Meet the WCMS Team
Our team of mentors are committed to developing confident musicians and confident people.
Studio Management
Kathryn Raats
Founding Director
Kathryn founded West Coast Music School to create a studio where students grow in confidence as people as well as musicians.
With close to 20 years of teaching experience and a lifelong involvement in music across multiple instruments, she brings depth, clarity and intention to the WCMS approach.
Kathryn continues to shape the studio’s direction, curriculum and culture, ensuring every student experience reflects the values of confident, joyful learning.
Kerry Gibson
Studio Operations Manager
Kerry helps oversee the day-to-day studio experience, mentors, and students behind the scenes to ensure studio life feels calm, welcoming, and well cared for.
With an extensive background in leadership, operations, and customer experience, Kerry is passionate about creating positive experiences for families and plays a key role in helping the studio run smoothly so students can focus on what matters most: feeling safe, supported, and confident in their musical journey.
Kiara Macri
Studio Experience Manager
Kiara works closely with families to support every stage of their journey at WCMS, from first enquiry through their full music journey.
With nearly 15 years of teaching experience and a background in musical theatre, she understands both the musical and personal growth that students experience.
While her primary focus is supporting families, Kiara continues to mentor select students in singing and piano when a more individualised approach is needed.
Studio Leadership
Marie Lee
Community Coordinator
Piano & Singing Mentor
Marie supports the community life of WCMS, helping foster a welcoming and connected studio environment for students and families.
As a singing and piano mentor, she brings a thoughtful and adaptable approach to her lessons. With a background across multiple instruments, Marie creates secure, empowering spaces where students of all learning styles can thrive.
Indigo Milne
Event Coordinator
Piano, Singing & Ukulele Mentor
Indigo leads performance experiences and studio events at WCMS, helping students grow in confidence through shared musical milestones.
As a singing, piano and ukulele mentor, she creates supportive, judgement-free learning environments. Indigo is particularly skilled at working with nervous singers, guiding students to develop both technical skill and confidence in their unique voices.
Zalman Schipp
Studio Coordinator
Piano & Guitar Mentor
Zalman plays a key role in maintaining the studio’s instruments, technical setup and stagecraft, ensuring every learning and performance experience runs smoothly.
As a piano and guitar mentor, he brings strong technical knowledge in theory, rhythm and composition. Zalman works particularly well with neurodivergent learners, helping students build understanding, motivation and confidence.
Studio Mentors
Georgia Maguire
Singing & Piano Mentor
Georgia creates warm, encouraging lessons where students feel comfortable to build confidence, express themselves and grow at their own pace. She works particularly well with nervous or hesitant students, helping them feel safe, supported and free from judgement from the very first lesson. Her teaching style is highly personalised, adapting to each student’s goals, personality and learning style.
With over 11 years of musical experience across voice and piano, Georgia brings a calm, approachable presence to lessons. She focuses on creating engaging sessions that foster both musical development and self-belief, encouraging students to explore music in a way that feels natural, enjoyable and authentic to them.
Ella Jurjevich
Singing, Piano & Mini Musos Mentor
Ella brings a calm, nurturing presence to her singing and piano lessons, creating a supportive space where students feel safe to explore their voice and musicianship.
With a strong classical foundation, she is particularly well suited to students who enjoy structured progression, vocal technique and expressive performance. Ella balances technical precision with encouragement, helping students build confidence while developing strong fundamentals.
Currently completing a Bachelor of Performance in Classical Voice at WAAPA, Ella combines formal training with a thoughtful, student-centred approach.
Nicholas Sia
Guitar, Piano & ITMC Mentor
Nicholas brings a calm, focused energy to his lessons, helping students build strong technical foundations while developing musical independence and confidence.
With a classical background in both piano and guitar, he is particularly well suited to students who enjoy structured progression or are preparing for auditions and exams. Nicholas supports learners across all genres, balancing technical precision with creative exploration.
Currently completing a Bachelor of Music in Classical Guitar Performance at UWA, he also achieved full marks in his ATAR Classical Guitar Performance exam and holds an ABRSM Grade 8 Distinction in Piano.
Ryah Wright
Guitar & ITMC Mentor
Ryah creates calm, patient lessons where students feel comfortable building skill at their own pace. He works particularly well with students who enjoy exploring different styles or want to develop versatility across acoustic and electric guitar.
In addition to private lessons, Ryah mentors within our Intro to Music Course (ITMC), guiding young beginners through their first experiences with multiple instruments and ensemble playing.
With formal training in music performance and sound production, Ryah brings strong technical foundations while keeping lessons engaging and varied.
Dennis Figliomeni
Guitar, Piano & ITMC Mentor
Dennis brings a thoughtful, attentive approach to his lessons, helping students develop strong listening skills, musical awareness and expressive playing.
With a particular interest in jazz and contemporary styles, he works well with students who enjoy exploring tone, phrasing and creativity beyond just learning songs. Dennis is especially supportive of learners with ADHD or sound sensitivities, helping students understand their individual needs and turn them into strengths.
Currently completing a Bachelor of Contemporary Music, Dennis combines formal training with a calm, encouraging teaching style.
Dean Hardingham
Drums & Percussion Mentor
Dean creates structured, focused drum lessons that build strong coordination, timing and musical confidence from the ground up. He works particularly well with students who benefit from clear progression and steady skill development.
With over a decade of drumming experience across drum kit and percussion, Dean brings both technical precision and ensemble awareness to his teaching. His background in performance and percussion ensemble strengthens his emphasis on listening, rhythm and collaborative musicianship.
Mike Marrington
Drum Mentor
Mike brings decades of professional performance experience to his drum lessons, helping students develop strong musical instincts alongside solid technique.
After spending 27 years working as a session musician in Japan, including with major J-pop artists, Mike offers real-world insight into ensemble playing, consistency and professionalism. He has also worked as a guest teacher and clinician, guiding students with patience and clarity.
Mike’s approach centres on connection and enjoyment, helping students grow in confidence while building lasting musicianship.
Sandro Bellantone
Piano, Guitar, Singing & Drum Mentor
Sandro delivers rich, thoughtfully structured lessons designed for students who thrive on depth, clarity and challenge.
With formal classroom teaching qualifications and extensive experience in curriculum development, he provides clear progression, detailed feedback and strong conceptual understanding across piano, singing, guitar and drums. His lessons are particularly well suited to students who are motivated to grow quickly, think critically and develop a deeper understanding of music.
Blythe Rajkowski
Piano and Singing Mentor
Blythe creates fun, energetic lessons where students feel confident to explore music, express themselves and enjoy the learning process. She encourages creativity and helps students connect with the emotional side of music, making lessons both engaging and meaningful while supporting steady growth in skill and confidence.
With a strong interest in improvisation and songwriting, Blythe focuses on building solid foundations in music reading, writing and expression.
Abbie Wai
Piano Mentor
Abbie brings a warm, patient and encouraging approach to every lesson, helping students feel comfortable as they begin and grow in their musical journey. She creates a positive learning environment where students can build confidence at their own pace, with lessons that feel supportive, engaging and enjoyable.
Having played piano since the age of six and completed ABRSM Grade 8 Piano, Abbie understands the importance of building strong foundations while keeping learning accessible and rewarding. She particularly enjoys supporting beginners and younger students, using clear guidance and creative teaching methods to help skills develop step by step.
With a background in Early Childhood Education and Care, Abbie tailors lessons to suit each student’s individual learning style and personality. Her goal is to help students develop confidence, musical skills and a lasting love of music.