Afternoons at the Homestead

Sit on the lawns as the music drifts through the site. Enjoy barista-made coffee, and a selection of cakes and cookies, available to purchase from the Homestead kitchen.

Jane Ryan is a freelance pianist, accompanist, and piano teacher with a lifelong passion for music. After studying piano with Raisa Dobrinsky, she graduated from the University of Wollongong with distinction in the Performing Arts. Throughout her career, Jane has collaborated with instrumentalists, vocalists, and choirs, and has worked as a répétiteur for musical theatre productions. Classically trained, she is known for her strong technical foundation and versatility across a range of musical styles. A dedicated educator and performer, Jane finds great joy in sharing her love of music and inspiring others through performance and teaching.

Murray Cook is a highly regarded multi-instrumentalist whose career spans jazz, classical, and contemporary music. Over several decades, he has performed, recorded, and toured internationally with artists including Midnight Oil, Warumpi Band, and Mental As Anything. After 21 years teaching music at Long Bay Correctional Centre, Murray founded the Songbirds songwriting workshops for the Community Restorative Centre. Delivered in prisons from Silverwater to Broken Hill, the program produced five albums featuring more than 100 original songs. His work empowering incarcerated artists has led to keynote presentations at conferences, festivals, and universities internationally.