Samantha Raftery

Lesson times now available!
Samantha is a private instrumental music teacher, currently residing in Klemzig. She has over 15 years of experience in this field.

Samantha has graduated from the Elder Conservatorium, with Honours, in Performance and Pedagogy. In 2018, Samantha graduated with a High Distinction for an MPhil in Composition, and was subsequently offered a divisional scholarship for further study at a PhD level. Samantha has been awarded the Elder Conservatorium prize for excellence in Postgraduate Study.

Samantha also graduated with a Masters in Teaching (Secondary). She completed a teaching internship at Gleeson College and was a UniMentor at UniSA. Samantha has worked as a music teacher and TRT at Heritage College, Pedare College, Loxton High School and Xavier College. She currently works for the Department of Education's Instrumental Music Service and teaches group string lessons at several schools in the northern suburbs.

Samantha has been involved in numerous ensembles, including the Adelaide Youth Orchestra, the Elder Conservatorium Symphony and Chamber orchestras, the Norwood Symphony Orchestra and many more. She is currently the President of the Australian String Association's (AUSTA) South Australian branch. In the past, Samantha completed a learning traineeship with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and has had the privilege of meeting and working with international artists.

Samantha has travelled extensively as a musician. She completed the Scoil Eigse program as part of the Ennis Fleadh Cheoil in Ireland, as well as attending workshops with Eileen O'Brien and Martin Hayes in Feakle, Ireland. She has also attended the Birmingham Tradfest, where she completed workshops with Tola Custy.

At the end of 2016, Samantha performed as part of the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute in Tasmania.

Samantha also has a strong background in composition. She has composed for film and tv, as well as collaborating with dancers for performances as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Samantha is currently studying composition and plans to create music for educational purposes. In 2015 she created a collaborative work with dancers based upon the story of the Velveteen Rabbit and in 2018, Samantha completed a series of string chamber works inspired by Irish Ceol. Samantha has also created and presented compositions performed through Soundstream New Music. Samantha would like to bring creative approaches from her composition studies into the teaching of instrumental music to students.