Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University

Former names	Queensland Conservatorium of Music
Type	Public
Established	1957 (1957)
Parent institution	Griffith University
Director	Bernard Lanskey
Students	800
Location	Brisbane , Queensland , Australia 27°28′36″S 153°01′14″E / 27.4766°S 153.0205°E / -27.4766; 153.0205

The Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University is a special music school in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It's often called "the Con" by students! This school is part of Griffith University. To get in, you usually need to audition, showing off your musical talents. It used to be known as the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.

The Con's Story: A Musical Journey

The Queensland Conservatorium first opened its doors on February 18, 1957. The state government helped set it up. An English composer named William Lovelock was its first director. The school started in the South Brisbane Town Hall.

Growing and Moving Locations

In 1971, the Conservatorium became more independent from the government. It was then called a College of Advanced Education. In 1975, the school moved to a new building at Gardens Point. Later, in 1989, a second campus opened in Mackay. This Mackay campus became part of Central Queensland University in 1995.

Joining Griffith University

In 1991, the Conservatorium joined Griffith University. This was part of a big change in Australian education. Because of this, the school moved to its current home in the South Bank Parklands in 1996. At this time, it was renamed Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. The old Gardens Point buildings were taken over by Queensland University of Technology.

New Programs and Research

In 1999, the Conservatorium started a new program for popular music. It also opened a new campus on the Gold Coast. From 2000, the popular music course was taught at Griffith University's Gold Coast Campus. In 2003, the Conservatorium Research Centre (QCRC) was created. This center studies how music works in today's world. In 2019, the popular music program moved back to the South Bank campus. It became a main subject within the Bachelor of Music course.

Amazing Facilities for Musicians

The Conservatorium has many great places for students to learn and perform.

Performance Spaces

• The Conservatorium Theatre can seat up to 727 people. It has a very tall "fly tower," which is used to lift scenery during shows. Opera Queensland also uses this theatre for some of its smaller performances.
• The Ian Hanger Recital Hall is a smaller space that seats 200 people.
• The Basil Jones Orchestra Hall is perfect for orchestra practice and performances.

Recording and Production

The school also has modern facilities for making and recording music. These include music production studios, post-production rooms, multimedia labs, and recording studios. You can find these at both the South Bank and Gold Coast Campuses.

Young Conservatorium Program

The Queensland Conservatorium also runs the Young Conservatorium. This program teaches classical music to younger students, from pre-schoolers up to year 12. In the past year, over 1500 young students have taken part in performances through this program.

In 2007, the Conservatorium celebrated its 50th birthday! They had reunions for former students and welcomed visiting artists from all over the world.

Leaders and Teachers of the Con

Past Directors

Here are some of the people who have led the Conservatorium over the years:

• William Lovelock (1957–1959)
• Basil Jones (1960–1980)
• Roy Wales (1981–1987)
• Anthony Camden (1988–1993)
• Simone De Haan (1996–2002)
• Peter Roennfeldt (2002–2009)
• Huib Schippers (2009–2012)
• Don Lebler (2012–2013; acting director)
• Scott Harrison (2013–2020)

Notable Staff Members

Many talented musicians and educators have taught at the Conservatorium, including:

• Nora Baird MBE
• Julian Byzantine
• John Curro
• Janet Delpratt
• Margreta Elkins
• Ralph Hultgren
• Carmel Kaine
• Stephen Leek
• Peter Musson
• Max Olding
• Jan Sedivka
• Larry Sitsky
• Donald Smith
• Paul Terracini
• Vanessa Tomlinson
• Carl Vine
• Lev Vlassenko
• Natasha Vlassenko
• Nancy Weir
• Christopher Wrench

Famous Former Students

Many well-known musicians and performers have studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music:

• Daniel Amalm
• Jason Barry-Smith
• Jeffrey Black
• Ray Chen
• Gerry Connolly
• Sarah Crane
• Tyson Illingworth (known as TyDi)
• Brett Dean
• Candy Devine
• Robin Donald
• Helen Donaldson
• Lisa Gasteen
• Clare Gormley and Miriam Gormley
• Dami Im
• Graeme Jennings
• Astrid Jorgensen
• Kanon (singer)
• Piers Lane
• Rosario La Spina
• Adam Lopez
• Tahu Matheson
• Kate Miller-Heidke
• Courtney Monsma
• Katie Noonan
• Barnaby Ralph
• John Rodgers (musician)
• Barry Singh
• Megan Washington
• Jonathon Welch
• Christopher Wrench
• The Kite String Tangle
• TwoSet Violin (Brett Yang and Eddy Chen)
• Toby Wren

Awards and Recognition

APRA Classical Music Awards

The APRA Classical Music Awards celebrate amazing achievements in classical music in Australia. They are given out every year by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australian Music Centre (AMC).