly respected teachers and artists and each of them have a unique history with AMEB.
Following endorsement from the Tasmanian State Committee, Trainee Examiners undertake a rigorous training process to ensure AMEB’s national standard of assessment and accreditation remains consistent throughout Australia. Finally, the Federal Board approves their appointment to become a fully-fledged AMEB Examiner.
Our examiners are experts in their fields and have deep knowledge across many genres and instrument specialties. They travel throughout the state to hear and see the variety of talented young and aspiring artists and performers undertaking their exams.
The training process for our Examiners is rigorous and takes approximately two years. Our Trainee Examiners shadow established Examiners to learn about conduct in exams, how to write supportive, encouraging, and accurate reports, and (most importantly) to calibrate their assessments at all levels.
This training process is a consistent approach across Australia. It ensures that all candidates are assessed fairly and appropriately for the level they're presenting, and that the integrity of AMEB's national accreditation is upheld.
If you have a Trainee Examiner in your exam, please don't be nervous - the assessment they make does not contribute to your report, but the experience they gain from hearing you is invaluable.
Interested in becoming an examiner? Please get in touch to have a chat about what’s expected and the training process. Applications are accepted year-round but will be reviewed at two points annually. If you would like to find out more and/or submit an application, please download the position description below. It is a condition of employment that all AMEB Examiners hold and maintain a valid Working With Vulnerable People check.
Examiner Position Description (PDF 198.3 KB)
Appointments of Rockschool and PAA Examiners are managed by the AMEB Federal office. If you're interested in these roles, please have a look at their careers webpage here.
The Tasmanian State Committee has been established to provide advice to AMEB Tasmania in relation to broad-based aspects of music education within the community. The Committee presents an important forum for identifying state-wide issues and opportunities, and a platform for sharing viewpoints from the sector. The Committee provides advice to the State Manager about effective delivery and development of AMEB within Tasmania, ultimately with the intention of cultivating a strong and thriving music education community. Where relevant, the Committee is responsible for identifying matters to be brought to the attention of AMEB Federal Board. The Committee has no delegated decision-making power on behalf of AMEB. Recognising that the Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania, is the premiere tertiary music institution in Tasmania, and AMEB (TAS) is the most utilised music syllabus and examination system in Tasmania, the two organisations work together to make music education more accessible and to improve and develop music education in Tasmania.
Chair: Dr Jonathan Wallis, PhD(Cambridge), MA(Mel).
Nara Dennis, BMus(Perf)(Adel), AMusA.
Dr Jody Heald AM, PhD(Curtin), BMus(Tas), GradDipMus(Tas), TMusA, LMusA, AMusA, MIMT.
Amanda Hodder, MMus(VCA), BMus(Tas).
Hamish Houston, BMus(Tas).
Dr Damien Kingston, PhD(UTAS), MMus(CvA), BMus(CvA).
Jennie MacDonald, BMus, DipEd, TTC.
Andy Prideaux, BA(Hons), DipLCM.
Dr Melissa Rogers, PhD(UNSW), MA(Avondale), BA/BTeach(Avondale), LMusA, AMusA, AComp ASMC.
Karen Smithies, MMus (UTAS), BMus (SydCon), LMusA, AMusA.
Sarah Triffitt, BMC(UNE), ASDA.
Interested in contributing?
The team expands on exam days to include casual exam supervisors and, for some exams, Federal examiners and instrument specialist advisers.
Our team of Exam Supervisors include our State Manager, Exams Coordinator, and our fabulous casual team to help you on your exam day:
The Federal office works closely with our office to provide additional support and resources - you may even speak with one of them if we're already on a call. Keep reading to find out more about the Federal team.
Together, AMEB Tasmania is here to help with exam registrations, syllabus queries, and more.
The Federal office operates out of Melbourne, under the leadership of CEO, Bernard Depasquale. The Federal team is responsible for AMEB syllabus review, SCORE (our online platform) development, online theory exams, and general strategy, marketing, finance and operations of AMEB publications and national programs. Working closely with AMEB Tasmania, these amazing people provide plenty of support to our own exams and even pick up the phone when we're busy looking after you.
AMEB Federal BoardOverall direction of AMEB activities is the responsibility of a Federal Board, whose membership consists of representatives from the signatories to the AMEB constitution. Those signatories are the educational institutions of the Universities of Melbourne, Adelaide and Western Australia; the Minister for Education, New South Wales; the Minister for Education, Training and Employment, Queensland; and the Minister for Education and Training, Tasmania, through the University of Tasmania.
A quality arts education starts with quality arts educators and we love our talented Tassie teachers!
If you're looking for a teacher to help you with your next exam (or are just keen to take up a new hobby), these are the locals who have registered with us as teachers of AMEB Syllabuses.
The fit between learner and educator is unique in every case, and no single teacher is perfect for every personality and stage of development. For this reason, AMEB is unable to offer endorsements of individuals or studios but we hope that you'll find this a useful starting point. You may also find our supporters to be helpful resources - the Tasmanian Music Teachers' Association and the Australian Strings Association also publish lists of teachers across Tasmania.
Teachers please note: there is no fee involved but we offer no associated membership perks, other than the potential of reaching more prospective students, of course! It will be your responsibility to keep your details up to date. To minimise our admin commitment, we will simply remove information if we are made aware of it being incorrect.
We hope you find your perfect fit!
In 1887, a programme of music examinations was initiated in Australia by the Universities of Adelaide and Melbourne. Tasmania soon followed, with the University of Tasmania joining in 1911. The other states came on board in the ensuing years until, in 1918, the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) became a national organisation. Its purpose was to provide graded assessments of the achievements of music students across the country – something AMEB continues to delivery today.
Today, AMEB is a federated body with its Federal Office based in Melbourne, while each state’s exams are administered by their own offices. Signatories to the AMEB constitution comprise the Universities of Melbourne, Adelaide, Western Australia, the NSW Minister for Education, the Qld Minister for Education, Training and Employment, and the Tasmanian Minister for Education and Training (administered by the University of Tasmania). These and other education institutions use AMEB qualifications as a benchmark for selection of students into their courses.
AMEB Tasmania is administered by the School of Creative Arts and Media, University of Tasmania, on behalf of the Minister for Education, Children and Youth of Tasmania.
