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.

Two former students of the Conservatorium have emerged as major stars this year. Wollongong-born Saxophonist Nick Russoniello was awarded one of the highest awards for young musicians, the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer Award, while soprano Rachel Bate was a much admired semi-finalist in the 2011 McDonald’s Operatic Aria, took top honours in the Mathy Award and was awarded a prestigious German-Australian Opera Scholarship.

As part of the Conservatoriums ongoing commitment to being the music in the community there have been in excess of 100 community based concerts this year, on top of the Arts NSW funded professional 2011 Jazz Concert Series and 2011 Chamber Music Concert Series. The biggest single event however was the inaugural Illawarra Music Festival, which involved three major concerts, a full day of free performances at five different venues, and three major community participation events: Illawarra Sings, the Wollongong Festival Orchestra, and Bands on the Green. The Wollongong-based festival brought together some of the finest ensembles in the country…Sydney Symphony, Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra and Spooky Mens Chorale…with the best of community music in the Illawarra.

Blowing its own trumpet, for a change, the Conservatorium would like to acknowledge the excellent work of both staff and student alike. There have been some outstanding Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB) and Trinity Guildhall exam results as well as National Eisteddfod champion, gold and silver awards won this year.

In what looks like being another memorable year, plans are already in place to celebrate the Conservatorium’s 40^th Anniversary in 2012. The highly anticipated annual Jazz Concert Series and Chamber Music Concert Series are nearly locked in, but 2012 will also see the launch of The Con Concert Series which will showcase the exceptional talents of Conservatorium students in four concerts over the course of the year. The first two concerts in The Con Concert Series will be to celebrate milestone events: the first being the send-off concert for the Jazz Orchestra’s 2012 American tour; the second being the Conservatorium’s 40^th Anniversary year.