Page 2 – Hume Conservatorium of Music Ltd.

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

Lee Thornton

Speech, Drama.

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.

What do you teach at the Con?

Individual and group lessons in Speech and Drama.

What subjects do you teach?

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.

What is it that you love about teaching Speech and Drama?

It is about the individual student’s needs, as we are all unique. It is experiental learning that is powerful. Speech and Drama opens the imagination that is pivotal in driving creativity, personal growth and problem solving. It builds confidence and reinforces the development of literacy.

Please share a particular career highlight and why it is important.

There are just too many highlights. What is amazing is seeing students creatively express themselves by performing original work. They truly own it and what an achievement! It is empowering and magical. They intergrate their own authentic voice into what they are saying.

Lee pictured here in earlier years at the Con with a young Joshua Arnold.

Term 3 News

MUSIC MATTERS August 2024

A Message from our CEO

Dear Hume Con Families

I am writing to let you know that Peta-Maree is no longer working with us at the Con. Following cuts in school budgets, as well as the tight economic circumstances many of us are facing at home, we have not been able to achieve our planned income growth this year.

I have needed to make some difficult decisions as we adjust to our new projected income. With real sadness I have negotiated a redundancy package with Peta-Maree.

Peta-Maree Hayward has been the face of the Conservatorium for many of you and I know you will wish her well, as we do. It is not a change we would have made if it was avoidable. I am confident there will be another position in our community where her skills will be needed and valued.

We have done our best to adjust to a smaller team, but if there are matters you were progressing with Peta-Maree and do not hear from us, please contact enquiries so we can resolve them for you.

We will also need to adjust some of “extras” but we are maintaining performance pracs and end of term concerts.

Regards

George Brenan
Chief Executive
Hume Conservatorium of Music Ltd

Dates for your Diary

10 August – Qwire Out and About Workshop
15 August – Performance Prac
17 August – Launch for the Hume Conservatorium Foundation
17 August – Youth Leaders – Heavy Metal Night
23 August – Eishan Ensemble
12 September – performance Prac
28 September – Heirs and Rebels — Sydney Chamber Choir
October Holiday Programs including the Lilac Festival battle of the Bands.
November – Rock Con gets a New Roof! – Thank you top everyone for your support at the Commitments Fundraiser. We have received the remainder of the funding through the Community Building Partnerships Grant to complete the replacement.

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.

Student Code of Conduct

2024 Student Code of Conduct

At Hume Conservatorium we value:

Creativity, to foster and support artistic creativity in our community;

Courage, to explore innovative ideas and partnerships and be courageous in our approach to problems and opportunities;

Community, to engage with everyone in an open, accepting, encouraging and welcoming way;

Accountability, to behave with honesty and transparency with our stakeholders, and are accountable for our actions;

Excellence, to encompass quality in all that we do and set high standards for ourselves.

To achieve our goals and abide by our values, we would like to provide you with the key aspects of our Code of Conduct. We expect all students of the Conservatorium to adhere to this Code.

All members of the Conservatorium Community whether staff, students, parents, volunteers or the general public are expected to:

Respect and contribute to the environment of teaching and learning at Hume Conservatorium;
Treat each other with respect, dignity, honesty and integrity (remembering that young people learn best by example);
Acknowledge and affirm success in student, teacher and Conservatorium achievements;
Show proper care and regard for Hume Conservatorium property and the property of others;
Work constructively to raise any areas of concern suggest improvements;
Immediately report any issues relating to the health and safety of any person at the conservatorium promptly to a member of staff; and
Support the Conservatorium’s governing Policies and Procedures.

All Conservatorium students are expected to:

Be punctual for lessons, performances, rehearsals and other activities at the Conservatorium;
Be respectful and friendly to every member of the Conservatorium’s community and welcome new students and families;
Respectfully and responsibly abide by the rules;
Strive for excellence and advancement to maintain the highest standards in their learning;
Have their say about activities they are involved in;
Take care when handling Conservatorium property, such as respecting loaned instruments;
Practice regularly between lessons and rehearsals; and
Present themselves in a respectable manner while learning at the Conservatorium.

All Conservatorium students are expected NOT to:

Bully, harass, intimidate or discriminate against any other member of the community;
Be violent or bring illicit materials such as weapons, drugs or alcohol onto campus;
Leave a group setting or the campus without a responsible adult’s knowledge; or
Interfere with the education of another student.

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.

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.

Elizabeth Jones

Piano, Accordian, Theory - Southern Highlands

Elizabeth Jones was born in Sydney, Australia and began her studies on the accordion at the age of five, first with Else Brandman and later with Margaret Brandman. After completing a Bachelor of Music degree at Sydney University, she joined the Advanced Postgraduate Course at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she studied accordion with Professor Owen Murray and piano with Antoinetta Notariello. In 2008 Elizabeth was awarded her Doctor of Creative Arts at the University of Western Sydney, for her portfolio on researching the pedagogical and performance styles of the accordion.

Her concert performances have taken her to London, Hong Kong, China, New Zealand and throughout Australia, where she has performed as guest artist and recitalist at major venues. Elizabeth has performed with Opera Australia in their production of Wozzeck and also performed a season of Fiddler on the Roof at the Hills Centre. She has given numerous broadcasts for the ABC and 2MBSFM, as well as featuring on recordings and Win News, Wollongong. Elizabeth has collaborated with many composers based in Sydney to promote the accordion as a concert instrument. The composers include Eric Gross, Margaret Brandman, Ko-Ting Sung, Terumi Narashumi, and Andrew McBirnie (U.K.) Amongst her premieres are And The Sun Danced On Easter Morn’ an intermezzo for accordion and organ, Tanghetto con Bandoneon for accordion and mandolins and Concertino for accordion and orchestra all by Eric Gross. Elizabeth has performed with Oz Opera (Midnite), Ensemble Offspring (Menschen am Sonntag), Australia Ensemble (Hindemith’s Kammermusik Nr.1.) the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Chronology Arts

Elizabeth also has a strong interest in performing world music, having performed with Tempo di Tango, Cambalache, Feugo Lento and collaborations with Stephen Lalor. Aside from performances on the accordion Elizabeth also performs on the bandoneon and piano at various venues around Sydney alongside accompanying students for examinations and auditions.

Amongst her academic presentations are published research papers through the International Society of Music Education and the University of Western Sydney.

Elizabeth’s roles have including Head of Accordion Studies at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, NSW; Tutor of Accordion studies, Coordinator of Contemporary Performance, General Studies, Classical Music, Music Theatre and Arts Management at the Australian Institute Music, Sydney. In 2010 Elizabeth accepted the role of Head of Classical Performance at the Australia Institute of Music, and at the end of 2014 took on the additional role of Head of Academic Studies (Sydney and Melbourne campuses). After 11 years of leadership roles at the Australian Institute of Music, Elizabeth moved to the Academy of Music and Performing Arts, where she is currently Head of Music and Academics.