Stories – Hume Conservatorium of Music Ltd.

Stories

2nd GYFT (Goulburn Youth Festival of Theatre)

Hume Conservatorium presents

The 2nd GYFT (Goulburn’s Youth Festival of Theatre) 2025

Featuring special guests, Kathmandu’s Pragya Kunja Theatre School from Nepal

Music and drama Workshops Monday 7th – 9th Workshops 11-4pm for 9-15yr olds with local and international tutors. Friday 10th Workshop 11-1pm.

Performance 6pm at the Conservatorium’s Creative Space Thursday 10th featuring local and international acts

Acrobatic fire show Wednesday 9th July 7pm at Tenison Wood Reserve Grafton Street, Goulburn.

Just $50 for a week of workshops or $10 per workshop

Program

Day 1

7 July Morning 11am – 1 pm : Welcome and Ice breaker games with Chrisjohn Hancock
7 July lunch 1-2pm
7 July Workshop 1 @ 2 pm: Theatre workshops with Tanka Chaulagain (Nepal)
7 July Workshop 2 @ 3pm : Improvisation with Jock McLean

Day 2

8 July Morning 11 am: Goulburn Multicultural Centre – Zumba – Free
8 July lunch 1-2pm
8 July Workshop 3 @ 2pm: Music with Emma Knott
8 July Workshop 4 @ 3pm: Theatre with Tanka Chaulagain (Nepal)

Day 3

9 July Morning 11 am: Theatre Games with Chrisjohn Hancock
9 July lunch 1-2pm
9 July Workshop 5 @ 2pm: Music with Hume Conservatorium (TBC)
9 July Workshop 6 @ 3pm: Circus workshops
9 July @ 7pm Acrobatic fire show at Tenison Wood Reserve Grafton Street, Goulburn.

Day 4

10 July Morning 11am: Physical Theatre with Blake Selmes
10 July 6pm Performance

Sponsors include

Masala Mill, Lieder Theatre, Goulburn Youth Council, Bluebird Cafe, Goulburn Multicultural Centre, Not Another Circus and Circus Warehouse ACT

To assist with food and transport for the international guests contact Lee on 0402902376

For additional information contact Chrisjohn on 0427180627

21/05/2025

Concert · Stories

BAROQUE, BRAZIL AND BEYOND

Three of Australia’s most revered musicians, Slava & Sharon Grigoryan and flutist Jane Rutter perform Baroque, South American and contemporary music in a concert that spans cultures, generations and genres.
Sharon, Slava and Jane are an example of great synergy, resulting in music that connects deeply with the listener. From standard flute, guitar and cello duo & trio works by Handel, Vivaldi, Granados and Piazzolla to creations by contemporary composers, the concert features arrangements which shine a new light on familiar favourites.
Flute player Jane Rutter has several No#1 albums and ARIA (Australian Grammy) nominations under her belt. This legendary Australian Flautist is Artistic Director of Live at Lunch. Beautiful flute music, flute songs and relaxing flute music.

Join us at Hume Conservatorium for this incredible performance by this outstanding trio!

Tickets
Adult: $55
Concession: $48
Hume Con Student: $40
Goulburn Club Member: $40
Saturday, 7 June at 7pm
Old Ceramics Hall, Hume Conservatorium

About the Artists

Jane Rutter

Internationally-acclaimed concert soloist Australian-French flutist Jane Rutter, was recently knighted by France (Chevalier des Arts et Lettres). She is an expert in the French Flute School and is a major influence in classical music. Known for her onstage warmth, she brilliantly conveys passion, sparkling technique and elegance of expression through her beautiful flute playing.

A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Music, Jane is an award-winning TV presenter and multi-ARIA (Australian Grammy) nominee who has appeared as soloist with many orchestras including The Australian Chamber Orchestra, and on the same bill as Pavarotti, Carreras, The Manhattan Transfer, Tina Arena, Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Crawford, Slava & Leonard Grigoryan, Teddy Tahu-Rhodes, Peter Cousens and others.

An Australia Day Ambassador and one of Who Magazine’s 30 Most Beautiful People, in 2007 Limelight Magazine depicted her as a leading female influence in the world of Classical Music. Jane has been featured on 60 Minutes, in Vogue Magazine, and is a household name in Australia. She is in demand as an Artistic Director and composer. Her Live at Lunch series at The Concourse, Chatswood is one of Australia’s most successful lunch time concert series. Jane was awarded a French Government scholarship to study in Paris with Jean-Pierre Rampal and Alain Marion, and has lectured Flute, Performance pedagogy and Chamber Music at her Alma Mater, Sydney University’s The Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Jane performs regularly in Paris and around the world: from Recital Halls to the Sydney Opera House, from Music Festivals to Theatre and Cabaret venues. Her early Chamber Jazz group, POSH, (reformed as Third Culture World Chamber Music) was a forerunner of Yoyo Ma’s the Silk Road Project. The Australian Elizabethan Trust awarded Ms Rutter a fellowship grant that culminated in a DVD and soundtrack album, An Australian In Paris which topped the Classical charts in Australia.

From her first iconic album, Nocturnes and Preludes for Flute, Jane’s sublime flute playing has seen a further 23 further best- selling albums released including: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, French Kiss, Flute Spirit: Dreams and Improvisations and her latest Evening Stars. Renowned for her relaxed onstage charm and musical imagination, prepare yourself for superb entertainment and the finest classical music from flutist Jane Rutter!

Slava Grigoryan

Slava Grigoryan is an award-winning classical guitarist of Armenian descent. He was born in Kazakhstan in 1976, and emigrated with his violinist parents Eduard and Irina Grigoryan and his younger brother Leonard to Melbourne, Australia. Slava and Leonard (aka the Grigoryan Brothers) began their guitar studies at young ages with their father. Slava began playing professionally at 12. He furthered his classical studies through secondary school and college at Victorian Academy of the Arts, and achieved renown as the youngest performer ever to win the Tokyo International Classical Guitar Competition in 1993.

As a result, he was offered a recording contract by Sony. His debut for the label, Spirit of Spain, appeared in 1995, followed by Dance of the Angel in 1998 and Another Night in London in 1999. In 2003, he moved over to ABC Classics (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and recorded Sonatas & Fantasies, and the first of the Grigoryan Brothers albums, Play. Slava toured incessantly with his brother and as a featured soloist with orchestras as well as playing solo concerts. In 2004, the Grigoryan Brothers released the Rodrigo Guitar Concertos.

Slava followed it with Afterimage, The Music of Shaun Rigney. He followed it with Continental Shift, a collaboration with singer, songwriter, and producer Al Slavik in 2005. That same year, he approached improvising jazz guitarists Wolfgang Muthspiel and Ralph Towner about a collaborative tour. Long an admirer of both men, he understood that they were both rooted in classical tradition.

They presented a show that featured each member as a soloist, then in duets and finally as a trio. The group has remained a going concern. In 2006, Slava released another solo album, Shadow Dances, followed by Debussy, Mompou & De Falla: Impressions, by the Grigoryan Brothers. In 2007, Slava collaborated in the studio with Towner and Muthspiel. The resulting album, From a Dream was issued in 2008 on Which Way Music (and in 2009 re-released on Muthspiel‘s Material label).

The same year, Slava’s Baroque Guitar Concertos was released by ABC Classics. Distance, a Grigoryan Brothers recording from 2009, was the brothers’ first to depart from the classical repertoire. Backed by guests on various strings, bass, and drums, the program was composed of modern jazz tunes written by, among others, Towner and Muthspiel. In 2011, Band of Brothers, a diverse recording between the Grigoryans and another set of siblings, Joseph & James Tawadros, was followed by a thematic recording, The Seasons, in 2012.

That same year Towner brought Slava and Muthspiel together in a studio in Lugano, Switzerland with producer Manfred Eicher. The sessions resulted in Travel Guide, which was released by ECM in October of 2013.

Sharon Grigoryan

Based in Adelaide, Sharon Grigoryan was the cellist with the Australian String Quartet from 2013-2020. As part of that group she has collaborated with artists such as the Goldner and Tinalley Quartets, Pieter Wispelwei, Sara Macliver, Slava Grigoryan, Pepe Romero, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Katie Noonan, Konstantin Shamray, Caroline Almonte, and the Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmanian and West Australian Symphony Orchestras.

Born in Melbourne, Sharon studied at the University of Melbourne and the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) under David Berlin, Philip Green, and Howard Penny. From 2008-2012 Sharon held a position with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and in 2011 Sharon was a recipient of the MSO Friends’ Travel Scholarship which took her to Berlin to study with Professor Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt and Nicolas Alsteadt. Whilst there she performed with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Spira Mirabilis Chamber Orchestra.

An avid chamber musician, Sharon performed in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s Chamber Players series many times, and in 2009 she formed the Hopkins String Quartet. In the same year, she was accepted into the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Emerging Artists program and has toured extensively with the ACO both nationally and abroad since then. Sharon was also made a Core Player of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra in 2012.

Sharon has performed as a guest with the Australia Ensemble and Australian World Orchestra, and has been invited to be guest principal cellist with the Melbourne, Adelaide, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. Sharon was the Artistic Director of the “Barossa, Baroque and Beyond” music festival from 2013-2021. In 2019 Sharon curated a chamber music series, “Live at the Quartet Bar” as part of the Adelaide Festival Centre, and made her debut as a radio presenter on ABC Classic.

Apart from teaching the cello privately, Sharon has tutored ensembles such as the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, the Australian Youth Orchestra, is on staff at the University of Adelaide, and been a guest chamber music tutor at ANAM and the University of Melbourne.

Sharon formed the cello/guitar duo with husband Slava Grigoryan in 2014, and this has been a particularly joyful musical and personal collaboration for her. She is currently on contract as acting Associate Principal Cello of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

14/05/2025

Stories

Term 1 Midterm News

Midterm News and Upcoming Concert Series

It’s week 5 already! Time flies when you’re having fun and the music never stops at the Con!

We’ve seen an increase in enrolments this year, and we’re excited to hear the abundance of music making that is flooding the halls this term. We’ve had some staffing changes that nominate select teachers to become the head of their faculty, which also creates new opportunities for students to be recognised for their hard work and progress at the Con.

Teachers and faculty heads will be watching and at the end of term give out awards at Faculty concerts to students for participation and progress. We believe it is essential to recognise the hard work of students, both for confidence and encouragement! So stay vigilant and keep your practice up this year, it won’t go unnoticed.

Our next performance prac is Thursday, 27th of March. Start working on your pieces with your teacher now and get your form in to participate!

Faculty Heads

Emma Knott: Head of Woodwind and Brass Faculty, Coordinator of ISMP, AMEB, Pedagogy & Student reporting, Schools & Centre Based Education Manager.

Giselle Newbury: Head of Community/Projects/Grants.

Garth Prentice: Head of Guitar Faculty, Coordinator of HSC Support and bands.

Richard Lane: Head of Voice Faculty, Coordinator of Patrons and Sponsors.

Alison Beckett: Head of Composition and Theory, Classical Ensembles.

Debbie McConnell: Head of Piano Faculty, Music Theatre.

Lou Wurth: Head of Folk, Acoustic Bands.

Tony Marks: Head of Production, Contemporary Bands.

Helen Lutz: Head of Strings Faculty.

Student Survey 2024
We would greatly appreciate if you took the time to complete this survey so we can continue to improve our programs, curriculums and business. It shouldn’t take more than two minutes.

Early Childhood Music
We are taking expressions of interest for our Mini Maestros 0-2 program to continue. These early childhood classes are a great introduction to music that is proved to help with cognitive processing and development. Get your next little prodigy off to the right start with Early Childhood music at the Con!

Speech & Drama
Last term, our previous drama teacher, the charismatic Lee Thornton returned to the Con to expand our artistry beyond the constraints of music. Lee Thornton A.T.C.L, A.S.D.A, Diploma of Acting, Post Graduate Certificate in Human Services has over 38 years of experience teaching Speech and Drama both privately and in schools. She gained her Diploma of Acting in 1984, ATCL Trinity College of London Teaching Diploma (Speech and Drama) in 1985 and ASDA Australian Music Examination Board Teaching Drama (Speech and Drama) in 1990. Lee is a member of the Speech and Drama Association of NSW.

Lee teaches relaxation, breathing, mime, movement, phonemic awareness and transcription, articulation, pronunciation, vocal expression and voice production, improvisation, characterisation, acting techniques, prose, poetry, drama, public speaking, interpretation, expressive reading, storytelling, play building, story writing, speech writing, literature appreciation, audition preparation, eisteddfod and examination preparation, speech and performance theory, elements of theatre, correction of speech sounds and job interview techniques. Certainly overqualified!

Lee teaches of a Wednesday afternoon and has plenty of space to take on any new students who have an interest in the art of acting, or who want to hone their skills for the next Rocky Hill Production. Enrol now!

Musical Theatre
Similarly, we have musical theatre classes beginning this term, run by our amazing Deb McConnell as part of her new roll as head of Musical Theatre. These classes aim to provide students, under the age of 18, vocal technique, drama technique and basic dance/ movement technique, with performance opportunities and preparation for exams from the AMEB in Musical Theatre. Songs will be chosen through the graded level AMEB lists with the opportunity for an own choice song. Classes are on Thursdays at 3:50pm to 4:30pm – Preliminary Grade (Primary School age) and 4:30pm to 5:20pm – Grade 1 (approx. Year 7-8). Demand for an additional 9-12th grade class would make it a possibility. These are great for students apart of Rocky Hill Theatre Company or school productions who want to expand their skills!

Upcoming Concert Series

Sunday, March 30th, 2pm at Hume Conservatorium's Old Ceramics Hall

Perfectly Imperfect – Stories and songs of life, love and laughter.

Perfectly Imperfect

Songs and stories of Life, Love and Laughter

Featuring Julee-anne Bell and Melissa Buchholz

Julee-anne Bell starred on The Voice Australia in 2021 and wowed the judges and audiences Australia wide with her stunning vocals and warm personality. Julee-anne has been blind since birth and she continually inspires and motivates people from all walks of life with her willingness to set the bar high and achieve incredible goals.
Soprano, Julee-anne Bell received a Bachelor of Music (First Class Honours) in 1993 from the University of Queensland where she studied voice under Margaret Nickson. In 2004, Julee-anne received her Masters in Music Studies, majoring in choral conducting and advanced aural studies. Her list of credits as a professional musician is astonishing and she brings to this show a considerable level of stagecraft and personality that delivers a show that audiences will be talking about for a long time after.

Melissa Buchholz has been a professional pianist for over 35 years and has worked nationally and internationally as accompanist for some of the top musicians in the world. Melissa also has a name as a soloist and is equally at home playing classical, pop or jazz genres. Her music speaks to her audiences and she is thrilled to be working alongside Julee-anne in this fabulous show.
Together the two artists present a show filled with great music, humour, charisma and just an all-round entertaining time! The music presented covers various genres and includes songs from Music Theatre, Pop, light classical and jazz. Stories are included that detail the history of the song or show as well as personal recollections from both performers about how the songs impacted their lives. Audiences will be touched by many emotions through the show – happiness, sadness, nostalgia and more!

Sunday, April 6th, 2pm at Hume Conservatorium's Old Ceramics Hall

Opera’s Bad Girl: Anna Bishop, The World’s First Daringly Defiant Diva by Sarah Louise Owens

Before Madonna, there was Anna Bishop. A daring contemporary of Queen Victoria, this original diva shattered expectations and redefined independence when she left her famous composer husband to forge her own artistic path. Bravely defying social norms of the time, and forced to leave her beloved children behind, she toured the globe with her genius harpist lover, surviving shipwrecks, tiger attacks, and pandemics, and inadvertently inspiring women everywhere to live boldly. Renowned Canberran opera singer Sarahlouise Owens brings Anna’s extraordinary journey to life through arias of the era, such as Home Sweet Home, Lucia Mad Scene and The Last Rose of Summer..

The show is designed for all audiences, where the young can learn of the musical tastes of their ancestors, and the older generations may enjoy the music of their childhood. The music is framed within the exciting true life story of a fearless woman who trailblazed a singing career, at a time women were denied a career and when international travel was only possible by ship and carriage.

This is a story begging to be told about empowerment of women in times where the patriarchy was dominant, despite being the time of a ruling Queen. The telling of this story is important due to its historical significance aligning with our colonial history, as well as the story of an early chapter of the Suffragist Movement and of a fearless woman who, among others, would not be restricted by social mores.

Educating and entertaining, this story is fascinating as well as inspirational. Anna is an ideal role model for our young women, or indeed anyone, demonstrating that risk can pay off.

Singer/Actor and pianist perform the music that made Anna’s fame, and the songs that she made a staple of household parlours. The music though old, is revealed, revived and invigorated in this interpretation.

Palm Sunday, April 13th, 4pm at St Saviours Cathedral Goulburn

St Saviour’s Cathedral Choir and Hume Conservatorium’s Voiceworks perform Handel’s Messiah

Come and join us for one of the most acclaimed choral masterpieces in the repertoire. Composed in 1741 and performed ever since around the world, Messiah has some of the most well known and moving music – justifying its almost universal appeal. The Hallelujah Chorus has even been used in advertisements for everything from hot dogs to cars.

For this performance Hume Conservatorium Voiceworks have joined forces with St. Saviour’s Cathedral Choir and members of the community to create the Messiah Choir. Joining the choir are soloists: Soprano- Rachel Mink, Counter Tenor – Tobias Cole, Tenor – George Brenan and Bass – Richard Orchard. Well known organist – Dr. Brett McKern will be accompanying using his new arrangement of the orchestral score. A small ensemble of wind and brass rounds out the instrumentalists for our performance.

Messiah is an oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel. The text was compiled from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter by Charles Jennens. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere a year later. After an initially modest public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity.

The text begins in Part I with prophecies by Isaiah and others, and moves to the annunciation to the shepherds, the only “scene” taken from the Gospels. In Part II, Handel concentrates on the Passion of Jesus and ends with the Hallelujahchorus. In Part III, he covers Paul’s teachings on the resurrection of the dead and Christ’s glorification in heaven.

St. Saviour’s Cathedral Choir and Hume Conservatorium Voiceworks have joined forces inviting members of the community to come sing with us on Palm Sunday April 13, 2025, exactly 283 years after its first performance.

Term 1 Week 9 Faculty Concerts and Presentation Nights!

Nominations for end of term faculty concerts will be called for soon. These concerts will- for each faculty- be the presentation night for each faculty’s students. Please keep these dates free if you intend to perform and start discussing with your teacher. We will let you know if you are receiving an award on the night, whether or not you are performing, but for this reason we encourage everyone to consider!

Monday 7th April 6pm – Vocals

Tuesday 8th April 6pm – Woodwind & Brass

Wednesday 9th April 6pm – Strings

Thursday 10th April 6pm – Piano

Friday 11th April 6pm – Guitar and Drums

THANK YOU!

Hume Con wishes to thank all our donors for their ongoing support! Your small donation makes a HUGE difference! Your 100% Tax Deductible Donation will help fund music education programs throughout the region.

10/03/2025

Staff · Stories

Helen Lutz

Violin- Southern Highlands

Despite early promise and success as a violinist, a strong altruistic streak lead Helen to begin her tertiary studies with a B Medicine, B Surgery. After some years, however, she transferred her studies back to music, initially completing studies in violin teaching (Assoc Dip of Music Teaching – Violin), then on to performance (B Mus), at Sydney Conservatorium.

Helen studied pedagogy with Phillippa Paige (Syllabus Consultant, AMEB), and violin with Vojtech Hlinka, Laszlo Kiss, Perry Hart, and finally with Janet Davies, with whom she maintains a close working relationship.

An ongoing interest in pedagogy led Helen to active participation with the Aust String Teachers’ Assoc (AUSTA) for many years, where she organised and attended pedagogy workshops given by teachers such as Sheila Nelson, Mary Cohen, Shirley Givens, Coosje Wijzenbeek and Geza Silvay.

Helen has extensive experience teaching violin in both private and institutional settings, and enjoys working with interested students of all ages. As well as maintaining an active studio, she has taught violin at Sydney Conservatorium (Extension Studies), acted as guest lecturer there, teaching pedagogy, and has taught Chamber Music at the Sydney Conservatorium High School.

After several decades teaching violin at the International Grammar School in Sydney, Helen has relocated to Kangaroo Valley, and is looking forward to contributing to musical life in the Southern Highlands, whilst maintaining her Sydney teaching practice.

When not teaching, Helen enjoys practising and learning new repertoire, ice skating (figure and dance), skiing, riding her bicycle around, spending time with her family, and being with her dog.

What do you teach at the Con?

Violin

What genres do you teach?

‘So-called’ classical

What is it that you love about teaching music?

Seeing people achieve more than they ever expected, or thought they could.

Please share a particular career highlight and why it's special to you

Every time I start a new student- the look of wonder when they play their first note!

What's one piece of music that you'd recommend people listen to?

This is a really tricky question, as it’s so influenced by what I happen to be working on. Probably last movement, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, played at volume and preferably on decent equipment so that you can hear the rumble of the bass. For violin music, try Prokofiev Violin Concerto No 1, Op 19, maybe with Hilary Hahn playing. Have a listen to the second movement if pushed for time!

13/09/2024

Stories

Hume Conservatorium Foundation

Conservatorium lays foundation for the future

At gala concert on Saturday 17 August the Board of the Hume Conservatorium launched a new Hume Conservatorium Foundation, and called for founding donors from among invited friends and supporters. Board member Ed Suttle was MC for the launch.

The purpose of the Foundation is to support the Conservatorium’s music education for the communities of the Southern Tablelands and Highlands of NSW.

To mark the occasion, there was special performance of the Brahms Horn Trio by Australia-based, world-class musicians, sponsored by Michael Katz and Frederique Katz-Hochuli.

Performers Nico Fleury (Principal Horn with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra), Laurence Matheson (soloist, chamber musician and collaborative pianist), and Dale Barltrop (Concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and First Violinist with the Australian String Quartet) delivered a virtuoso performance. This was followed by an open mic discussion with the audience on their life as musicians, music making, and the importance of music education.

The Conservatorium had promised those invited that it was likely to be the best classical music concert in Goulburn this year, and the consensus among those attending was that the performance was truly outstanding.

In launching the Foundation via video link Con Chair Robert Hunt apologised for being unable to attend in person, and said “We are all here today from the love of music, and a desire to support the work of the Con. Our key objective for the Foundation is to reduce regional disadvantage in the Tablelands and Highlands region. “All great initiatives start with an idea, the comitment of some, and the support of many. We are heartened by the interest and support we have received to date, and our goal is to raise $500,000 over the next few years”.

Hume Con CEO George Brenan commented “ It’s early days in the life of our new Foundation, but we are delighted with the positive response today and we are confident of raising over $100,000 this year.”

The Foundation’s funds are being invested securely through the Capital Region’s GreaterGood Fund for the benefit of music students across the region. An advisory group is also being established to advise the Conservatoium’s Board on the management of Foundation’s funds.

Board members Alice McKellar and Mark Bradbury were also present. Mark Bradbury commented “many people will be aware of the Con going through difficult times this year, and that is still the case. But the Board firmly believes even with our current challenges, now is also the time to invest in the future of the Con, and the future of music education.”

More detailed information about the work of the Conservatorium and the proposed Foundation is available on the Hume Con website at www.humecon.nsw.edu.au/hume-conservatorium-foundation

03/09/2024

Stories

Connectivity for Music Education

Veolia Wi-fi upgrade grant of $15,000

Hume Conservatorium gets a significant WI-FI boost thanks to Veolia Mulwaree Trust

The 120-year-old building at the corner of Bourke and Verner Streets has received an essential wi-fi upgrade across the three heritage buildings thanks to a grant from the Veolia Mulwaree Trust.

The wi-fi upgrade will allow for more innovative music education programs using our tech labs for composition and musicianship and allow teaching staff and students to access high-speed wi-fi while in the building.

“Following the implementation of the upgrade Hume Conservatorium will be able to invest in and implement new teaching aids and more helpful programs for students.” commented George Brenan, “It’s important that music education remains relevant to young people while teaching the core elements of music. Having better wi-fi throughout the building will enhance the teaching and learning opportunities for young people and allow the building and spaces to remain usable and relevant.”

The grant will provide internet connectivity throughout the creative precinct and will allow access to online programs and support for teaching staff to deliver richer music education programs and improved support for student learning. This will enhance individual music lessons through improved access to resources for teachers and increased communications with parents. Increased communication channels will give parents the support they need to help students engage in practice.

This project will increase access to high-speed internet and improve our performance spaces. These capabilities will allow contemporary teaching and performance practices – both for the Conservatorium and for community users.

31/05/2024

Stories

Saviours of Soul – The Commitments

Prentice and co show commitment to Con with big Soul performance

On June 7^th 2024 The Hume Conservatorium staff and students will be hitting the Goulburn Performing Arts Centre stage raising money for the Rock Con roof. The much-loved building that hosts Hume Cons contemporary music students, recording equipment and rehearsal rooms has been damaged through time and our most recent storm season. The funds raised from this event will go to the repair and maintenance of the old roof keeping our rocking students dry!

Garth Prentice, the powerhouse vocal and head of contemporary music at Hume Conservatorium leads an 11-piece band through “The Commitments Show” a tribute to Roddy Doyle’s international bestseller and the hit 1991 movie The Commitments. This movie is a Soul music masterpiece, the Irish actors and musicians delivered an outstanding soundtrack featuring everyone’s favourite “Mustang Sally”. This piece was made famous in 1965 by the great Wilson Pickett but the version you have heard on your radio is the absolutely monstrous voice of 16-year-old Andrew Strong, the vocalist from the 1991 film.

The soundtrack features an array of soul hits from the sixties including songs by Al Green, Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding and will be performed by some of the most talented musicians in Goulburn. The line-up is a big one including Garth Prentice (Lead Vocal) Keva Abotomey (Backing Vocal) Corbey-Lea Will (Backing Vocal) Lou Wurth (Backing Vocal) Julian Paviour (Trumpet) Ambria White (Saxophone) Andrew Picker (Organ) Mike Baker (Keyboard) Liam King (Guitar) John Burgess (Bass Guitar) Jasper Shields(Drums). These outstanding musicians will perform the complete soundtrack from this jukebox musical celebrating the strength of Soul music and community, truly the biggest and best Soul performance Goulburn have ever experienced.

The cast of talent for this musical performance won’t stop there with guest performances from “Young Colts” frontman Jordi Woods, Local live music legend Richard Joyce, Yass Music Club scholarship holder Eden Robinson blasting out the Bari Sax and Goulburn bluesmen “Midnight Mojo” opening the performance with a lightning hit of bonus tracks. In the role of GOD, the Narrator will be Eliott Ross giving an air of authenticity to the performance in the comedy stylings of the original hit movie.

This massive show is jam-packed with local talent and is raising money for a worthwhile cause. It will be sure to raise the roof, and you can too by supporting this Hume Con fundraiser.

This is your opportunity to feel good twice, treat yourself to an amazing show and support Hume Conservatorium to keep the Rock Con Rocking!

Book your tickets now.

24/05/2024

Stories

Hume Conservatorium Fundraiser

Reducing Regional Disadvantage in Music Education at Hume Conservatorium

Hume Conservatorium of Music Board Fundraises to reduce regional disadvantage in Music Education in the Southern Highlands and Tablelands

For nearly 40 years the Hume Conservatorium of Music (Hume Con) has been delivering the joy of music to thousands of people of all ages and abilities across the Southern Tablelands and Southern Highlands. But we are more than just a music school, we are a regional community of music makers and creatives.

Chair of the Hume Conservatorium Board Robert Hunt has put forward a plea to the community and its supporters to raise $100,000 to continue to reduce disadvantage in music education across the Southern Highlands and Tablelands.

“As a not-for-profit registered charity we operate on a very tight financial and business model. The past few years have been very challenging for the Board, administration and our amazing teaching staff”, says George Brenan “Covid combined with rising costs of living, has made music education almost inaccessible to many families in the region”.

During the past five years Hume Conservatorium has endeavoured to keep prices low for families and community members who use the conservatorium for individual lessons, ensembles, choirs, bands and music therapy.

With theseour financial reserves are now exhausted the Con needs financial assistance from our community to whom we have been servicing since our inception in 1985. To continue to deliver the best in music tuition and music programs, we urgently need to raise funds to support our vital work.

“Our core funding from the NSW Department of Education has not kept pace with the services we have been asked to deliver. “ remarked Robert Hunt, ”This untenable position, along with the impact of the ever-tightening budgets of our wonderful public schools in the region, has meant the Con has been forced to use its cash reserves to keep operating.”

At a time where research is showing a dramatic decline in music skills amongst primary school teachers and music education clearly helps our attitudes, behaviours and teamwork abilities along with cognitive benefits such as logic processing, listening skills and memory improvement, the work of Hume Conservatorium has never been more important

Please help us reach our target so we can continue to bring the joy of music to our community.

02/04/2024

Stories

April Holiday Programs

Autumn Holiday Programs 15 - 24 April 2024

Workshops at Hume Con During the April Holidays.
The Holiday Programs for 12-24-year-olds are funded by the Office of Regional Youth Holiday Break Program all students 12-24 will also receive a free ticket to See Jurassic Park at GPAC with the Southern Tablelands Arts Film Group. There is currently no funding for Holiday programs for Under 12’s. These programs have been subsidised by Hume Conservatorium for families with children under 12.

SQUAWKESTRA!

16-17 April 10am – 3pm SQUAWKESTRA! at Hume Con. Perfect for Beginners and intermediate students the SQUAWKESTRA! is an opportunity to try an instrument. including strings, brass and woodwind. If you already play we would love you to come along! 12-24 year olds

SING LIKE TAYLOR SWIFT!

18 April 10am – 12pm SING LIKE Taylor Swift! Calling all Swifties, some and learn to sing in the style of Taylor Swift with Lou Wurth. Learn some great tips and tricks to enhance your voice! 12-24 year olds

SING LIKE ZACH BRYAN

18 April 12.30pm – 2.30pm SING LIKE Zac Bryan! Join Lou Wurth and learn awesome tips and techniques to use your own voice to sing in a country genre.

STUDIO SKILLS

23 April 10am STUDIO SKILLS with John Burgess. Perfect for youth bands and singer songwriters. Spend a day learning how to use the Hume Con Recording Studio. This program will offer a Hume Con Certificate of Competency for young people and regional bands. This will open the door to getting started recording your original songs. 12-24 year olds

PLAY LIKE JIMI HENDRIX!

24 April 10am – 12pm PLAY LIKE Jimi Hendrix! Perfect for Beginners this two-hour workshop will teach you the basics of playing guitar like Jimi Hendrix.

24 April 12.30pm – 2.30pm PLAY LIKE Jimi Hendrix! Perfect for intermediate and Advanced players. Learn advance guitar techniques to play in the style of Jimi Hendricks!

JURASSIC PARK

21 April 4pm JURASSIC PARK at GPAC – All participants in the 12-24 year old workshops recieve a free ticket to Jurassic Park in partnership with Southern Tablelands Arts and the Office of Regional Youth Holiday Break Program.

29/02/2024

Stories

Deadly Music at Hume Con

Exploring Culture and Music 2024

A group of aboriginal young people, some of whom had never played music before, joined Hume Conservatorium, grow the Music and Dizzy Doolan (cairns) at The Con for a week of songwriting and recording. Eight Aboriginal youths, aged 12 to 16, split into two groups and wrote and recorded two original songs. These will be produced and possibly released on music channels. The week-long workshop was part of Grow the Music, a program aimed at Aboriginal youth aged 12 to eighteen.

The youths were mentored by Grow the Music founder and director, Liz Rutten and First Nations Hip Hop artist, singer and actor, Dizzy Doolan. The initiative was aimed at opening doors to those who hadn’t previously experienced the facility. The workshop was funded by the Office of Regional Youth Holiday Break Program.

“We are wrapt with its success,” Ms Newbury said. “To have two original pieces of music produced in a week by young people, most of whom had never picked up an instrument before, is phenomenal. These kids are going home successful.”

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Deadly Music was funded by the Office of Regional Youth Holiday Break Program

06/02/2024

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