Page 4517 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 26 November 2019
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program should be funded and managed by the Education Directorate. Entry to the course should be by audition only, with priority given to students who attend ACT public schools without advanced music options at their local school. The course should be BSSS accredited in order to contribute to ATAR results. The committee as a whole agreed that artsACT should continue to support several programs, including girls rock and girls jazz, both aimed at young girls; community school of rock, for all members of the community; and my song, a mentorship program for Aboriginal youth.
The majority of the committee agreed that the ACT Education Directorate should redirect funds to ensure the immediate resumption of the H course in music once an acceptable agreement has been reached with the ANU School of Music. Mr Pettersson provided dissenting comments and a recommendation.
The committee would like to thank all those who participated in the inquiry, either by providing submissions or by attending as witnesses. I would like to thank Kate Harkins for all her hard work on this inquiry. I commend the report to the Assembly.
MR PARTON (Brindabella) (10.17): In February last year, the music student community was advised that the H course in music that had been in existence for 35 years was to cease. The reason given was that a review of funding had determined a new direction to provide opportunities for all members of the Canberra community to engage with the School of Music. The funding involved was $275,000 a year. For some, the trouble with the H course in music was that it was seen as elitist. It provided unique one-on-one tuition for talented musicians who had the potential to make a career in music.
In making this decision, the government, as is increasingly becoming its style, chose to ignore the pleas of current and former students. It chose to ignore the evidence of success in the talented musicians, talented composers, conductors and music administrators who attribute their success to their involvement with the H course. For over 35 years, the H course has produced an amazing array of success stories.
Award-winning Canberra conductor Leonard Weiss, who completed the course in 2010 while a student at Canberra Grammar School and now teaches H course students in classical music, said that the course had always attracted promising young musicians who often went on to illustrious careers. He is correct. I will quote him:
Looking back at my peers who went through the course with me, I know many of them are now overseas professionally, or are working either in Canberra or interstate teaching music to a very high level. It definitely sets you up with a very essential skill set.
In September last year we witnessed a delightful but passionate protest outside the Legislative Assembly when current—sadly no longer—potential and former students played, entertained and spoke with various MLAs who came to hear them.
In the same month, the Canberra Liberals tabled a motion calling on the government to reverse its decision to restore the $275,000 a year funding for the H course in music. That was the Liberal motion. It came as no surprise to those of us on this side of the
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