Examiner 46
PhD, MMus, BMus, DCA, GradDipEd, FTCL, AMusTCL, HonDipMus, HonFNMSM, HonFCSM
Michael Barkl studied at the University of Wollongong, Deakin University, the Sydney Institute of Education, the University of New England and the NSW State Conservatorium of Music, including piano, double bass, jazz guitar, drums, percussion, sitar, electronic music, composition and musicology.
From the outset, Dr Barkl has focused on multi-instrumental performance. After playing trombone and cornet in brass bands and tenor saxophone in funk and rock bands, his first serious engagement was as a pianist at the Hilton Hotel Supper Club in Sydney. He diversified into guitar and bass (doubling vocals) as a freelance player in Sydney and then worked as a jazz drummer and guitarist in regional New South Wales before joining the Wollongong Symphony Orchestra and Steel City Strings as a double bassist. He has been a pioneer of contemporary music teaching and curriculum development in the vocational education and training sector, heading the music sections at Goulburn TAFE and Wollongong TAFE.
Dr Barkl has written eight books on aspects of composition, analysis and jazz. He has published 21 composer biographies in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians and The Oxford Companion to Australian Music. Since 1983 he has been a Writer Full Member of the Australasian Performing Right Association and since 1987 he has had Full Composer Representation at the Australian Music Centre, which holds approximately 80 of his scores. His compositions have been performed throughout Australia and Europe.
Dr Barkl has served on the boards of management of the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium, the Australian International Conservatorium of Music and the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. He has also served on judging panels for the APRA/AMC Art Music Awards many times in multiple categories. Dr Barkl has performed on the sitar for National Sri Lankan celebration days in Australia.
Positions held
- Chief Examiner – Percussion and CPM, AMEB (NSW)