Welcome I Winter String School 2007 I Scholarships I School Patron I Staff I Accommodation I FeesI Enquiries I Brochure and Application Form

Welcome - From the Director of the Conservatorium
Professor Douglas Knehans

The University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music seeks to reinvest in the community of our state and country through individual study programs of the highest quality.

Through attracting important teachers, lecturers, pedagogues and clinicians and matching these with programs and music training experiences dedicated to the interests of our diverse community, the Conservatorium of Music commits itself to the continuing musical interests and capacities of our community.

In association with our staff, friends and peer institutions the Conservatorium of Music seeks to take you where you want to go with music. Call the Conservatorium of Music to find out about the complete range of our programs, or consult our website. We hope to see you at the Conservatorium of Music

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Winter String School 2007
Friday 8 to Monday 11 June

Welcome to the 2007 Winter String School

If you are a gifted Violinist, Violist, Cellist or Bass player, the Tasmanian Winter String School is for you. The Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and its long-established String Department are thrilled to announce the eighth annual string school. The 2007 Winter String School is an opportunity for interested and gifted young string students to experience four intensive days within the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music.

In 2007, the school will focus on intensive aural training linked to chamber-music coaching and master classes with some of Australia's finest teachers, soloists and ensemble musicians.

The Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music is delighted to welcome Jo St Leon and Micheal McCarthy to the staff of the school in addition to Peter Tanfield, Christian Wojtowicz, Maria Grenfell and Angela Brinkhoff.

The Winter String School requires the minimum standard of AMEB grade four or equivalent and this year is intended for all passionate string players, pre-tertiary and otherwise. Pre-formed chamber-music groups may also apply.

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Scholarships

In 2007, a number of scholarships will be available, donated by the Nikitaras and Lim families. The Conservatorium gratefully acknowledges their generosity and kind support.

Each scholarship is worth $253.

Applications for scholarships should be accompanied by a 10 minute recording on CD of a performance by the applicant of at least two contrasting pieces on their instrument.

Scholarship applications must be lodged on or before May 25 2007.

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School Patron & Staff

Jan Sedivka Patron  - Violinist and Master Musician-in-Residence

Jan Sedivka is widely recognized as one of Australia's leading violinists and teachers. Educated in the Czech Republic (Professor O. Sevcik, Prague Conservatoire, J Kocian), France (Ecole Normale de Musique, Classe Jacques Thibaud) and England (Max Rostal), he has made his reputation overseas as a soloist, chamber-musician and teacher (Trinity College of Music, Goldsmiths' College, University of London) before coming to Australia in 1961.

Formerly Director of the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and now Master Musician in Residence at the University of Tasmania as well as visiting specialist at many institutions in Australia and other countries, he has made the Australian String School internationally recognized by attracting talented young players from over twenty countries of the five continents. This includes members of all Australian Symphony Orchestras as well as some of our prominent teachers and ensemble players. Recently Jan Sedivka was awarded the prestigious 2004 Don Banks Music Award from the Australia Council.

d Director of the Winter String School

Peter Tanfield – Violinist and Director of the Winter String School

Born in England in 1961, Peter Tanfield studied in Germany, Israel, Switzerland and Holland where his teachers were Igor Ozim, Felix Andrievski, Alberto Lysy, Herman Krebbers and Yehudi Menuhin.

He was a prize-winner at The Carl Flesch International Competition, International Mozart Competition, International Bach Competition amongst others.

In recital he has played throughout Europe, China, Japan, India, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and USSR; as soloist he has appeared with many major orchestras, amongst others the Philharmonia, City of London Sinfonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, West German Radio Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra of the RAI in Rome.

As concertmaster he has also had extensive experience working with BBC Philharmonic, RSO RAI Roma, W.German Radio Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Scottish Chamber Orchestra; he has been active as a teacher in Britain, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.

He came to Australia in 1998 to lead the Australian String Quartet. Until he left in November 2001 he dedicated himself to developing the ensemble’s national profile and teaching at the University of Adelaide, also making two films for the ABC.
 
Since 2005 he has been lecturer in violin and ensemble at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania, where he is also Director of the Conservatorium Chamber Soloists.

Jo St Leon – Violist

Jo grew up in Australia, studying with Winifred Durie, John Gould and Christopher Martin. When she was 18 she moved to London and studied at the Royal College of Music with Fred Riddle. She was a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra for 13 years and has also been principal viola with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and English Touring Opera. Her free-lance career includes regular appearances with the English Chamber Orchestra, the Academy of St.Martin-in-the-Fields and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. She is committed to making music accessible to as wide a community as possible and is very involved in education and outreach work both as workshop leader and chamber musician.   She recently qualified as a Life Coach and specializes in working with young musicians at the start of their careers. Jo has recently left her position as principal viola with English National Ballet to return to Australia. She now lives in Hobart, teaching at the Conservatorium and St. Michael’s Collegiate amongst other schools, working with the TSO as well as interstate.

Christian Wojtowicz - Cellist and Lecturer in Cello

Christian Wojtowicz studied cello with Sela Trau and chamber music with Jan Sedivka before being awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to study with Pierre Fournier in Zurich and Andre Navarra at the Paris Conservatoire.

After a period of extensive freelancing in symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras and chamber music in France and the United Kingdom (including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), Christian Wojtowicz was invited to return to Australia to take up the principal cello position in the Melbourne Elizabethan Trust Orchestra. Shortly afterwards he was appointed to the Canberra School of Music and has since held similar full-time positions at the University of Queensland and Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music.

Christian's extensive orchestral experience in Australia includes principal cello of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and guest principal in most Australian orchestras, most recently the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist he has made concerto appearances and recordings with all the Symphony Australia orchestras, in addition to his intensive recital activity all over the country.

Micheal McCarthy – Aural training and chamber music

Micheal McCarthy is a specialist in the areas of aural and choral training. He conducts workshops in Australia and overseas for tertiary institutions, primary and secondary schools. His workshops focus on learning through movement, fun and games and on a range of skills such as pitch, rhythm, interactive learning, improvisation, coordination, gross motor skills and musical memory.

The workshops present a range of teaching approaches involving singing, movement, rhythmic work and games. Specific skill areas include pitch, rhythm, memory, creativity, interpretation, improvisation, composition, structure, inner hearing and part thinking. The sessions explore ways of integrating these skill areas in a creative way, thereby allowing students to engage directly with the musical material in hand.

Micheal graduated from University College Cork, Ireland in 1986 (B. Mus. Hons. and H. Dip. in Ed.). He continued his postgraduate studies at the Zoltan Kodaly Pedagogocal Institute of Music, Hungary, studying under the world-renowned pedagogue and choral conductor Peter Erdei. He graduated with the “Advanced Diploma of the Kodaly Institute” in 1988.

Maria Grenfell – Lecturer in Aural Studies, Tasmanian Conservatorium and Composer

Maria Grenfell’s music has been performed in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Mexico and South Africa, and is broadcast on ABC FM and Concert FM New Zealand. She holds degrees from the Univ. of Canterbury (NZ), Eastman School of Music and a Doctorate of Musical Arts, Univ. of Southern California.

Maria Grenfell's work takes much of its influence from poetic, literary and visual sources and from non-Western music and literature. She has received commissions and performances from professional ensembles including the Adelaide, Queensland, Tasmanian and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch Symphony, and the University of Southern California Symphony. Others that have performed her work include the Australia Ensemble, The Seymour Group, New Zealand Ensemble, Esperance Trio, and flutist Alexa Still. Her work is recorded on Trust CDs Landscapes: New Zealand Orchestral Music, and Kiwi-Pacific’s Burning Bright.

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Accommodation
The Conservatorium of Music in Hobart is conveniently located opposite St David's Park in the heart of Hobart. Accommodation can be arranged privately or contact Peter Tanfield (6226 7316) for more information.

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Fees
Registration for Winter String School - $275 (inc $25 GST)
Early Bird Registration (Before Friday, May 6) - $253 (inc $23 GST)

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Enquiries
Please Contact
Peter Tanfield
Director of the Winter String School
Phone: (03) 6226 7316
Fax: (03) 6226 7333