Mr Ric

M.A., B.A.(Mus), PGDipED, L.Mus.ASMC., L.Dip.SCSM

Organ | Piano | Composition

​

Ric Mills, the senior Keyboard & Organ Teacher of Octave8 Music Academy is an educator and award-winning composer and performer. Graduating with his Master of Arts Degree in Music Composition at The Royal Albert Hall in London Ric brings over 20 years of musical and teaching experience to the role of Director of Octave8 Music Academy.  

​

At 18 Ric was one of the youngest keyboards / organ tutors for Yamaha Music UK whilst concert performing and examining for the Yamaha Music Foundation and later he held posts as organist & choirmaster of St. Anne's Church Buxton, Wesham Parish Church Preston and Ormskirk Parish Church in the UK. 

​

A couple of decades later, Ric has achieved significant success since his arrival in Australia in 2005; teaching music at a variety of levels with primary schools, secondary schools, TAFE, colleges and universities. He has guest lectured with the Australian Institute of Music, JMC Academy, The Australian International Conservatorium of Music and Southern Cross Catholic Vocational College.

​

As a composer his music has been broadcast on ABC Classic FM, Channel Seven, Channel Nine, Channel Ten, Fox Sports and Fox Classics and many more networks in the U.S. He has completed three feature films, two short films, TVCs and various albums of library music (production music) distributed worldwide by Universal Publishing. 

​

As an educator Ric has developed (written) textbooks, produced backing tracks and online content (educational materials) for Casio Music Australia and Music EDU which is used on over 100 schools across Australia.  He is a fully accredited/registered teacher with the NSW BOSTES (NSW Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards), the Music Teachers' Association of NSW, the Catholic Education Office (Sydney), TAFE NSW and St. Cecilia's School of Music Tasmania.

​

Ric holds an M.A.(KINGSTON UNIVERSITY LONDON UK), a B.A. in Music (LANCASTER UNIVERSITY UK), a Post Graduate Diploma in Music Education (WESLEY COLLEGE AUSTRALIA), a Licentiate Diploma in Music (AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF MUSICOLOGY & COMPOSITION) and a Licentiate Diploma in Composition (ST. CECILIA SCHOOL OF MUSIC TASMANIA)

​

He lives in Sydney with his wife and two daughters. He is currently working towards his provisional black belt in Mixed Martial Arts (Hapkido & Jiu jitsu).    

​