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5 December 2011

As another year draws to a close Wollongong Conservatorium of Music would like to shine a little light on the many successes of its students and staff. As recently as Sunday, 27 November, Tommy M and the Mastersounds, another phenomenal local band which includes current and past members of the Conservatorium, were crowned winners of the 2011 Mercury BlueScope Band Competition.

Berry Public School has just been announced as a finalist in the 2011 Music in Communities Awards for its partnership with the Conservatorium. This partnership enhances the schools music curriculum, provides a performance platform for Conservatorium ensembles, and gives Conservatorium students the opportunity to mentor younger students. School Principal Peter Burney says, “Our links with the Wollongong Conservatorium have made a significant improvement to the value of music within the school.”

One of the most significant milestones for the Conservatorium this year was the 25^th Anniversary of the BlueScope Steel Youth Orchestra (BSYO). “This is a fabulous achievement for both the Conservatorium and BlueScope,’’ said CEO of the Conservatorium, Andrew Snell. “This length of sponsorship simply doesn’t exist in the arts, not only in Australia, but internationally. To put it in context, Visa has sponsored the Olympics for 25 years!” The BSYO has won two National Orchestra awards during its 25 years and has made a significant contribution to both youth development and community music participation in the Illawarra.

28 November 2011

Wollongong Conservatorium of Music congratulates the finalists in the 2011 Music in Communities Awards, which have just been announced.

In particular, Berry Public School has been named a finalist for its partnership with Wollongong Conservatorium of Music.

This partnership, initiated through the Illawarra Chapter of the Music in Communities Network, provides staff and students access to experienced Conservatorium tutors, allowing the school to enhance their music curriculum with a comprehensive program of band, ensemble and individual tuition. Berry Public provides a performance platform for Conservatorium ensembles, giving Conservatorium students the opportunity mentor younger students.

"Our links with the Wollongong Conservatorium have made a significant improvement to the value of music within the school," says principal Peter Burney.

25 YEARS - A WHOLE GENERATION OF HARMONY

The BlueScope Steel Youth Orchestra celebrates its 25th Anniversary with a concert at Wollongong Town Hall on Friday 16 September, 2011. Click here for more information.

Present Day:

Of all the ways in which commerce and art can collide and collude, the nurturing of the dreams of youth must surely be among the most worthy.

Such has been the essence of the enduring relationship between BlueScope Steel and the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music – two seemingly unrelated bodies mutually bound for a quarter of a century through the BlueScope Steel Youth Orchestra - in pursuit not only of giving (mainly) teenagers something worthwhile to do, but of all-round excellence. It has attracted the expertise of specialist teachers. It has created employment. It has brought a dynamic perspective to the Conservatorium’s work and has enriched the cultural fabric not only of Wollongong but NSW, Australia and other countries.

News: 5 September 2011

Saxophonist Nick Russoniello was awarded one of the highest honours for a young musician in Australia, the Young Performer Award. The most prestigious prize for a classical soloist has a number of rounds and earlier this year Russoniello won his instrumental category. On Saturday afternoon he performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra alongside finalists Nicholas Young (piano) and Emily Sun (violin), and was awarded the top prize.

Russoniello was born and raised in Wollongong where he studied at Wollongong Conservatorium of Music with Nigel Edwards (Head of Woodwind) and attended Wollongong High School for the Performing Arts. He was a member of the various ensembles including the BlueScope Steel Youth Orchestra and Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra, and was selected to perform in the Encore concert featuring the best HSC Music performances in his year. He has since gone on to study at Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Conservatorio di Musica Di Milano in Italy, and now performs as a soloist and with the ensembles Continuum Sax, The Sax Summit, and Duo Histoire.