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Double Bass Ensemble welcoming new students

The Meyer Double Bass Ensemble, led by Ethan Ireland, provides a strong musical foundation for young students (aged 7 years and over).

The double bass ensemble is part of the Junior Strings Program (JSP), which is the first of its kind in NSW – a year-long commitment where dedicated students will be fully immersed in a musical experience. Applications to begin in 2024 are now open. Parents are asked to fill out the  Junior Strings Application Form – now available online.

“After a term of lessons, students will be placed in an ensemble to begin developing group playing skills as well as building their musical community. Each student will be assigned a JSP instructor, who they will work with at their own pace to further develop their technical and musical abilities.”
Adrian Davis

Head of Junior Strings, WollCon

The Meyer Double Bass Ensemble – is for beginner students who are interested in learning the largest member of the violin family – the double bass. Students in this ensemble will perform as a bass ensemble as well as part of the Primrose Training Orchestra. Upon completion of the first-year students will graduate into the Llewelyn String Orchestra.

Students have an opportunity to work with some of the country’s best string teachers through masterclasses, workshops, and holiday camps.

Ethan Ireland

Since the JSP began in 2022, young participants have attended workshops and masterclasses with WollCon staff and visiting artists such as Goetz Richter of the Sydney Conservatorium and Kees Boersma and Alex Henery of the Sydney Symphony orchestra. Participants have enjoyed a series of holiday camps and performed in the Church on the Mall as part of the inaugural Culture Mix Festival.

The Junior String Spectacular has become an annual event that brings the regions young strings players together. In 2023 the festival brought together junior string groups from the Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, and Merimbula regions. The Meyer Double Bass Ensemble have been a highlight each year.

Student’s focussed classes and performances with Artists in Residence, the Enigma Quartet, and members of the Sydney Symphony Fellows during 2023, has seen our young string players further develop their skills and inspired them to continue their orchestral journey.

Double Bass Student
Enrol for the Junior Strings Program
More about Ethan:
Ethan Ireland
Ethan Ireland (pictured above) began playing Double Bass at the age of 12. He went on to study at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney and graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) in 2016. He has been a member of the Sydney Youth Orchestra, has attended the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp, and took part in the 2016 Hennessy Concert Series with Stars of Opera Australia at the Hanoi Opera House in Vietnam.

Ethan has performed as a soloist with Steel City Strings, and is a regular member of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Steel City Strings, and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. In addition to performing with many other groups and ensembles around NSW, Ethan also teaches some of the next generation of young Double Bass players in the Sydney, Wollongong, and Southern Highlands areas.

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Wollongong Conservatorium is located on Dharawal country. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, celebrate their continuing culture and the contribution First Nations people make to the life of this region and our country.

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Wollongong Conservatorium of Music is funded by the NSW Government through the Regional Conservatorium Grants Program

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Dr Sue Savage

Director

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 Mowbray

Director

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 Pearson

Director

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 Morris

Director

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

Deputy Chair

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 Sloan

Chair

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.