DIRECTOR’S REPORTThis is my thirdweek at NECOM asDirec<strong>to</strong>r and I amstill whirling fromso many programsthat constitute itsrich musical life.On my first nightin Armidale I wasamazed by thehigh standard ofchoral singing at the eisteddfod’s ChoirNight. Two days later I was stunned bythe sophisticated student compositionsperformed at the presentationceremony, preceded by a seminar withthe renowned composer Stephen Leek.The next weekend witnessed aural workshopsand the NECOM Cantilena Choirperforming at the Eisteddfod Gala Concert.The following Saturday the stringteachers ran studio concerts. The nextday a French Horn Development programcommenced. On the same day theNECOM Sinfonia performed baroqueworks with stylistic flair in a Fiori MusicaliFundraising Concert. Next weekend willsee the Ensemble Offspring providing acomposition workshop and a concert. ABeginner Strings Program Concert willalso highlight students’ achievements.And all this in a three week period.NECOM’s early childhood music, Choraland Beginner String and Woodwindprograms are flourishing. Fourteen ensembles,carefully designed <strong>to</strong> maximisechoral and instrumental learning pathways,rehearse weekly, conducted andaccompanied by outstanding professionals.The quality of the instrumentaltuition program teaching is second <strong>to</strong>none.A musical revolution of this magnitudecannot take place without a fearlessleader, and I would like <strong>to</strong> pay tribute <strong>to</strong><strong>Corinne</strong> Arter my predecessor, who hasbuilt an institution which is enhancingthe musical lives of so many people. Astrong Board with Dr Arthur Rickards atthe helm must also be applauded for creatingan organisation of this stature.2 NECOM NEWS JULY 2009So, <strong>you</strong> may well ask, who is this person<strong>to</strong> whom the ba<strong>to</strong>n has been passed?Let me tell <strong>you</strong> a little of my background.I was born in Armidale and grew up ona farm north of Guyra. As a classicallytrained pianist and having completedan honours year in music from the Universityof <strong>New</strong> <strong>England</strong> I moved <strong>to</strong> thebig smoke <strong>to</strong> play in rock, blues and jazzbands and contemporary music ensembles.The best name we had for one ofthese bands was ‘Len’s Contact’ and themost ‘out there’ ensemble was classed asmusic theatre. In the latter I recall pluckingthe strings of a piano and a womansinging a song about domestic violence<strong>to</strong> an ironing board while someones<strong>to</strong>od in a corner cracking raw eggs overhis head.After a few wild years in Sydney I hankeredfor the country and having completeda Dip. Ed. I was appointed <strong>to</strong> FinleyHigh School. Finley was a Countryand Western singing, sport dominated<strong>to</strong>wn amidst rice farms which drew theirvast water needs from the ever diminishingMurray River. My first rude awakeningcame when it was apparent thatmusic was not given the same status asany other subject. This soon changed,and when the number of participants inthe Finley and District Youth Orchestraexceeded the number of members ofthe combined local football teams it wastime <strong>to</strong> move on.I spent the next five years as a MusicConsultant K-12 for the Riverina Regionwhich reached from Lake Mungo in thenorth <strong>to</strong> the foothills of the Snowy Mountains.My second awakening came as I experiencedfirst hand the lack of systemicsupport, teachers ill-equipped <strong>to</strong> teachmusic, and the tyranny of distance.These understandings shaped mynext phase of work in the NSW PerformingArts Unit firstly as Programs Manageroverseeing state programs. Then overnightin a departmental restructuring,regional arts education programs hadbeen somehow forgotten. I was taskedwith developing a state-wide structure<strong>to</strong> reinstate them. Ten Creative ArtsCouncils and generic systems of fundingwere established resulting in unprecedentedlevels of student and teacherparticipation.I decided <strong>to</strong> take a break from thearts world and after completing an MAin Public Policy I accepted a position inAfghanistan as Policy and Planning Advisor<strong>to</strong> the Coordination of HumanitarianAssistance (CHA). Twenty three yearsof civil war had wreaked its havoc andKabul, once ‘the Paris of the East’, hadbeen reduced <strong>to</strong> rubble. Nothing hadprepared me for the despairing eyes ofparents unable <strong>to</strong> provide for their children.Not much music here. The Talibanhad banned it during their insane rule.CHA provided health, education andagricultural services <strong>to</strong> over 3 millionpeople. I worked with my Afghan colleagues<strong>to</strong> develop policies for all sec<strong>to</strong>rsand facilitated a five year strategicplan which is still being implemented<strong>to</strong>day.On my return I worked as a SolutionsBroker for the federal government inthe Barkly Region, Northern Terri<strong>to</strong>ry. Ahighlight during this time was the establishmen<strong>to</strong>f the Winanjjikari Music Centre<strong>to</strong> meet a community identified needfor a safe place for disengaged <strong>you</strong>ngIndigenous males <strong>to</strong> play music, undertakecertificated courses and <strong>to</strong> performand record their own music.Next I moved <strong>to</strong> Darwin <strong>to</strong> work for anational company ‘Outback S<strong>to</strong>res’ established<strong>to</strong> provide food security forIndigenous communities. As WellbeingManager on the Senior Executive team,my focus was <strong>to</strong> ensure that the imperativefor the economic sustainability ofs<strong>to</strong>res didn’t overshadow the company’smission <strong>to</strong> make a positive difference <strong>to</strong>the health of remote Indigenous Australians.During these adventures music wasnever far away from my psyche andwhen the position for Direc<strong>to</strong>r of NECOMcame on the radar, the time was right <strong>to</strong>return, not only <strong>to</strong> the arts world butalso <strong>to</strong> the home of my birth and family.I believe the <strong>New</strong> <strong>England</strong> Conserva<strong>to</strong>riumof Music is poised for its nextexciting phase of development. Thewelcomed announcement of additionalfunding for the Regional Conserva<strong>to</strong>riumswill help <strong>to</strong> underpin this new phase.However, what form this takes will onlybe determined after consultation withkey stakeholders. I look forward <strong>to</strong> workingclosely with the NECOM board, staffand the <strong>New</strong> <strong>England</strong> community on afive year strategic plan <strong>to</strong> pave the wayforward.As I sit at my desk in this magnificen<strong>to</strong>ld building I can hear exquisite melodiesfrom the <strong>New</strong> <strong>England</strong> Singers rehearsingnext door. In the office, HeatherPavel is busily preparing music for theJunior Orchestra Workshop and FaewynGoyen is systemising the instrumentalhire program while answering endlesscalls. This is indeed a thriving institutionwhich I am privileged <strong>to</strong> be part of.Julie Croft
FAREWELL<strong>Corinne</strong> Arter put the <strong>New</strong> <strong>England</strong> Conserva<strong>to</strong>rium on asuccessful footing during her five years as Direc<strong>to</strong>r, Memberfor Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay <strong>to</strong>ld guests at afarewell function on Friday 19th June. “<strong>Corinne</strong> has made anoutstanding contribution, bringing NECOM from a positionof only two students and no programs or activities <strong>to</strong> thecurrent position of 537 students, more than 2500 programparticipants and six full-time and 18 part-time staff” the MPsaid. “Under her leadership, she worked with her board andstaff <strong>to</strong> establish a Conserva<strong>to</strong>rium without walls involvinglocal music teachers and providing services such as specialistworkshops, business management, advertising, teachingvenues, masterclasses, scholarship and bursary assistanceand concert venues for studio concerts. She also guided thedevelopment of an outreach program at Inverell which nowhas a campus and part-time co-ordina<strong>to</strong>r.”<strong>Corinne</strong> <strong>say</strong>s goodbyeDuring her five years, <strong>Corinne</strong> instigated an instrumental tuitionprogram, a tiered choral and ensemble program, includingfour choirs, beginner programs for strings and woodwind,the <strong>New</strong> <strong>England</strong> Youth Sinfonia, an early childhood musiceducation program and an extensive workshop programfor both students and teachers. In this period, a number ofcommunity organizations amalgamated with NECOM, includingthe Armidale Music Teachers Association, the ArmidaleYouth String Orchestra, the Armidale Youth String Ensemble,the Armidale Youth Orchestra and the Armidale SymphonyOrchestra.NECOM Chairman, Dr. Arthur Rickards paid tribute <strong>to</strong><strong>Corinne</strong> Arter for her achievements as Direc<strong>to</strong>r and “herdedication and persistence in building a quality organizationbased on solid music education structures”.The NECOM community turned up in force <strong>to</strong> pay their respectsArmidale Express, Wednesday June 24th, 2009Hon. Richard Torbay MP TAS Trio performing during the cocktail partyNECOM NEWS JULY 2009 3
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