Zeljko Bedic OAM
ASA TDip, MOAA, MMTA, MASME, MISME, MUMT, MASA, MAATA
Zeljko Bedic was born in 1961 in Bjelovar, Croatia where he commenced his music studies on the piano and violin at the age of six. After migrating to Sydney, Australia in 1969 he commenced his studies on the accordion in the early 1970s, first with Maestro Dante Simonelli and then with Mr Ross Lombardo. At the same time, Zeljko’s professional music career also progressed on piano, pedagogy and music theory under the baton of Dr Margaret Brandman.
Among many achievements and accolades he was awarded his Teacher’s Diploma in 1983 and his AMEB Examiner 25 Year Service Award in 2016, by Professor Anna Reid, Acting Dean and Principal, Sydney Conservatorium of Music/State Chairperson AMEB (NSW), at the annual AMEB Presentation of Diplomas and Awards Ceremony, Sir John Clancy Auditorium, UNSW.
Zeljko has had recent success with one of his students being selected (24 from approximately 6000 HSC Music students) by the NSW Board of Studies to perform at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall at the 2011 HSC ENCORE Concert. Another student won the prestigious Music Teachers’ Association (MTA) - Margaret Chalmers Memorial Scholarship and also received an invitation to perform at the MTA’s Centenary Celebration at Parliament House in Sydney in 2012. In addition, his students have won International, Australasian, Australian National and NSW State Solo Championships.
Zeljko has delivered solo and duet performances at the Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall, Sydney Entertainment Centre and the Sydney Town Hall. He has won first prize in the ASA NSW State Championships in 1980 and at the City of Sydney Eisteddfod Championships in 1981. He was awarded second and third prize at the Australasian Championships in 1980 and 1981 respectively.
Zeljko is a member of the AMEB Accordion Specialist Panel, and a Sydney Conservatorium of Music/Sydney University and Music Teachers’ Association of NSW (MTA), Accredited Teacher in piano, accordion and music theory. He adjudicates at International and National Festivals and Championships, NSW State Championships and City of Sydney and St. George Eisteddfods.
Zeljko has been the Director of Bedic Music Studio for over twenty years and has over thirty years teaching experience. He regularly hosts studio concerts for his students at which he also performs and presents masterclasses. For several years, he was the Musical Director and Orchestra Leader of ‘Koleda’ and ‘Dubrovnik’ Croatian Folkloric Ensembles and was the originator and former Musical Director of ‘Klapa Koleda’ a capella ensemble and choir. Zeljko recorded an album at the Sydney Opera House in the capacity of Musical Director/Orchestra Leader with ‘Koleda Croatian Folkloric Ensemble’, and an album with the Dante Simonelli Orchestra and Choir at EMI studios.
In 1980, he was a member of the ASA Australian National Orchestra at the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships and International Orchestra Festival in Auckland, New Zealand. He is a former member of the ASA National Orchestra, ASA NSW State Orchestra and the Dante Simonelli Orchestra and Choir.
He was the national coordinator, promoter, manager and publicist for two highly successful charity CDs, ‘Side by Side – Song for Port Arthur’ and ‘Stop the War in Croatia’. Both CDs were highly successful on the Coca Cola ARIA Charts (ten weeks in the top ten), national television, radio and print media, raising many thousands of dollars but more importantly, moral support for the victim’s families. At the time, Zeljko received letters of support and commendation from the Prime Minister, Premiers of NSW and Tasmania and a number of prominent senators.
Mobile: 0417 696 303
Email: zeljko.bedic@bigpond.com
Instruments: Accordion, Adjudicator, Adult Piano, Aural Training, Early Childhood, Harmony, High School Music, HSC Music, Jazz/Contemporary, Keyboards, Music Appreciation, Music Craft, Music Education, Music Language, Musicianship, Musicology, Performance Anxiety Counselling, Performance skills, Piano, Piano Accordion, Piano Accordion/Button Accordion, Rhythm, School Music, Theory of Music, Theory/Musicianship,
Full MTA Member, Accredited Teacher