Mr David Turpie

Life before Girton

  • Private tutor for percussion/guitar
  • Kitchen hand
  • Manual Labourer
  • Bachelor of Education
  • Diploma of Jazz/Popular Music
  • Classroom music teacher

What I Love about Teaching
Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions you can be involved with. The interactions and relationships that you build with your students help you to understand the value and importance of what you do as a teacher. This interaction has the power to be a positive influence on someone as they search for their place in the local and broader community.

Teaching at Girton has provided me with a great opportunity to teach what I am most passionate about (music). To pass on my knowledge to my students and then to see their progression as they apply these skills to their own musical creativity leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. Performing music in front of your peers is one of the most personal things you can do as an individual and to give students the opportunity in doing this goes a long way with building confidence.

What do you like best about the subject/s you teach?
Music is such a universal language which has no boundaries in how it can be expressed which is what drew me to it. I must also point out that ‘The Beatles’ also had a say in my professional passage. To teach someone the benefits of musical expression is exciting because it allows their personality to shine through a medium that is accessible to everyone. This can be done without a word being spoken from the individual yet everyone knows who they are by what they have to say musically.

Other Hats
I’m involved with the BASS Program in Junior School as well as the Senior Concert Band. I also teach a Year 9 and Year 10 small groups on a weekly basis to rehearse and perform musical arrangements covering various styles.

Outside of Girton, I co-founded ‘Bendigo for Homeless Youth’ which in 2012 raised $500,000 to go towards affordable living houses in the Bendigo Community.

I’m a life member of the Bendigo and District Concert Band which have been performing in the local community for over 25 years. Throughout the past 20 years I have also had the pleasure of performing in various musical production orchestras for BTC which, included ‘Wicked’ and ‘We Will Rock You’ plus many more.

I write, record and perform my own songs in a group called Sattva Arising which recently staged an album launch, and this has allowed me to travel to various music festivals around Australia including Bendigo’s own ‘Blues and Roots Music Festival’ that runs every November.