About Steph
 

NMIT Melbourne (now Melbourne Polytechnic)

        -Advanced Diploma of Music Performance (Jazz/Popular)

        -Advanced Diploma of Small Companies and Community Theatre.

        -Advanced Certificate of Theatre Technology (Stage Management and Lighting)

Charles Darwin University Music/Education.

University of New South Wales Music/Education.

Steph’s training includes...

Steph Payne with the Harlem Gospel Choir, June 2011.

Steph is a soulful singer, community choir director, singing and ukulele teacher, stage manager and improvised lighting operator from Melbourne, Australia. One third of the gorgeous folk trio Paisley & Plaid, Steph writes songs, sings and plays ukulele and various percussive and folky stringed instruments.


Steph’s business, Unstrung Music, is bursting into action with a few fantastic

projects. Plenty of ukulele small group classes at the Wyndham Arts Incubator.

Several special events like the Park Lounge Choir and Tuesdaylele are keeping

her busy. There are pop ups in the Wyndham Red Arcade project,  a few new

ensembles including classical ukulele, beginners jams, ukulele technique class

and Wyndukes ukestra and you are welcome to get involved.



Steph directs Willin Wimmin Choir in Williamstown, who celebrated their 25th Anniversary in 2016. They welcome new members of all experience levels.


Steph is currently one of the artists in the Wyndham Arts Incubator and she has done a Wyndham Art Spaces Residency project in Werribee. The Finding Werribee’s Songs project saw Steph writing songs based on Werribee’s history. She ran public workshops and is involving the community in the research, devising and performance stages of the project.


”Steph is just a true talent and incredibly patient! She manages to not only teach us how to sing, she gave us the confidence to do it well. Thank you Steph for a fantastic 9 weeks!”, Anonymous CAE student from Learner Feedback Form.

  1. James Hill Ukulele Institute. Steph is currently studying a three year course in Ukulele teaching.

  2. Australian Ukulele Teachers & Leaders Association. AUTLA teacher training days.

  3. Moira Smiley Singing and Body Percussion advanced singers  workshop

  4. Vocal Australia’s Get Vocal A Cappella Festival, PD days and vocal mixups

  5. Festival of Choirs director forum and workshops

  6. Andrew Legg and Mark O’Leary. GOSAMA Choir director training weekend

  7. Community Music Victoria singing leader weekends, choir director workshops and activities

  8. Tony Backhouse gospel singing weekend workshops

  9. Christine Sullivan masterclass

  10. Melanie Shanahan festival workshops

  11. Stephen Taberner, Rachel Hore and Moira Smiley Wintersong residential intensive

  12. Bendigo Gospel Festival gospel and singing workshops

  13. Port Fairy Folk Festival gospel and a cappella workshops

  14. Heidi McDermott, Rachel Hore, Stephen Taberner, Sue Johnson - a cappella workshops

  15. Newkulele Ukulele workshops

  16. MUF Ukulele workshops

Steph Payne with Ukulele Virtuoso, James Hill after the intensive JHUI training in Newcastle, October 2016