AS participants in four groups at the Orange Regional Conservatorium and members of the City of Orange Eisteddfod committee, we would like to dispute some of the comments about the conservatorium made by councillor Glenn Taylor in the CWD article “Sour note: time for conservatorium to stand on its own two feet” on Saturday, May 16.
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Councillor Taylor refers to the conservatorium as a “service used by a few” and feels that it is unfair that all ratepayers have to subsidise the conservatorium through an annual council contribution.
Far from being elitist and inaccessible to many community members, the conservatorium reaches out to provide musical opportunities to students in a number of schools, including small schools and disadvantaged schools such as Glenroi Heights Public School.
The talented staff at the conservatorium, led by Donna Riles, give their time and expertise to enable the lives of many in the community to be enriched by participating in programs such as the Come Together Choir, which is open to anyone at minimal cost to the participant. Without such generous support from Orange City Council, many of these programs would be forced to cease.
Music is so therapeutic to people of all ages and should be promoted in our community.
The conservatorium is also the major venue for the vocal and instrumental sections of the Orange eisteddfod, where hundreds of competitors pass through its doors.
We hope that councillor Taylor can enjoy some of the sweeter offerings that the conservatorium can provide.
Sue Tallis and Carol Smithers,
Orange
