Conservatorium High School
Encyclopedia
The Conservatorium High School (colloquially known as Con High), is a publicly funded, co-educational, creative and performing arts secondary day school specialising in music. It is owned and run by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training
(DET), and prepares students for the Higher School Certificate in their final Year 12. The school is located within the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
of the University of Sydney
, close by to the Sydney Central Business District.
, foundation director of the Conservatorium
.
The Conservatorium High School is located in the Royal Botanic Gardens
, overlooking Farm Cove
, and is one of Sydney's historic sites.
In addition, the School has access to venues such as:
(DET). Instrumental tuition, the chamber Mmusic program and individual composition lessons are provided to the Con's secondary students by the tertiary staff (Sydney University lecturers and tutors).
In the course of their studies, students at the Conservatorium High are provided with many of the same benefits as the tertiary students, including free admission to Conservatorium concerts and master classes.
Recently, the Con has undergone many changes under the new principal Dr Robert Curry.
Students wishing to audition for the Con high must now also sit the NSW Selective School tests. The number of students accepted into year 7 in 2007 were 11 compared to a normal class of 20–30. In 2008, 15 students were selected but only 11 decided to stay at the Con High.
Subjects offered to students in Years 11 – 12 include: Music 2, Music Extension, Music Performance Board Endorsed Course (Performance Workshop Program, Ensembles, Chamber Music and Choir, House Concerts), Ancient History, Modern History, History Extension, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Advanced, English Extension 1, English Extension 2, French (Continuers), Latin Continuers, Geography, German (Beginners), Mathematics General, Mathematics, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2, and Visual Arts.
Other curriculum options are available through individual or group negotiation.
The most student orientated concerts are the House
Concerts where the houses (Bach, Beethoven and Brahms) compete to win the award of best performance for the evening. Each of the houses have approximately 45 minutes and they are all organised by their house captains and the vice captains, without any help from any staff or teachers. The three other main concerts each year, apart from the House Concerts, are Open Day Concerts, the Annual Concerts and Orientation Day.
Scholarships are available for special programs and purposes.
The School has also educated individuals who have become philosophers, research scientists and inventors.. The school's alumni association
, the Con High Association of Old Students (CHAOS), aims to keep alumni in touch with one another, and informed about current developments through its newsletter, "This week at Con High". The Association puts on an annual series of convival concerts that raises funds for providing scholarships for students.
New South Wales Department of Education and Training
The New South Wales Department of Education and Communities, a department of the Government of New South Wales, is responsibile for primary schools, secondary schools and Technical and Further Education colleges...
(DET), and prepares students for the Higher School Certificate in their final Year 12. The school is located within the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, close by to the Sydney Central Business District.
History
The School was established in 1918 by Henri VerbrugghenHenri Verbrugghen
Henri Verbrugghen was a Belgian musician, who directed orchestras in England, Scotland, Australia and the United States....
, foundation director of the Conservatorium
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
.
Campus
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, are the most central of the three major botanical gardens open to the public in Sydney....
, overlooking Farm Cove
Farm Cove, New South Wales
Farm Cove is a tidal inlet and shallow bay in Sydney Harbour, separated from Sydney Cove by Bennelong Point . Known to the indigenous inhabitants of Sydney as Woccanmagully, Farm Cove was used by them as an initiation ground and for the "Kangaroo and Dog Dance".The land immediately adjacent to Farm...
, and is one of Sydney's historic sites.
Facilities
The facilities of the school include:- Recording Microphones in Choral Assembly Hall
- Music computer laboratory
- Keyboard laboratory
- General computer laboratory
- Science laboratory
- Visual Arts and Design and Technology studio
- Student Independent Learning Centre (SILC)
- Choral Assembly Hall
- South and North Recital Halls
- Music Cafe
- Practice and Ensemble Rooms
- The Music Workshop
- Verbrugghen Hall
Library
The Conservatorium Library is one of Australia's finest public music libraries, run jointly by the University of Sydney and the Department of Education and Training. Conservatorium High School students have partial access to the library and the computer facilities.Con secondary
The Conservatorium High School is staffed and administered by the New South Wales Department of Education and TrainingNew South Wales Department of Education and Training
The New South Wales Department of Education and Communities, a department of the Government of New South Wales, is responsibile for primary schools, secondary schools and Technical and Further Education colleges...
(DET). Instrumental tuition, the chamber Mmusic program and individual composition lessons are provided to the Con's secondary students by the tertiary staff (Sydney University lecturers and tutors).
In the course of their studies, students at the Conservatorium High are provided with many of the same benefits as the tertiary students, including free admission to Conservatorium concerts and master classes.
Recently, the Con has undergone many changes under the new principal Dr Robert Curry.
Students wishing to audition for the Con high must now also sit the NSW Selective School tests. The number of students accepted into year 7 in 2007 were 11 compared to a normal class of 20–30. In 2008, 15 students were selected but only 11 decided to stay at the Con High.
Curriculum
Subjects offered for students in Years 7 – 10 include: Music, Science, English, History, Mathematics, Geography, Chinese, French, Visual Arts, Design and Technology, Personal Development and Health, Performance Workshop Program, and Physical Education and Sport.Subjects offered to students in Years 11 – 12 include: Music 2, Music Extension, Music Performance Board Endorsed Course (Performance Workshop Program, Ensembles, Chamber Music and Choir, House Concerts), Ancient History, Modern History, History Extension, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Advanced, English Extension 1, English Extension 2, French (Continuers), Latin Continuers, Geography, German (Beginners), Mathematics General, Mathematics, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2, and Visual Arts.
Other curriculum options are available through individual or group negotiation.
Concerts
Every year the High School holds concerts. These concerts often attract well-known and often world-renowned musicians to perform with the students.The most student orientated concerts are the House
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
Concerts where the houses (Bach, Beethoven and Brahms) compete to win the award of best performance for the evening. Each of the houses have approximately 45 minutes and they are all organised by their house captains and the vice captains, without any help from any staff or teachers. The three other main concerts each year, apart from the House Concerts, are Open Day Concerts, the Annual Concerts and Orientation Day.
Parental involvement
The School has a Parents and Citizen's Association. The school encourages parental representation on curriculum, finance, welfare and school management committees, and in a variety of fund-raising activities. The P&C runs AMEB stalls at the Conservatorium on Saturday morning, a food and beverage service.Enrolment
The potential of applicants, as well as level of attainment is considered, prior to enrolment. Students must pass the selective schools test to be enrolled. Auditions are held each year in July/August/September.Fees and scholarships
The cost of individual tuition with teachers of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music is subsidised for students enrolling at the Conservatorium High School.Scholarships are available for special programs and purposes.
Alumni
Notable ex-students of the Conservatorium High School include:- Jade MacRaeJade MacRaeJade MacRae is an Australian R&B/Soul singer and the daughter of two professional New Zealand musicians living in the UK. Her debut single "You Make Me Weak" debuted in the top 50 of the Australian singles charts in November 2004...
- Barry TuckwellBarry TuckwellBarry Emmanuel Tuckwell AC, OBE , is an Australian horn player who has spent most of his professional life in the United Kingdom and the United States.- Early life and education :...
– French horn player - Roger WoodwardRoger WoodwardRoger Woodward AC OBE is an Australian classical concert pianist.-Biography:Roger Woodward was born in 1942 in Chatswood, a suburb of Sydney, the youngest of four children to Gladys and Frank Woodward...
– PianistPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:... - Lin Cho-liang – ViolinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist - Jack Cowell – PianistPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - Jane RutterJane RutterJane Rutter is an Australian musician - a classical flautist with the ability to cross over into jazz and pop. She has performed in the UK, Europe, US, South-East Asia, the South Pacific, South America and China...
– FlautistFlautistA flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
with a repertoire encompassing classicalClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and popPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop... - Richard TognettiRichard TognettiRichard Leo Tognetti, AO is an Australian violinist, composer and conductor. He is currently Artistic Director and Leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Maribor Festival in Maribor, Slovenia....
– ViolinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble... - Nigel WestlakeNigel Westlake-Biography:Nigel Westlake's career in music has spanned more than 3 decades.He studied the clarinet with his father, Donald Westlake and subsequently left school early to pursue a performance career in music.Nigel toured Australia and the world playing with ballet companies, a circus troupe,...
– composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - The PresetsThe PresetsThe Presets are an Australian electronic duo formed in 2003, consisting of Julian Hamilton on vocals and keyboards, and Kim Moyes on drums and keyboards. They released their debut album Beams in 2005 to positive critical response. Their 2008 release Apocalypso debuted at number-one on the ARIA...
– Electronic musicElectronic musicElectronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
duo
The School has also educated individuals who have become philosophers, research scientists and inventors.. The school's alumni association
Alumni association
An alumni association is an association of graduates or, more broadly, of former students. In the United Kingdom and the United States, alumni of universities, colleges, schools , fraternities, and sororities often form groups with alumni from the same organisation...
, the Con High Association of Old Students (CHAOS), aims to keep alumni in touch with one another, and informed about current developments through its newsletter, "This week at Con High". The Association puts on an annual series of convival concerts that raises funds for providing scholarships for students.
See also
- List of Government schools in New South Wales
- List of creative and performing arts high schools in New South Wales