Latest NewsNotice of Annual General Meeting - 1 March 2012CENTRAL COAST CONSERVATORIUM INC. Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM) To be held Thursday March 1 2012, at the.. » Read morePresident's Report to the AGM, March 2012PRESIDENT’S REPORT TO THE AGM, MARCH 2012 I am hoping that this report may open a line of communication in both d.. » Read moreOpen HouseROBERT KNOX HALL, 20TH NOVEMBER: 2.30pm TREVOR HAINES & FRANK STREATHER SCHOLARSHIP CONCERT MEET CONSERVATORIUM DIRE.. » Read more
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Mission StatementTo enable all, of any age or background, to acquire the skills involved in music performance and an informed appreciation of music, to benefit them in their careers or lifestyle. |
PRESIDENT’S REPORT to the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2011, HELD 8 DECEMBER. The President’s report last year noted that the Conservatorium was in its strongest position ever. The financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30 2011 reveal a further increase in our reserves, despite the surplus being down 43% on last year. We continue to maintain a strong financial base which gives us security for our operation at least until we have relocated and have to pay higher rent in 3-5 years. We are grateful to the University of Newcastle through the Ourimbah Campus for the continued provision and major maintenance of the Old Court House building at 45 Mann Street. We expanded our space this past year by leasing the premises at 35 Mann Street, for which our Director Chris Bearman and Business Manager Frank Cubirka can take credit, and these latter premises provide a measure of relief for the tutors, who have been able to spread out a little. Premises of course do not make a conservatorium. That was expertly achieved again this past year by Chris Bearman and the team of wonderful tutors. The results have been spectacularly demonstrated in the end-of-year student concerts and the tutor performances, which the Director’s report has highlighted. . You are all aware by this time that we will be losing Chris at the helm and from the directorship of the training and performance programs. I want to acknowledge on behalf of the Management Committee, the tremendous job that Chris has done over the 12 ½ years he has been in a management position, 10 of them as Director. His influence started as early as 1995, the year after he settled in as a tutor. Descriptives such as “deep commitment”, “dedication”, “immense experience”, “well respected among peers”, “fantastic mentor”, “with a vision” abound in the testimonials. It is to be hoped that Chris will not leave our precinct completely but, through his tutoring and work with Central Coast Symphony Orchestra, will maintain some links with the Conservatorium. We will be surrounded by mementos of his influence and he will leave a big hole to fill. He will be sorely missed, for many at a deep and personal level. Thank you Chris. We will be looking at ways of recognising Chris before he leaves at the end of January and of marking his achievements. Frank Cubirka has been largely responsible for our strong financial position and we thank him for his efforts again this past year. He also has carried added responsibilities over the past few months since June 30 and he and the dedicated office staff have worked hard to maintain client services during the recent changes in Administration. Let us look now at what lies ahead. The Management Committee has decided to look for an Executive Director who will sit between the Committee and the operations. For a number of years, the Management Committee has been increasingly conscious of the benefit that the low cost of premises has been giving us. During 2010, it became clear that any 5-year planning by the Conservatorium should prepare for high capital expenditure and on-going rental costs associated with occupying new expanded and modern premises. This was apparent first from our study of a new Conservatorium space included in a proposal for a CC Regional Performing Arts and Conference Centre within the CC Leagues Club in Gosford and then in 2011 from subsequent work with the CC Regional Development Corporation on the Gosford Landing project which provided for superior premises at Gosford’s waterfront. Also, the growth and development of the Conservatorium, together with the normalising of pay structures and personnel and OHS practices, are likely to be impractical at present and projected short-term levels of income. Finding new sources of consistent funding would allow management to provide better working conditions and to accommodate increased innovation in the training programs. The Director’s report shows that the Conservatorium is already strongly represented in artistic productions for the Central Coast region. There is still scope for broader community engagement and for stronger representation and appeal to the commercial and government enterprises in the region. Similarly, the Outreach program with the schools is proving highly effective but with greater resources, significant expansion would be possible, especially into the primary schools. The music industry market on the Coast is growing and the Conservatorium deserves a larger share of it. We can penetrate the market further, service a community where there is increasing interest in an ever-broadening range of music genres, and generate income that will allow us to do more. If the Conservatorium is to keep its rightful place in the developing region, we need to use professional marketing techniques. The Executive Director we are looking for will be hired with specific and demonstrable executive, financial and marketing skills that will be necessary to meet the challenges of successful branding, the implementation of a comprehensive and aggressive marketing plan, wider community engagement, and the funding challenges of several major projects over the next 4-5 years. He or she will also be involved in planning and policy making and in developing new opportunities to ease the burden of the lease of the anticipated new and more versatile premises and facilities in the Performing Arts and Conference Centre. The ability to empathise and work effectively with professional musicians whilst servicing the practical needs of students and other stakeholders, will be essential. It was originally envisaged that Chris would stay at the Conservatorium, doing much of what he already does, in a position that would approximate to what we are now calling Program Manager. The Program Manager will continue to ‘own’ the Training and Performance programs and be directly responsible, subject to policy and to agreed strategic objectives, for their direction, development and assessment. The Program Manager and the Business Manager will both report to the Executive Director who will manage the organisation through them. The Executive Director is not expected to have anything to do with the internals of the training program that will remain the major ‘raison d’etre’ for the Con. I suppose if we found an Executive Director with skills and experience that could add value to the program, that person might negotiate with the Program Manager to contribute. Draft job descriptions of the Executive Director and Program Manager positions are on the Conservatorium’s website, www.centralcoastconservatorium.com.au . It is anticipated that Central Coast Symphony Orchestra (CCSO) will take over the full responsibility for employing and paying the stipend for its Artistic Director. The Conservatorium is yet to have a dialogue with CCSO about easing the burden for CCSO in the first year by providing some sponsorship for that position. The Conservatorium is committed to continuing to provide other support also for CCSO within the framework of the relationship described in the Memorandum of Understanding between CCSO and the Conservatorium. The future of Central Coast Conservatorium is exciting and bright, thanks to the contributions of a lot of people. The most recent good news, which I am very pleased to be able to announce, is that Mr Richard Gill OAM, well known educator, lobbyist, conductor, public speaker and personality, who visited here recently, has accepted our invitation to became our Patron. He is an enthusiastic promoter of the value of music training for the fuller development of a child. In closing, I thank my colleagues on the Management Committee who give their time, energy and skills freely to help this organisation pursue its Mission and attain the collective Vision that we all share for it. John D Pinn 8 December 2011 CLICK HERE to download the complete Annual Report 2010-2011 |
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