Alumni Profile: Carolyn Watson

“To be honest I didn’t really seek out a career as a conductor, rather, conducting found me.”

Carolyn Watson

The role of a conductor is to unite the diverse and at times, disparate groups of people in an orchestra and lead them towards a common musical goal or interpretation of a piece of music.
Meet Carolyn Watson – an award winning conductor of opera and symphonic repertoire, who has been the Music Director of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra in Indiana, USA (since 2021).

“To be honest I didn’t really seek out a career as a conductor, rather, conducting found me. I originally began studying conducting simply out of personal interest, a desire to improve my musicianship, and to continue to grow and develop as a musician.” Said Carolyn.

Based in the United States since 2013, Carolyn began her music journey at WollCon as a violinist under John Stender, the conductor and director of the BlueScope Youth Orchestra at the time.

“I believe it was even before the group was formally called the BHP Youth Orchestra as I remember that partnership being announced with much excitement not that long afterwards. We rehearsed once a week on Friday afternoons, and I absolutely loved being a part of the group, along with my brother Matthew who is now a violinist with the BBC Philharmonic. I remember we enjoyed a few regional performances on the South Coast – Huskisson and Berry come to mind.”

Carolyn with younger brother Matthew in 1989

“Some of the repertoire I played as a very young violinist in that initial string orchestra – I’m recalling Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings for example – really cemented my love of the orchestral string sound and even now as a conductor of symphony orchestras and operas, I still find myself most drawn to that aspect of the orchestra.”

During high school she also took violin lessons under Rotraud Schneider, an important figure at WollCon for Carolyn and her love of music.

“I think the combination of Rotraud’s guidance and my experience in orchestra and chamber music at the Wollongong Conservatorium gave me the inspiration to pursue music as a career.”

“There were some wonderfully fun Saturday morning breakfasts and brunches with croissants, at which the orchestra played in the grounds of Gleniffer Brae. They were all put on and organized by the parents’ committee of which my mum was a member, so we were always pretty involved. At one of these breakfasts I recall playing in the orchestra under David Vance with Keith Hempton (the then Director) singing Se Vuol Ballare from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro while wearing a dressing gown, which I think was a nod to the relatively early morning performance time.”

Carolyn in the centre foreground with her brother Matthew behind her – waiting to play.

She continued along this path, playing with the Australian Youth Orchestra and professionally as a violinist in Australia and Germany before moving into conducting.

“There were many things about conducting which I found intriguing, inspiring and challenging simultaneously, and I am sure my friends and colleagues would agree I am generally not shy about ‘being in charge’ of the orchestra as it were. So in that respect, it is a good fit for my personality.”

Watch Carolyn lead the Dallas Opera Orchestra, performing Verdi’s Witches’ Ballet from Macbeth. November 2017, Winspear Opera House, Dallas.

Carolyn holds a PhD in Performance (Conducting) from the University of Sydney (2013) on Gesture as Communication: The Art of Carlos Kleiber, an investigation in nonverbal forms of expression such as body posture, movement, eye contact and facial expressions conductors use to communicate with players, in particular Kleiber, an Austrian conductor, hailed by many as the greatest conductor of all time.

“What appealed to me was the academic dimension of the project, being able to use my brain in a different way, and the opportunity to really delve deep into the literature associated with conducting. Now as Director of Orchestras at The University of Illinois I teach masters and doctoral courses and I really appreciate having the theoretical background.”

There have been many awards during Carolyn’s career, but some of the most significant international awards include being a Prize-winner at the 2012 Emmerich Kálmán International Operetta Competition in Budapest, and winning the 2015 American Prize for Orchestral Performance.
In Australia, the Churchill Fellowship, and the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Australian Conductors was pivotal in allowing Carolyn to grow and develop as a conductor.

Still considered a male dominated profession, Carolyn has, in the last few years observed an increasing awareness of the gender disparity in conducting, and the growth of a number of emerging programs in an effort to train, promote and create opportunities for women conductors.

“I think the generally accepted statistic sees somewhere between 5-10% of professional orchestral conductors as women. I am pleased I am able to play a role in changing that.”

In March 2022 Carolyn joined ABC Radio’s Lindsay McDougall to talk about her work, where it all started, and exactly where Kansas City actually is… 

Sue is an accomplished and seasoned manager with a wealth of experience in government administration and community service delivery. With a strong background in strategic planning, organisational development, community engagement, project planning, and building strategic partnerships, Sue has consistently demonstrated her leadership and expertise and brings a wealth of knowledge to the board. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business focusing on Local Government and Creative Industries from the University of Wollongong, reflecting her commitment to public service and innovative leadership. Sue’s extensive career and dedication to community and social service make her a valuable asset, offering both strategic insight and practical experience to drive meaningful impact.

Anne has been a member of the Wollcon Board since 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from UNSW. She is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and an accredited Mediator and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. She has taught family law and other subjects at Wollongong University.

For a number of years she has been a subscriber to the Australian Chamber Orchestra which regularly performs in Wollongong . She has been passionate about music and in particular music education to children and adults.

Jake has worked in the disability sector for 24 years- 17 of these with Interchange and 7 years as their CEO. Jake is passionate about inclusion and equality for both people with disability and their carers.

He holds an MBA, Bachelor of Commerce, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, as well as completing Diploma’s in Case Management, Community Services Coordination and the AICD Company Directors Course.

Jake is also a committee member on the International Short Breaks Association Board and has been a Director on the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music Board since 2022.

Wayne is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as being a qualified company secretary and accountant with over 35 years experience in banking and finance. He performed for nine of those years as Chief Executive of IMB Ltd, and the preceding seven years as Company Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, also with IMB. Wayne’s primary expertise is in the areas of governance, management, accounting, risk management and banking and finance. He has spent his whole life living in the Illawarra and is passionate about ensuring the Illawarra can provide the best possible opportunities and lifestyle for its residents. In 2024 Wayne was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to the community.

Dr Terumi Narushima is a senior lecturer and Music Discipline Leader at the University of Wollongong. She is a composer, performer and sound designer specialising in microtonal tuning systems. Her works include Tritriadic Chimes, a sound installation for LA MicroFest, Hidden Sidetracks, a composition for custom-made instruments premiered by Ensemble Offspring at Sydney Opera House, and a project to build microtonal flutes using 3D printing. She has worked on theatre collaborations which have been presented nationally and internationally, including Yasukichi Murakami: Through a Distant Lens, Lost in Shanghai, and The Story of Chi. She performs with microtonal ensemble Clocks and Clouds, and her book Microtonality and the Tuning Systems of Erv Wilson is published by Routledge.

Nicky is the CEO of Community Industry Group. She has degrees in Dementia Care, Community & Environment and Marketing, and a Grad Dip in Project Management. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Honorary Fellow of UOW. In addition to Chairing the WollCon Board, she is Deputy Chair of the Regional Development Australia Illawarra Shoalhaven Board and an Independent Non-Executive Director of Warrigal, a large not-for-profit specialising in the provision of services for older people.

Her corporate governance and strategy experience extends through a 20+ year career on boards in the corporate, government and NFP sectors.