About

Our story

At Freedom Music Studios, we provide quality tuition and artist development for students of all ages and abilities. Our welcoming and supportive environment allows students to experiment and take risks while building their confidence.

In our studio in Rowville, South East Melbourne, we invite people who have always had an inkling that they’d like to sing, or perform to explore their talent.

We have a team of friendly, passionate and expert teachers.

Throughout the year, students have regular performance opportunities in front of a live audience. This motivates them to continue practicing and maintain enthusiasm for their next lesson. It also provides a space for students to socialise and collaborate on musical items. Parents, families and friends get to know one another as they enjoy the shows and witness the progress in front of their loved ones. For us, it’s wonderful to see students of all ages interacting and learning from one another.

When you start having lessons with us, you are more than just a customer or a student – you are part of The Freedom Music Family.

Meet our team

We are a passionate team of teachers at Freedom Music Studios who have dedicated our lives to the mastery and performance of our craft.

Clare Assetta

Owner and Principal

Voice and Performance Coach

Clare is the driving force behind Freedom Music Studios. Her personality, experience and passion for the industry have led to the wide range of services we offer our students today. After spending 20 years studying the art of Vocal Production, she has gained an extensive set of qualifications including a Bachelor of Science majoring in anatomy and physiology, Diploma of Education and she’s completed The Compulsory Figures for Voice Control course four times. Clare has worked hard over the past 10 years to achieve her ranking as a certified Level 3 singing teacher with the Institute of Vocal Advancement.

Throughout her vocal career Clare has often been left feeling hoarse and fatigued due to a heavy vocal load, from both singing and public presenting. Over many years, Clare refused to believe that her voice was at its capacity and went on a mission to gain insights into the intricacies of vocal technique. During this time, she fell in love with the study of voice and all its facets including technique, style, artistry and performance. After years of study and research, Clare has a diverse knowledge and methodology towards teaching enduring, reliable, pain free and artistic voice production.

Clare’s Degree in Science, majoring in Physiology and Anatomy, gives her the skills to understand and discuss the singers ‘instrument’, the larynx. Her Diploma of Education and 10 years working as a class room teacher gives her the skills required to ‘teach’ all ages and vast amounts of experience working with children. Using her personal knowledge, learnings from courses and conversing with other vocal specialists, Clare can offer students many techniques that can be applied to vocal production and improve performance.

Her mission is to provide as many students as possible with the skills and strength required to ensure that they use their vocal instrument to its maximum potential!

Learn more about Clare and her singing experience on our blog

Paris Collins

Manager

Private Voice Coach, First Notes Academy, and Move Shake & Groove Instructor

Paris Collins has been a part of the Freedom Family since 2014. She has performed in several bands as a vocalist as well as leads in amateur musicals. Paris has experienced the many challenges that come with performing and has a large repertoire created over the years.

Paris is studying Bachelor of Psychology in the hopes to lean into the music therapy field when she graduates.

Kathryn Vavasseur

Reception and Admin

Kathryn plays an integral part in our admin team and is a friendly face you’ll see as you enter our studio!

As a student herself, Kathryn’s enthusiasm about all we offer comes from her passion for the studio.

Instrumental Teachers

Hezy Suramarta

Keyboard, Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Ukulele Teacher

Hezy has joined the teaching team at Freedom and is available for keyboard, piano, guitar, bass and drums from beginner to advance.

Hezy has been actively involved both in the music industry and music teaching for more than 15 years. Hezy seeks to equip students with the performance, composition, and theoretical skills that will see them excel in any path they take in music. He is highly outcome-driven and motivated with solid experience. As a member of a contemporary jazz band, he has been performing in many Jazz Festivals in Victoria, weddings and corporate
events.

Stephanie Chin

Keyboard, Piano and Theory Teacher, and Move, Shake and Groove Instructor

Stephanie is an accomplished pianist with over a decade of training in classical piano and music theory. Stephanie has been trained under the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada, completing both practical and theory examinations to a high level and achieving accreditation towards university studies. Stephanie has performed as an accompanist in both jazz and mixed choirs along with church choirs.

Callum McDonald

Guitar and Bass, Music Theory

Callum is a guitarist with over a decade of performance experience from when he was in primary school all the way through to today.

He has always been a keen musician, playing in school musicals, performance nights, awards ceremonies, and more throughout his schooling. As Music Captain and head of the jazz ensemble in high school, he achieved multiple creative achievement/music awards and completed VCE music performance. Callum was accepted to the Melbourne Conservatory of Music before leaving to pursue a Bachelor of Applied Music – Composition which he concluded in 2021.

Today, he spends his time writing music, with the hopes of one day becoming a full-time film composer.

Vocal Teachers

Meg Wagner

Private Voice Coach, First Notes Academy and Move Shake & Groove Instructor

Meg has been a fan of all things music and performance for as long as she can remember! She was raised surrounded by music and constantly sang with her family wherever she could. To this day, not much has changed, except that it now irritates her siblings much more!

Meg is enthusiastic about being a part of all the creative opportunities offered to her. She has been part of multiple musicals, including ‘The Addams Family’, ‘Hairspray’, ‘Catch Me if You Can’ as Brenda Strong, ‘In The Heights’ as Nina Rosario, and the title role of Mary Poppins in ‘Mary Poppins’. On top of this, she completed both Music Performance and Theatre Studies to a high standard in 2018. She has furthered her training by studying full-time Musical Theatre at Showfit with Centrestage Performing Arts School. Meg is still consistently in amateur theatre shows around Melbourne.

Olivia Quintrell

Private Voice Coach and First Notes Academy

Singing has been an integral part of her life, granting her opportunities in performance, spanning from theatre to corporate gigs. Olivia completed her Certificate II in Music Performance as part of her VCE studies, concluding the year as dux of this unit. She also enjoys playing many instruments such as guitar, piano, and ukulele. 

Olivia finds that music is a unique avenue for self-expression and unity, and as an avid songwriter, advocates for the therapeutic nature of singing.

Charley Cestnik

Private Voice, First Notes Academy, and Move, Shake and Groove Instructor

Jamika Aliaga

Private Voice Coach and First Notes Academy

Jamika is a singer/songwriter who has been taking lessons since she was 7. Throughout her Primary & Highschool years, she involved herself in all music extra-curricular activities, including choir and productions. She has graduated with her Bachelor of Music Performance and is now studying for a Master of Teaching. In 2019 Jamika traveled to America, to work at Disney World. She had an amazing time and got to make many great memories.