ATCL Dist, AMusA, P.Perf.Dip, L.Perf.ASMC, L.Dip.SCSM, Cert.Voc.Sci, Dip.Alex.Tech, BMus, GradCertMus, MA (Music Performance), PhD Candidate
Pianist | Pedagogue | Repetiteur
Melbourne, Victoria
Profile
Isaac Mouskovias is a Melbourne-based freelance accompanist, teacher, and vocal coach. Isaac is a specialist in injury-preventative piano technique, currently pursuing certification in the Taubman Approach. Isaac holds extensive qualifications in Piano Performance, Piano Accompaniment, Piano Pedagogy, and Vocal Performance.
Praised for his bel canto tone and strong technical facility, Isaac is a sort-after accompanist for empathetic and sensitive collaborative skills when working with soloists, from young performers through to seasoned professionals.
Regularly engaged as an accompanist in a variety of settings, Isaac is an extremely competent sight reader and is able to comfortably perform a variety of styles and mediums.
An avid performer and researcher, Isaac stays up to date with the latest pedagogical approaches, providing his students with an exceptional education at the piano. Isaac’s students are praised in competitions and exams for their excellent technique, beauty of tone, and musical finesse in performance.
Most recently Isaac has worked as repetiteur on Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, and is currently studying a PhD in Piano Performance with a focus on the Taubman Approach, studying with Dr Therese Milanovic. Isaac was also the recipient of the Margaret Schofield Memorial Award for Best Accompanist at the 2023 National Liederfest.
Bio
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Isaac Mouskovias is a talented pianist, accompanist, pedagogue, and vocal coach. Growing up in the musically vibrant town of Mildura, Isaac's passion for music led him to become a skilled collaborative artist at the young age of 14. He accompanied singers at the local eisteddfod and in the studios of local singing teachers, where he was carefully mentored, as well as accompanying all exams and performances for his classmates at the public high school he attended. During this time, Catherine Hall, a career accompanist, mentored and tutored Isaac, playing a pivotal role in his development as a collaborative pianist.
At the tender age of 16, halfway through Year 11, Isaac was accepted into a Bachelor of Music (Performance), enabling him to leave school and focus solely on music, and run a thriving private music studio that taught over 60 students per week. Many of his students went on to study music at tertiary level at leading conservatoriums across Australia, including the Adelaide Conservatorium, Melbourne Conservatorium, Sydney Conservatorium, Tasmanian Conservatorium, and WAAPA.
At 18, Isaac relocated to Adelaide to continue his studies with renowned Russian pedagogue, Eleonora Sivan.
After finishing up with his time in Adelaide, Isaac moved to Melbourne to advance his career as a collaborative pianist. Upon his arrival, he became the College Accompanist at Brighton Grammar School, where he managed the keyboard studies program, taught piano, and fulfilled all accompanying duties at the music school.
After two productive years at Brighton Grammar, Isaac accepted a new position at Mentone Girls' Grammar as the College Accompanist & Repetiteur. This role gave him more flexibility to work as a freelancer and allowed him to work with students preparing for diplomas or undertaking VCE Music, offering weekly one-to-one coachings and rehearsals. Isaac also accepted a position at St. Margaret's Berwick Grammar as VCE Repetiteur while working at Mentone Girls'.
After four years at Mentone Girls' Grammar, Isaac resigned to increase his work as a freelancer and begin his PhD studies.
Currently, Isaac teaches piano at Firbank Grammar School two days a week, alongside his freelance work.
As a skilled classical pianist, Isaac has an impressive portfolio of accomplishments that demonstrate a versatile offering of work, such as serving as Repetiteur for Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins.
Isaac has also worked with Lyric Opera of Melbourne, most recently as a repetiteur and orchestral piansit on Iphis (Kats-Chernin), and Australian Contemporary Opera Co. as an orchestral pianist. Additionally, Isaac has been in demand as a Musical Director and Composer for several small productions produced by the Butterfly Club and Adelaide Fringe Festival.
He has also worked as a conductor and pianist for the Australian Children's Choir and lectured on Music Theory and Keyboard Skills in musical theatre tertiary programs.
Furthermore, Isaac has been the official accompanist for several eisteddfods, including the Mildura Eisteddfod, Ringwood Eisteddfod, Eisteddfod by the Bay, The Classical Voice Singing Competition, Broken Hill Eisteddfod, and the Yamaha Australian National Band Championships. Isaac has also served as an adjudicator for the Boroondara Eisteddfod Piano Finals in 2022.
Isaac is a sort after teacher by both students and professionals for his intuitive problem-solving skills, and ability to address technical and musical problems at the piano. Students walk away from lessons with practical solutions to problems, that they can implement immediately for remarkable results.
Through his approach to teaching, most students progress rapidly due to the mastery of the instrument that Isaac instils. For example, a common occurrence in Isaac’s studio is students coming in at a 5th Grade Level, and within two years completing their 8th Grade exam.
Considering Isaac’s interesting past, having begun his undergraduate degree a year and a half early, and beginning professional work at a young age, Isaac is an open-minded teacher, who explores all avenues and potential approaches to reaching a student's ultimate potential without limiting them to traditional and dogmatic systems of training which more often than not, slow a student’s progress.
Isaac is a dedicated learner with extensive qualifications in pedagogy and performance.
He holds five associate and licentiate diplomas, including an AMusA in Classical Voice, as well as a Certificate in Vocal Science, a Diploma in the Alexander Technique, a Graduate Certificate in Music (Pedagogy), and a Master of Arts in Music Performance. His master's degree had a double major focus on Piano Accompaniment and Injury Preventative Piano Technique.
Isaac has trained with renowned teachers such as Dr. Anna Goldsworthy, Eleonora Sivan, Alison Kirkpatrick, and Dr. Therese Milanovic. Additionally, he has studied voice with Susan Breen-Clark, Linda Barcan, and Laura Poulton.
Currently, Isaac is undertaking a PhD in Music Performance, extending on his Masters studies by further researching the Taubman Approach, building on his last 6 years of training in the approach. As part of this PhD, Isaac is currently studying with Dr. Therese Milanovic, Australia's foremost expert on the Taubman Approach and a Master Teacher with the Golandsky Institute.