AGY-97 | Conservatorium of Music

Full description

In 1912 a Committee was established to consider the initial steps towards the establishment of an Academy of Fine Arts in this State. The Committee of fifteen members included the Director of Education, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, businessmen and representatives of the arts community. (1) The functions of the Advisory committee were to
* draw up a general plan for the Academy of Fine Arts which will embrace music, painting and sculpture
* give the Minister practical advice regarding the organisation of the Academy
* recommend premises
* devise constitutions. (2) A submission from Mr G. de Cairos Rego recommended as follows:
"If the proposed Conservatorium is to do a great work for the musical art of this country, it should offer all the advantages of a European Musical Education...
"It should make special provision for the education of orchestra players - especially wind instrument players.
"The Conservatorium should specialise in operatic art - and perhaps in dramatic art also. A strong operatic department is essential here: one of the greatest claims of continental cities lies in the almost endless opportunities of education in opera." (3) The Advisory Committee recommended the establishment of a Conservatorium under a Director with an Advisory Council comprising the Director, four professors and a representative of the teaching staff elected by the students. The institution was to embrace 'all branches of musical instruction' , the commencement of a library and a system of examinations resulting in the award of certificates. (4) The Council of the Conservatorium met for the first time on 27 May 1914. The Council consisted of :
Peter Board, Director of Education (in the Chair)
The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Alderman R.W. Richards
His Honour Judge Backhouse representing the University of Sydney
H.Y. Braddon representing the Chamber of Commerce
O.C. Beale (representing the NSW Chamber of Manufactures)
J.A. Bryant (representing the NSW Bankers’ Institute)
Hugh J Ward, Joseph Bradley, Alfred Hill and W. Arundel Orchard, representing the Musicians of NSW. Early business of the Board included the advertisement for a Director and calling for tenders for the supply of pianos and an organ. (5) Part of the Government House premises which had been designed by Francis Greenway were allocated as premises for the Conservatorium and refitted for the purpose. The alterations to the premises were complete early in 1915 'an official concert' on 6 May 1915 marked this occasion. (6) The premises were described as follows: "The old Government House stables were remodelled into classrooms, vestibules, corridors, cloak-rooms and lavatories, and an entirely new Music Hall was erected over the old courtyard. The Music Hall is fitted with 1010 patent hygienic seats, and the acoustic properties of the Hall have been pronounced by experts to be all that can be desired. The cost, including the fittings was £22,195." (7) On 13 October, 1915 the Governor approved the appointment of Henri Verbruggen as Director of the Conservatorium. (8) The Conservatorium commenced as a teaching institution on 6 March 1916 with 350 students and by the closure of its first academic year on 9 December 1916 the student body had increased to 720. (9) The main functions of the Conservatorium from its inception were
* training in musicianship particularly in the areas of composition teaching and performance
* fostering appreciation of music by the provision of public lectures and concerts. The Conservatorium soon acquired a distinguished staff of instrumental and vocal teachers, taught musical theory and conducted examinations of students (either studying at the 'Con' or privately) following the Australian Music Examinations Board syllabus. The Conservatorium High School - a selective school for musically gifted children - was established in April 1919. (10) This State Government school combined the state high school curriculum combined with additional musical education for children likely to follow a career in music. The State Orchestra, which had been attached to the conservatorium since its inception, became permanent in 1919 with the Director as its conductor. (11) The orchestra ceased to be a state responsibility the following year although it continued with private funding. (12) A branch of the Conservatorium was opened in Newcastle in 1952 (13) and another in Wollongong in 1972 (14) . Following a report on the administration of the Conservatorium of Music by a committee under the chairmanship of a member of the Public Service Board, control of the institution and determination of policy was vested in a Board of Governors established by the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music Act (No.5, 1965). This effectively changed the status of the Conservatorium and created a statutory body - the State Conservatorium of Music from 7 October, 1966 FOOTNOTES
(1) NSW Government Gazette, 5 June 1912 p. 3561.
(2) Undated memorandum in Reports on the Academy of Fine Arts (bundle 12/1479.3).
(3) Undated paper headed 'Conservatorium Notes' in Reports on the Academy of Fine Arts (bundle12/1479.3).
(4) Synopsis of the report of the Advisory Committee Reports on the Academy of Fine Arts bundle (12/1479.3).
(5) (Annual report 1915 ? Typescript version in Conservatorium of Music Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1915 - 1924 (12/1474).
(6) Report of the Minister for Education for the year 1915 p.9 in NSW Parliamentary Papers, 1916 volume 1, p.471.
(7) Ibid.
(8) Minutes and papers relating to the appointment of Mr Henri Verbruggen as Director of the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1915-1916 Volume 1, p.764.
(9) Report of the Minister for Education for the year 1916 p. 17 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1917 - 1918, Vol.2, p.219. (10) NSW Department of Education. Directorate of Planning Services. Government Schools of New South Wales, 1848-1976, p.64.
(11) Minister for Public Instruction, Annual Report 1919 p.21. In NSW Parliamentary Papers 1920 Vol.1, p.931.
(12) Minister for Public Instruction, Annual report 1920 p. 13 in NSW Parliamentary Papers Second Session, 1922, Vol.1, p.379.
(13) Official Yearbook of New South Wales, 1950-51, p.459.
(14) Report of the Board of Governors of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music, 1972, p 5 In NSW Parliamentary Papers 1974-75, Vol.1, p.505.