Professor Kirsty Beilharz is a composer, researcher, educator and author. She is the Integrative Studies Program Director at Excelsia College. Kirsty’s current research-led teaching interest is student formation, especially integration of diversity, in Christian Higher Education. Previously, she was a researcher at the University of Notre Dame (Australia) in bioethics, healthcare ethics and spirituality, in collaboration with St. Vincent's Health Network, a conjoint academic of the University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney’s Kolling Institute of Research, and Director of Music Engagement at HammondCare investigating the impact of music in dementia and palliative care. Her book, Music Remembers Me: Connection and Wellbeing in Dementia (2017) is a resource for supporting people living with dementia. Kirsty was a Senior Creative Fellow at Anglican Deaconess Ministries, Visiting Fellow at the University of Edinburgh U.K., Professor of Music and Interaction Design at UTS, and Digital Media program director at the University of Sydney, receiving grants from the Australian Research Council.
Kirsty completed performance and composition studies at the University of Sydney with a PhD and postdoctoral studies in music at the University of York, and a PhD in theology and philosophy at Sydney College of Divinity.
Kirsty's music has been performed by international ensembles, major orchestras in Australia and her installations have been exhibited at the Media Architecture Biennale in Vienna, Bondi Sculpture by the Sea, Paris Cité International des Arts, Sydney Powerhouse Museum, and in the UK, Taiwan, Japan and Paris. She has won prizes at Gaudeamus World Music Days Amsterdam, Paris Rostrum, Hannover Biennale, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne Forum Montreal, Young Australian of the Year Arts Category, a Churchill Fellowship, and the Sir Charles Mackerras Prize of the British Council.
Kirsty is involved with leadership and pastoral care at Kirribilli Church by the Bridge, and she coordinates the North Sydney Council Coal Loader community garden sustainability project, reading avidly and practicing Japanese, Baroque, and contemporary music in her spare time.