entertainer, musician
Tamworth, 1981
Warren is an entertainer, musician, songwriter and recording artist whose professional career
spans over forty five years. He is experienced in theatrical and variety stage, recording, radio
and television. Warren has been a band member, a solo entertainer, a backing singer, a pit
orchestra member, a musical director - all over Australia and overseas. He was formally trained in
music, starting at age eight on flute, then on piano and finally, on guitar. While he doesn't have
a favourite singer or a favourite song, he is in awe of the guitar talents of Hank Marvin, the
vocal talents of the great ballad singers Perry Como and Andy Williams and the songwriting skills
of Neil Sedaka and Billy Joel. Warren has nothing but the highest admiration for the songwriting,
the singing, the recording skills and the pure show business savvy of the ABBA team.
ABC-TV, 1965
In his shows, Warren presents a wide variety of music. He has no preferences. He likes to sing
songs with great stories and universal appeal. "The best that any entertainer can do is to tweak
the heart strings of every audience member, men as well as women, at least once during each and
every show".
Jenolan Caves - 1984
As a performer, Warren's one-man show has been very much in demand in the tourism industry since
the early 1980's. He became well internationally known for his one man show, "Rollin" To Jenolan",
presented every weekend between 1984 and 1987 at Jenolan Caves House, then one of Australia's most
popular tourist attractions. While there, he released his "Warren Targett Live at Jenolan Caves
House" LP cassette which featured the self penned ballad, "I Am Nature", and two songs by the
record's producer, Paul Anthony Smith - the title track of the show, "Rollin' To Jenolan" and the
haunting instrumental "Jenolan Dawnsong". The Jenolan show exclusively featured a variety of
Australian music and was presented at a time when it wasn't seen as the done thing to be proudly
Australian in music.
ABC Radio, 1973 and 1974
From 1972 to 1974, Warren was a cast regular for the ABC Radio Education Branch for the school
music broadcast series, "Let's Have Music". The programme, written by the brilliant team of John
Shortis and Brian Simmons, had a listening audience of over 400,000 primary school children across
Australia and overseas each week. Being part of this project gave Warren the opportunity to work
beside some of Australia's top radio actors. The programme gave him a unique insight into the
world of childrens' music. Warren went on to appear on the "Super Flying Fun Show" on the Nine
Network across Australia.
On the Autoharp - 1982
On the Banjo - 1980
When performing, Warren plays a few unusual instruments - lute, autoharp, 6 string banjo and
ukelele - as well as his range of guitars.
▲Top of page
teacher of music on the guitar
With Dave Leslie, 1993
Currently , Warren is in private practice as a music educator full time, passing on his skills,
dedication and love for a wide range of music on the guitar. His learners range from beginners
of all ages, to accomplished hobby players. Included among them are some contemporary world renowned
gifted performers - Dave Leslie (ex Baby Animals), Craig McLachlan, Aboriginal performers Pauline
McLeod and Brenda Webb, Paul Anthony Smith (studio producer/musician and creator of music for film),
Lee Gunness (notable jazz performer), Laura Imbruglia and the now up-and-coming teenager, Adam Menser.
Jamie learning, 2004
Throughout his professional career, Warren has taught music on the guitar. He believes now that
contemporary music on the guitar is mostly poorly taught privately, in schools and in colleges.
The approaches that encourage limited or non-existant music literacy lead to a musical dead end.
Warren feels that the proliferation of play by ear, easy-play, quick-fix and TAB based print
material and teaching is, without doubt, the biggest causes of the alienation - sidelining -
marginalising - of guitar players amongst the community of musicians at large. In the end, it leads
to a large number of players becoming dissatisfied with their music and some giving up for good
because of their boredom and frustration.
"The pride in their minimal level of musical literacy expressed by some world reknowned guitar
players creates the dubious legend among learners that ignorance is good ... bunkum! To paraphrase
actress Ingrid Bergman, herself an accomplished pianist, in a famous quip to harmonica player,
Larry Adler ... they are not only ignorant but they are happy in their ignorance."
What a shame. Think of what the world of written music could open up to these players.
▲Top of page
the teaching studio operation
Warren's teaching studio is purpose-built, home based and located in Bateau Bay, on the NSW Central
Coast. It operates from Mondays to Saturdays in the gazetted NSW Government School Terms; not on
Public Holidays and Saturdays of Long Weekends.
Teaching hours are Monday 3.00pm to 9.00pm; Tuesday 10.00am to 1.30pm and 3.00pm to 9.00 pm;
Wednesday 3.00pm to 9.00pm; Friday 3.00pm to 7.00pm; Saturday 9.00am to 2.00 pm.
Tuition is given to learners of any age from 5 years and in a private situation. Appointments
are for 30 minute sessions on a weekly basis.
Learning is done outside the dictates of style. It covers all aspects of the guitar - melody
playing, accompaniment playing, ensemble playing, written music skills - from the Fundamentals
Level, through the Advancing Level to the Accomplished Level. The programme of work is thorough,
challenging, enjoyable and repertoire building.
Warren conducts specialised tuition for candidates for the NSW Higher School Certificate subjects
in Music, Industrial Design and Design & Technology. Starting in October the tutorials are held
approxiamately weekly on Saturday afternoons each month until August. Vacancies are limited to six
learners.
Contact Warren for more information, appointment vacancies and prices
- contact -
▲Top of page
teaching experience
Warren has been teaching music on the guitar, one-on-one, since the early 1960s. He passes on his
knowledge, his passion for the instrument and his love of the many genres of the music on the
instrument. Warren bases his teaching on good musicianship, musical literacy and music principles.
He has taught music on the guitar to boys, girls, men, women, the young, the not so young, the gifted,
the not so gifted, indigenous people, the verbal language challenged, the literacy challenged, the
culturally challenged and the sight impaired. He believes the gift of music is in everyone. It
takes work to winkle it out.
Performance cast, EORA Centre, 1987
Blaxland Evening Class - 1987
Warren has taught adult education classes in guitar since 1975. In 1987 and '88, he was a part-time
teacher at, and, in 1989, co-ordinated, the Performing Arts faculty of, the Eora Centre, a
specialised TAFE college of Visual and Performing Arts for Aboriginal students. Warren also has
experience in teaching both the gifted and the intellectually challenged.
▲Top of page
guitar mechanic, rebuilder
As a left-handed guitar player, Warren suffered from a lack of quality playable instruments in the
early part of his career, so, under professional mentoring he built some of his own, both hollow
and solid bodied guitars. A part of his current business is guitar repairs, hotrodding,
rebuilding and restoration.
Adam Menser with his own built guitar, 2003
Warren conducts a tutorial course in guitar making aimed at assisting candidates for the NSW
Higher School Certificate courses in Design and Technology (D&T) and Industrial Technology (IT) who
choose to build a guitar as their major project.
▲Top of page
publishing ventures
With John Goldsmith, 1974
With former teaching studio business partner, John Goldsmith, Warren has developed a programme
for the fundamentals level of guitar playing. The programme is not based in any particular style,
but in good technique, good musicianship and musical literacy. "I can't remember a time when I
couldn't read, write and transcribe music in conventional notation. I can't thank my teachers
enough for this gift." Being competency based, fully assessable, and promoting the concept of
ensemble playing at all stages, it is of particular use in one on one teaching and in classrooms. The programme represents
the first major rethink of the structure of the fundamentals level of guitar learning in fifty
years and has no equivalent anywhere in the world. The catch phrase for the venture is "Getting
it right - from the start!" guitar studies international
Warren is involved in another joint venture with long standing guitar playing friend, Ross Dewell.
The lack of repertoire and scores for small guitar based ensembles, particularly in schools has
led the two to prepare arrangements for over 200 popular guitar favourites guitarzrgo
As Corporal Kangaroo with Sergeant Whittle, Old Sydney Town, 1991
From 1990 until 1992, Warren brought all his creative and performace experience into one
endeavour when he scripted, designed, directed and administrated the street theatre entertainment
at Old Sydney Town, the now defunct former NSW tourist attraction. While there, he created the
fantasy character, Corporal Kangaroo.
Graphic design - 1982
Warren is a qualified, award winning Graphic Artist and Designer who has worked in various
commercial visual arts fields electronic and print media advertising; logo and corporate image
design; typography and type design; technical graphics; office systems print design; promotional
printing; packaging; industrial design; industrial sculpture and patternmaking; props, stage and
set design and construction; audio-visual presentation; sales presentations and new product
launches; trade shows and convention special events; and film and video - in conceptual,
production and financial control capacities.
In his work to inspire younger music learners, Warren created a cartoon character called Mr Gig©
This unique character, in his many guises, is available for licensing in both two and three
dimensional forms for musical giftware and teaching aids mrgig
He has also designed the KwikPik© and KwikPik Pro© pickholders for guitarists.
During his years of experience in the commercial aspects of performing and visual arts Warren has
acquired a very concise and practical working knowledge of copyright and intellectual and
mechanical property rights laws as they exist in Australia. He is also versed in various aspects
of industrial safety applying to the entertainment industry. He guest lectures in these subjects
to students in Music Industry Skills.
Warren is an Associate Member of the Australian Music Association through his business, Osprey
Enterprises. The AMA represents and furthers the interests of the musical instrument, print
music, pro audio and computer music industries and organises AMAC, Australia's only trade fair
for the music products industry. It also organises the Music Play Por Life campaign and the
Weekend Warriors programme.
Sculpting bust of Elvis Presley, 1993
Warren lives with his wife, Vivienne, at Bateau Bay in the beautiful Central Coast area of New
South Wales. His hobbies are sculpture and kayaking on the nearby Tuggerah Lakes.
With bronze bust of Ivy Somerfield, 1994
"If I've learned just one lesson about entertaining and show business, it is this - you can only
sell the audience just these two things - who they were and who they wished they were. Think
about it!"
▲Top of page
contacts and feedback
Postal Address: PO Box 3095, Bateau Bay NSW 2261 Australia
Telephone: (02) 4334 5229 during studio hours, otherwise message service
Fax/ Tel: (02) 4334 5229
International: (+612) 4332 5229
Mobile: 041 922 6418
email: wtargett@bigpond.net.au
▲Top of page
bulletin board
Teaching this year has closed
The 2006 teaching year commences on Monday 6th February
Compliments of the season to all.
▲Top of page
links
Links to other affiliated guitar and music sites:
Guitar Studies International -
"A Guide To The Guitar"
by John Goldsmith and Warren Targett Fundamentals Level programme of work
for learning the guitar" -
guitar studies international
Guitarz'R'Go! - guitar small ensemble arrangements
guitarzrgo
Mr GigŠ designs, licensing and products
mrgig
Guitarz4Kidz - collecting, repairing and distributing guitars to underprivileged children and
schools
guitar4kidz
Paul Anthony Smith - studio producer/musician creator of music for film.
www.datstudio.com.au
Australian Music Association - representing the musical instrument, print music, pro audio and
computer music industries.
www.australianmusic.asn.au
Music Makers - providing opportunities Australians to play music for whatever reasons including
Weekend Warriors.
www.musicmakers.org.au
Music. Play For Life - campaign to encourage players and lapsed players of all ages back to
playing music.
www.mca.org.au/music.pIayforlife.htm
Music Council of Australia - The purpose of the Music Council of Australia (MCA) is,
simply, the advancement of Australian musical life in all its aspects
Music Council of Australia
▲Top of page