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Special Projects

In addition to our regular activities, we also develop and produce Special Projects.

These one-off or annual events or celebrations add value to our core program and provide additional opportunities for our community to engage in music making, and for audiences to enjoy unique experiences.

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Kids HONK!

Hosted by Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Kids HONK! is an integral part of the HONK! Oz Street Music Festival.

Suitable for school musicians (from year 3 and up), students learn several tunes in two workshops at WollCon, and perform together as part of the annual festival parade.

The workshop sessions are coordinated by WollCon staff David Rooney, Jenn Cook and Mark Holder-Keeping, who regularly work with primary school children in Department of Education approved band and music programs.
Other mentors at the workshops are members of the 1140 Street Band which is a group of older teenagers who have grown up with Kids HONK!

To learn more about kids HONK! please visit the HONK! Oz website.
Registrations for the 2024 street festival will be open late in 2023.

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Combined Schools Instrumental Festival

The Combined Schools Instrumental Festival brings together hundreds of public school students from Helensburgh to the Shoalhaven, aged between 6-18 years to perform in a large-scale production for the local community.

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WollCon Megaband

The WollCon Megaband is a massive band of more than 150 instrumentalists ranging in age from 9 to 18 years with different levels of experience. Musicians spend a day “jamming” together, learning some new music, and then present a concert in the evening with a special guest musician.

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Wollongong Messiah Choir

A brand-new choir was launched in Wollongong and singers had the opportunity to perform in the Sydney Opera House in December 2022. WollCon, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (SPC) and the University of Wollongong partnered to deliver this exciting singing project.

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50th Birthday Year

What began in 1972 as a provider of music education with classes run out of a local church building in the mall, the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music has become an icon of the community. To celebrate, we planned some exciting cornerstone events to showcase the amazing talent of our people – our students, staff, and alumni. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 50th birthday year.

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Interested in future projects?

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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.