Friends of the School of Music – ANU Inc.
President’s Report for 2013
Overview
In 2013 the Friends have been able to support the Head of School, Professor Peter
Tregear as he has developed the new curriculum, recruited some new staff and
bedded in the very different arrangements whereby instrumental teaching is done
by Performance Teaching Fellows rather than staff employed by the School.
Towards the end of the year we welcomed the appointment of Dr Tregear for a
further 3 years and look forward to working with him to strengthen the musical
education at the School and to help forge wider relationships with the Canberra
community.
We are most appreciative of the support we have had from Embassies. The
incoming Ambassador for Austria, Dr Helmut Böck continued his predecessor’s
generosity and hosted a concert for us, as did the Ambassador for Hungary, Her
Excellency Mrs Anna Sikó.
We again partnered with Artsound FM in funding the ACT nominee to the National
Young Performer Competition run by the Fine Music network of radio stations.
And Eastlake Football Club continued its very active support through another
grant to assist our pre-tertiary student activities, and added to this a further grant
for an outreach program into ACT Schools.
A new development in 2013 was our sponsoring of 4 Masterclasses over the year,
in most cases contributing half the cost, with the School funding the other half.
With the help of a number of the committee and other members, we were able to
help with the workload of the end of semester student recitals by volunteering as
ushers.
During the year we decided to seek tax-deductibility for donations to the Friends,
by applying for inclusion on the Register of Cultural Organisations. The
Association had this status in the past, but relinquished it some years ago when
the capital fund within the ANU was set up, in order to encourage tax-deductible
donations to it. The income from that fund now supports our annual prizes and
awards, and there is evidence that tax-deductibility would encourage donations
directly to the Friends. An Extraordinary General Meeting was held in August to
make some amendments in the Constitution, to include model clauses for
managing a Public Fund for tax-deductible donations. The application for
registration was lodged in November and we expect it to take several months to
process.
We have appreciated the continuing commitment of loyal members over the year,
and have welcomed a number of music-lovers joining for the first time.
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Fund raising activities and functions organised
The Friends held five fund raising concerts during the year, with many students
whom we had assisted and several staff giving their time and talent to make them
possible. The concerts were:
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In late May, a concert at the Austrian Embassy at which a wide variety of
students performed, including eight cellists, a string quartet, a piano trio, a
baritone, solo piano and a jazz duo
In late June, a concert at the Hungarian Embassy featuring young
performers enrolled in pre-tertiary programs for chamber music and solo
instrumentalists – our thanks to Lindy Reksten for organising this program
In August, a guitar concert in the Big Band room – our thanks to Tim Kain
for organising this program
In late September, a keyboard concert at Wesley Music Centre featuring
works for four hands – and our thanks to graduate Andrew Rumsey for
arranging the program
A jazz concert in the Larry Sitsky Room in October, showing the talents of a
range of jazz students – and our thanks to John Mackey for organising this
program
In addition to proceeds from concerts, membership fees and donations
contributed to the income for expenditure on grants. We also drew on income
from the Friends’ Project Fund within the ANU’s Endowment for Excellence.
We are very grateful to our hosts, artists, staff, students and alumni, for their
willing voluntary support and generous gifts of venues, hospitality and fine music.
Assistance given
We decided to give priority in 2013 to applications from undergraduates
(including honours students) with high quality performance elements, as well as
applications of a collegiate nature with potential benefit to a number of students.
Masterclasses were also identified as a valuable way of benefitting a wide group of
students.
A. Awards and prizes funded by income from the Endowment for
Excellence
The Bernhard Neumann prize for an outstanding 4th year student was awarded to
Jonathan Barakat, who completed double degrees in Music and Science and
whose honours thesis explored links between music and science. Jonathan also
played an active part in many music groups in the Canberra community.
The Friends’ Transition Award to help a recent graduate in the transition to a
professional music career went to Andrew Rumsey (piano) who used it to further
his experience as part of a piano duo with graduate Joshua Creek. They attended
the Tel Hai International Piano masterclasses in Israel, took part in an
international concerto competition and gave a series of concerts.
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We also drew on the Endowment fund to support a visit by Leslie Howard,
Melbourne based pianist, who visited for concerts and a masterclass in
September.
Chamber Music Competition prizes were also funded from the Endowment: 1st
prize going to the Wattle Guitar Quartet and 2nd to the Childers Street Quartet.
The separate Christel Larko scholarship fund made an award to Gemma Butler, a
1st year voice student. (The Larko Scholarships are for voice and keyboard).
B. Grants funded from the Friends’ account (derived from membership
fees, concert income and donations)
Three masterclasses were part funded by the Friends: Pavel Steidl, guitarist (cofunded by the Classical Guitar Society); Nigel North, lutenist (co-funded by the
School); Joseph Nolan, organist and choral conductor (co-funded by the School).
As noted above a masterclass by Leslie Howard was also funded from the
Endowment Fund.
Stephanie Jones (3rd year guitar) received a grant to take part in festivals and
competitions and attend masterclasses in Europe.
Andrew Blanch (4th year honours guitar) received a grant to compete in Portugal,
the Czech Republic and Lichtenstein and to attend masterclasses.
Ariel Nurhadi (PhD in classical guitar) received a grant to compete in the Czech
Republic and Lichtenstien and attend masterclasses.
Elora Ledger (4th year voice) was helped with the costs of attending the Manhattan
School of Music Summertime Festival to learn and perform two operas and two
musicals.
Callum Henshaw (honours guitar) received funding to help cover costs of
recording original work with other students.
Calum Builder (2nd year jazz sax) received a grant to record and produce a CD of
his own compositions.
Tate Sheridan (3rd year jazz piano) received a grant to record and produce a CD of
his own compositions.
Louis Montgomery (4th year Bachelor of Professional Music Practice) received a
grant to complete production of a CD of works collaborating with Elisha Bones.
Krystle Innes (3rd year voice) received funding to help with the costs of
auditioning for post-graduate study in the UK.
Campbell Diamond (3rd year guitar) received a grant to take part in international
guitar festivals and symposiums in Tokyo and Bucharest, and attend
masterclasses.
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Ciaran Edwards-McKeown (2nd year guitar) received a grant to compete in
Singapore and attend masterclasses.
The Friends funded a return airfare for the ACT Young Performer of the Year
(Krystle Innes) to travel to the national finals of the competition organised by the
Fine Music network, continuing a partnership with ArtSound FM which organises
selection of the ACT winner.
C. Young Performer activities funded from grants from the Eastlake
Football Club
The level of our assistance to the pre-tertiary students is made possible by a grant
from the Eastlake Football Club.
This year Lindy Reksten, Convener of Music after School Instrumental and Vocal
Program and Fridays@ANU School of Music organised several concerts each
semester. The Friends helped with front-of–house, and also continued the practice
of subsidising accompanists for the pre-tertiary performers. The pre-tertiary
concert series culminated in a chamber music competition held in November, with
the Friends providing the prizes.
We were able to assist with some of the costs for a pre-tertiary quartet which was
selected to take part in a world-wide international festival for high-school age
performers, We were also able to help with the costs of two outstanding pretertiary students, Mia Stanton (violin) and Emma Rayner (cello) who were
selected for the Australian Youth Orchestra’s international tour.
Eastlake Football Club gave a second grant through the year which will be used
for an Outreach program into schools. The first visits by ensembles of tertiary
students took place in the last semester, and activity in the Outreach program will
carry through into 2014 when it is planned to bring students from a number of
schools into ANU School of Music venues for a variety of music engagement
experiences.
D. Other support
As noted in the overview, we were able, with the volunteer effort of a dozen or so
members, to help the School handle the peak workload of end of semester
student recitals by doing some of the ushering. Our thanks go to those who gave
their time to do this.
Patron, HE Mr Michael Bryce
Mr Bryce continued to show interest throughout the year, and generously hosted a
musical reception which enabled us to thank staff of the School and those who
had donated time and money to us during the year. In speaking at this, Mr Bryce
noted that the term of the Governor-General was coming to an end and that they
would miss the contact with the students of the School and the staff. The Friends
expressed their very sincere thanks to him for his interest and support.
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The Committee
The committee has been particularly hard working this year. Several warrant
special thanks: Robyn McKay (Vice-President) who inter alia has produced the
newsletter each month; Rosemary Greaves (Secretary) and Annie Oakey (Treasurer)
for handling heavy workloads throughout the year; and Robert Attenborough and
Ann and Roger Smith for organising concerts. Matthew Buckley joined us in the
second half of the year, and now handles updates to the Friends’ section of the
website. Debbie Dwyer’s legal qualifications were very valuable in preparing
amendments to the Constitution and spearheading preparation of the application
for inclusion on the Register of Cultural Organisations. Marilyn Higgins, Neil
Montgomery, Terry Neeman and Paul Dugdale all carried out a variety of other
volunteer tasks.
David McKean (ex Auditor-General’s Office) was again appointed Auditor, and we
are most grateful to him for his carrying out the role pro bono.
Assistance from the School
We receive invaluable help from the School, and would particularly like to thank
Melissa Dunn(reception) who distributes the online newsletter, Rachael Thoms
who has helped with concert planning and design of publicity material, Harriet
Torrens in student liaison, and Deanna Riddell and her team in venues.
Lastly, Professor Peter Tregear’s interest in the Friends, his support for us and his
public acknowledgement of our role have been very much appreciated as we have
forged a strong working relationship with him and the new team at the School.
Christine Goode, President.
December 2013
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