2007 Annual Report - Queensland Symphony Orchestra

EDUCATION AND
LEARNING
Record program grant
TQO’s education program attracted the company’s
first ever philanthropic trust grant in 2007, in the
form of a generous contribution from John T Reid
Charitable Trusts. This grant funded timely review of
education concert structures across all age groups,
and the expansion of several programs for young
artist development and community outreach, with
clear outcomes evident by mid 2007. TQO is proud
that both the existing scope and the growth potential
of its education program were recognised amongst a
competitive national field of grant applicants.
Record workshop reach
TQO’s instrumental workshop program, The Club,
was accessed by over 650 students and teachers in
2007. Supported by Thiess, this program engaged
TQO musicians in a total of 48 teaching hours,
specifically tailored to the needs of each member
school’s instrumental program. From leading weekly
rehearsals to demonstrating instrument options
to hundreds of budding music students, the 2007
program saw TQO subsidising the regular presence
of Queensland’s leading musicians in the classrooms
of eight metropolitan primary and secondary schools.
Participation in the program also provides TQO’s
musicians with valuable professional development
opportunities in various education settings.
Performing to young audiences
Countless Queenslanders can recount their first ever
orchestral experience, many having attended an
education concert by their state orchestra. Selling out all
26 of its Kiddies Cushion Concerts and the education
program’s premier concert Secondary Showcase, with
eight primary and middle schools concerts and four
regional concerts in between, TQO performed to over
16,000 young Queenslanders in 2007. Grant funding
supported review of Kiddies Cushion Concert formats
and experimentation with reverse mode seating to
enhance students’ lines of sight in the Concert Hall. Such
ongoing stylistic development is undertaken to ensure
that TQO proactively retains a position of core importance
in the ever-expanding range of entertainment experiences
available to young Queenslanders.
Developing young artists
Young artist development is widely regarded as a key
responsibility of state orchestras (Newspoll, 2006) and
one TQO takes seriously. TQO’s Young Instrumentalist
Competition (YIC) attracts applications from secondary
students statewide, providing invaluable audition
experience. YIC’s overall 2007 winner, year 10 student
Patrick Sweeney, performed before fellow students in
TQO’s Secondary Showcase, accompanied by his state
orchestra and mentored by TQO Concertmaster Alan
Smith. 2007 grant funding also ensured the permanent
addition of a YIC finalists’ recital to widen entrants’
performance opportunities.
Further supporting instrumentalists’ transition into
tertiary study and emerging professionalism, 2007 saw
TQO continuing its annual role in Symphony Services
Australia’s (SSA) Young Performers Awards, providing a
state judging panel and full orchestral accompaniment
to semi-finalists, and dedicating a period of its orchestral
schedule to SSA’s annual Conductor Development
Program. All initiatives represent a pool of Australian
talent upon which TQO may draw for future roles as
orchestral musicians or guest artists.
Providing world class guidance
Another key provision of TQO’s 2007 education program
grant was establishment of a permanent masterclass
program, based on enthusiastic take-up of one-off
masterclass opportunities previously provided by
TQO. In addition to mainstage appearances in 2007,
internationally renowned violinist Mark Kaplan, cellist
Paul Watkins and pianist Ju Hee Su were engaged by
TQO to provide feedback on performances by tertiary
instrumental students in a masterclass setting. TQO’s
existing relationships with directors and teaching staff of
Brisbane’s leading tertiary music institutions assisted in
the nomination of high calibre masterclass participants,
providing students and attending TQO patrons alike
with unique offstage insights into the talent of TQO’s
guest artists.
Opening our rehearsals
Grant funding was allocated to growing TQO’s open
rehearsal program in 2007, successfully incorporating
over 500 participants by the season’s close. Program
expansion from four to six open rehearsal dates
throughout the year allowed TQO to accommodate
visits by regionally-based music students from Mount
Isa School of the Air and Longreach. Alongside a core
group of regular Guild member attendees, selected
rehearsals were also opened to the general public, with
promotion via TQO’s enewsletter attracting numerous
first-time attendees. Through this program TQO aims
to enhance patrons’ subsequent concert experiences
via their direct observation of professional concert
preparation processes.
The Queensland Orchestra 2007 Annual Report
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