Alumni Profile: Titus Grenyer

Titus Grenyer’s love of the pipe organ began through WollCon, when he was awarded the inaugural Roger Soden Organ Scholarship in 2013, which led to his very first encounter with the pipe organ in the Wollongong Town Hall.

Currently working as the Assistant Organist at St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney, Titus started at WollCon back in 2006, playing violin in the youth string orchestra under Dr Carlos Alvarado.

“In 2007, I started taking composition lessons with Nigel Edwards, and soon afterwards, I joined the Bluescope Steel Youth Orchestra, and took violin lessons with Scott Taggart until I completed high school and moved to Sydney.”

But it was learning to play Wollongong Town Hall’s organ that began his journey into the world of organs and pipe music.

“Playing the organ can seem very daunting at first – you are faced with an enormous mechanical instrument with endless potential, which you need to play with both hands and feet. However, learning it is much the same as the piano – you just need lots of slow practice, coordination, and a musical sense.”

Titus Grenyer

The organ at the Town Hall was originally built by Ronald Sharp between 1966 and 1968, and soon afterwards he went on to build the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ.

“The organ is a great gem of Illawarra’s cultural heritage, and it will be a great joy to play it again in July as part of the BlueScope Youth Orchestra Alumni concert. It’s also undergone a renovation, so I am looking forward to playing it after a few years of it being out of action.”

“Sadly, the number of organ players has declined lately, with many churches abandoning their instruments. Despite this, Australia is blessed with a number of historical instruments, and many world-class organists.”

In Sydney, Titus continued his organ studies with Mr Philip Swanton, and completed a Bachelor of Music in Pipe Organ at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, with First Class Honours.

As well as working at St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney Titus and his wife Kim have created an organ music community on Youtube (Pep Organ), where listeners can enjoy organ music performances, hear interviews and discover other alternative music.

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.