🌻 Girls just wanna have...F.U.N... 🌻 Freedom: to be and become. Unmasking: to shed the expected and show what’s real. Narrative: to shape and speak one’s seasons of life. I’m delighted and deeply honoured to share that I’ll be presenting at the 2025 Christchurch Educating Girls Symposium, hosted by the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools. My session is titled: The Unheard Curriculum: What Music and Multilingualism Reveal About Girls’ Inner Lives — and What Educators Can Do About Them. This is more than a topic for me, it’s a calling. As someone who lives between languages, cultures, and concert stages, Music and Multilingualism have always been the mediums through which I’ve made sense of the world. They are how I listen, how I speak, and how I serve. Through my work as a pianist, educator, interpreter, and researcher, I’ve seen how girls often communicate their most important truths not through what’s said, but through what’s felt, expressed, or left unsaid. What if we paid closer attention to tone, silence, code-switching, rhythm? What if we honoured the rich inner lives girls carry (often quietly) into classrooms? This symposium, part of the Global Action Research Collaborative on Girls’ Education, brings together educators and thought-leaders from around the world. I’m honoured to contribute to this shared mission of deeper listening and attuned leadership. I’d love to know: When have music or language helped you access something that couldn’t be spoken directly? Please share your experience with F.U.N in the comments below ⬇️ 🌻 Freedom to 🌻 Unmask your 🌻 Narratives. #TheUnheardCurriculum #CrescendoWithZen #EducatingGirls #GirlsEducation #MultilingualismMatters #MusicAsLanguage #LeadershipWithHeart #FreedomUnmaskingNarrative #ICGS2025

Standing ovation...!! 🌻 🌻 👏 👏 A concert, and more. A meeting of worlds. A weaving of stories. Last night, I had the privilege of witnessing a group of extraordinary women from across cultures, each playing her cultural instrument, each bringing the depth of her lineage, artistry, and listening. Together, they created something beyond genre. Beyond geography. It was spacious. Alive. Full of grace and grit. 'Resonant Hearts' is the vision of my dear WAAPA friend Nela Trifkovic, whose quiet strength, compassion, and artistic foresight left me in awe.. She imagined this… and then made it real. Quiet. Powerful. Leadership. To witness these women share their voice, their rhythm, their pain and hope together, reminded me why I believe in the power of music not just to perform, but to transform. I left reminded of what music can do: when it’s not trying to impress, but to connect. To hold grief, joy, memory, and hope, all at once. With deep gratitude to the artists. Imagine if our world, may it be a company, a school or a family (and even politics?) chose to be inclusive, collaborative, and brave enough to hold complexity and beauty in the same breath... Surrealism? Dare to dream. Especially with the divine company of Frances Goh, rounding out the evening with exquisite fusion food in Melbourne. So Melbourne. So Surreal. #ResonantHeart #WomenInMusic #ListeningAcrossCultures #SoundAndSoul #MusicalLeadership #WithGratitude #CrescendowithZen

Growing by 80%? Leaders who have a prescence? their company grow by 80%. Iza's post made me pause. What if that same presence could grow our lives, our communities, our humanity? We lead not just in boardrooms. The most important leadership begins every morning when we show up. It is about how we show up, when it’s uncomfortable. When it’s quiet. When values are tested. When it would be easier to disappear. To lead is to live your values out LOUD.💥 That’s how trust groooows.🌻 That’s how we groooooooow.🌻 #Leadership #Presence #ValuesInAction #Community #HumanityFirst

Pressure, pressure pressure... The 'show' must go on... But HOW? When the pressure peaks, what carries a performer through isn’t just talent, it’s trust. Trust in their preparation. Trust in their skills. Trust in the people beside them. And just as importantly, trust in the environment that holds them. When that trust is solid, pressure becomes a condition, not a threat. It sharpens focus, deepens presence, and allows the performer to ride the unknown with poise and agility. The stage may have spotlights, but the pressure, vulnerability, and need for trust are the same — in music, in leadership, and in life. In any high-pressure workplace or community, our ability to perform, connect, and grow depends on how safe we feel to bring our full selves — and how deeply we trust what we’ve built within and around us. #TrustUnderPressure #PerformanceWithPresence #CrescendoWithZen #InnerRhythm #WorkplaceWellbeing #MusicAsMetaphor

How do you perform under pressure? I often reflect on the striking image of Julie Bishop took the opportunity to confront Vladimir Putin for the downing of MH17 over Ukraine at the G20 Summit in 2014. No raised voice. No dramatic gestures. Just calm, focused presence—and a smile. She didn’t need to shout to be heard. She didn’t need to dominate to lead. That smile wasn’t softness. It was strategy. It was composure. It was a masterclass in performance under pressure. Because true performance—on stage, in diplomacy, or in life—isn’t about being loud. It’s about being anchored, aligned, and attuned. Like in music, when the spotlight hits and the stakes rise, we don’t guess our way through. We trust the inner rhythm we’ve rehearsed—our values, our mindset, our clarity. Did I also mention Julia seized the opportunity to march up to Putin and stare him down when his security guards were elsewhere for ten minutes? She was on a mission. Julie’s stance reminds us: -Be clear about your values. -Be decisive. -Be authentic. -Focus on the task at hand—with grace, not noise. When pressure finds you, do you rise up? sink? or explode? Can you speak with strength and a smile? Can you action with poise and grace? #CrescendoWithZen #ArtOfPerformance #LeadershipUnderPressure #HighPerformers #JulieBishop #InnerRhythm #QuietStrength #HighPerformance #PresenceOverPerfection #CourageInAction

H-A-L-T! We once learned to stay 1.5 metres apart. It kept us safe. It helped us care. But perhaps now, it’s time to relearn something new: Closeness. Courage. Connection. Our children are growing up in a world shaped by distance — not just physical, but emotional. What a gift it would be to show them something different. To model what it means to truly be there: for ourselves, and for one another. This Men’s Health Week, I have been thinking: Presence is an investment, Stillness is courage and wisdom, And time — our most precious commodity: is an offer of love. What would it look like to give a little of our time to simply sit beside someone — to listen without agenda, to pause long enough for the real story to surface, to become whatever is needed for the symphony of someone else’s harmony? Because when men flourish, so does the world around them. Their presence strengthens families. Their wholeness nourishes communities. Their wellbeing lifts future generations. 🪕🍵A quiet renaissance begins not with noise — but with noticing. With showing up. With choosing to come closer. This week — and always: Let’s lead with presence. Let’s guide with kindness. Let’s meet one another not just halfway, but at where they are. #MensHealthWeek #QuietRenaissance #MenFlourishing #CultureOfCare #HeartToHeart #TimeIsSacred #RealConnection #WholeMenWholeWorld #CrescendoOfCare #LeadWithPresence

💥Uncoded perfection. 🎹🌻 At the mega Ringwood Eisteddfod, I had the honour of adjudicating nearly 50 emerging performers. Each brought more just note and technique, they brought presence, feeling, story. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, this matters. Because expression, vulnerability, and interpretation can’t be coded. Music is one of our oldest languages—felt before it’s understood, shared before it’s perfected. To witness young artists step onto a stage and offer something real, vulnerable and beautiful? That’s not just performance. That’s humanity in motion. 🎶Growth is not a download—it’s earned. 🎶Expression is not synthetic—it’s lived. 🎶And connection? Still our greatest instrument. Is AI taking over your job? Time to be creative! 😁🌻 #ringwoodeisteddfod #humantouch #beyondAI #musiciansjourney #growthmindset #crescendo

What is true mentorship? It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right question—at the right moment. It’s not about fixing. It’s about witnessing, guiding, and knowing when to step back. As a performer and educator, I’ve learned: 🌻You don’t teach by flooding someone with knowledge. 🌻You teach by tuning in—deeply—to what they already carry. Performance psychology reminds us that under pressure, what matters most isn’t perfection. It’s presence. It’s pacing. It’s helping someone find their rhythm, not forcing yours. Mentorship isn’t about shaping a student into your image. It’s about offering them space to become more themselves. And that requires a quiet kind of courage. 🌻So when I mentor, I ask: “What’s the one note they need to lead to right now?” Because mastery isn’t built in a day. But one aligned step at a time. 🌻 Who has mentored you by being present, not just impressive? #MentorshipMatters #MasterclassMoments #PerformancePsychology #LeadByListening #MusicAndMentoring #DeepTeaching #ClarityUnderPressure #MusicianEducator

🎤✨ The heart of every performance isn’t the presenter—it’s the receiver. Music truly comes alive in the listening, the feeling, the shared space between performer and audience. It’s the same in business, service, and every human interaction: True impact happens when we focus on the people we serve, their experience, and how we co-create meaning together. Because it’s never just about us— It’s about the history we carry, the humanity we connect with, and the legacy our work and expertise become part of. No matter the stage or context, the true power lies in the relationships we build and the deeper story we join. #CrescendoWithZen #AudienceFirst #CollectiveWisdom #PurposeDrivenLeadership #InnerRhythmOuterImpact #MusicAsMetaphor

The old-school idea that Sports is all about muscles and Arts is all about heart? Ill-informed and outdated. Both demand discipline, vulnerability, strategy, and soul. Whether we’re chasing a ball under stadium lights or shaping silence into sound on a concert stage — we’re navigating pressure, emotion, and performance. Sport and art aren't opposites. We are mirrors. We add colours to communities and spirit to humanity. 🌻🎨💜👩‍🎓 We challenge people to stretch beyond limits, to play with purpose, to move others — and ourselves. Maybe it’s time we stopped separating the two, and started learning from both. #AFL #ArtsAndSport #PerformanceWithPurpose #MuscleAndHeart #BeyondLimits #FlowState #MindBodySoul #CrescendowithZen

Still thinking about this… I had the absolute joy of attending a workshop with the incredible @Benjamin Northey, and he had so much wisdom packed into his words. One line in particular struck me: “When conductors lead for everything, they are so clear—but they also stop the ensemble from listening to each other.” It got me thinking—how often do we do this in life? In teams, families, relationships… even with ourselves? Ben beautifully drew the connection between music, leadership, and humanity. He spoke about how true leadership isn’t about being the loudest or most in control—it’s about creating space for others to step in, to listen, to respond. That’s when the magic happens. As a musician and educator, this resonates deeply with me. I’ve always believed that music teaches us about life—how to hold space, how to collaborate, how to grow. Whether you’re on stage, at work, or navigating life’s chaos, the best leaders are the ones who know when to step back and let others shine. It was such a refreshing, thought-provoking experience—and I’m curious… Have you ever experienced leadership like this? Or moments where less control actually created more connection? Would love to hear your thoughts. #LeadershipLessons #MusicAsMetaphor #GrowthThroughArt #CrescendoWithZen #LifeReflections #HumanityAndHarmony

A little reminder to start your (and my) day. 💜 #motivationquotes #CrescendoWithZen #takeaction #imposter

#artofmusic #performance #mastery #flowstate #crescendowithzen

3 FULL-time jobs??? Like Clara Schumann and so many women out there, we don’t choose between work and motherhood. We choose both—fully, fiercely. Life is our shared stage. Our shared growth. Our shared joy. Each note, each giggle, each glance—it all belongs. #ModernMuse #ClaraSchumannSpirit #MotherhoodAndMusic #GrowingTogether #ConcertMoments #CrescendoWithZen #MyLifeMyPlaylist #StrengthInHarmony

Smashed avo and smoked salmon? CLASSIC. Parsley leaves and Sichuan chilli crisp? UNconventional. But wow—it works...wonderously! This plate surprised me. The creamy avocado, the richness of the smoked salmon, the velvety texture of a soft egg... then a blast: the numbing-savoury hit of chilli oil, and that bold, leafy freshness of parsley. It shouldn’t work. But it so does. It made me think—how often do we avoid unlikely pairings in our own lives? In ideas, rhythms, or even the way we connect with others? Sometimes the unexpected is exactly what we need to reset the palate—and spark something new. We don't know what we don't know. To meet the world with fresh eyes and a sense of wonder—that might be the most quietly radical act of all. How dare YOU?

MISSED OUT on the democracy sausage!! But, scored clarity, connection, and a whole lot of gratitude. 🌈🌻🌭 I am deeply grateful for the sunshine, freedom, and the privilege to grow in a country full of abundance and possibility. On this election day, I’m reminded why I do what I do: to connect, to uplift, and to create space for reflection and resonance. Through live music and mindful work, we rise — together. #CrescendowithZen #ElectionDayReflections #LiveMusicMatters #Gratitude #CreativeLeadership #PurposefulLiving

What.A.Night. Inner Worlds: Beyond the Facade was more than a concert—it was a deep, shared experience. Schumann, Shostakovich, Sollima… their music still speaks so naturally to us. No words needed—just feeling. Just their truths. They didn’t wait for life to be easy to create something powerful. They wrote through the chaos. And maybe that’s the reminder we all need: Don’t wait. Create. Feel. Express. Even in the mess—especially in the mess. Thank you for listening with open hearts. What a magical place Tempo Rubato was for this powerful inmmersive experience. #livemusic #tempoRubato #innerworlds #beyondthefacade #classicalmusic #musicthatheals #shostakovich #schumann #sollima #crescendowithzen