Four highly-trained musicians have started teaching at the Orange Regional Conservatorium this term, with each of them moving to the region for a lifestyle change.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Music director Donna Riles said the new teachers bring the conservatorium’s music and administration staff up to 37.
“We’ve been requiring some new staff in areas where institutional tuition has grown and we’re looking to develop further areas we can offer, for example classical guitar,” Mrs Riles said.
“The crux of it is we are growing and we need to meet the needs of our community and with the goal of eventually having a new conservatorium we are very excited to have teachers and players of an extremely high calibre.”
Classical and contemporary guitar teacher Phil Moran said he moved to the area in October last year for a tree change.
“My wife and I have bought a small acreage in Molong, our kids have left home and we thought we would complete our country dream,” Mr Moran said.
“It is important to us to be close to a regional centre that has arts.”
Priscilla Colgan joined the conservatorium’s piano and school’s outreach team and is a qualified classroom music teacher who moved to Orange in 2015.
“We wanted to find a more family-friendly place to live, I’ve got three little boys and living in Sydney was not very family friendly,” she said.
“We settled on Orange because we had some friends here and there was that cultural scene of music, food and wine and arts.
“We are enjoying a lot more that is on offer because it’s a lot easier, it’s a lot easier to get around and everything is a lot more affordable.”
Brass teacher and conductor David Singh moved to Orange from Melbourne and will help build and extend the brass studies with the head of brass, Gerry Ramage.
Although he specialises in trombone he said he can play and teach any brass instrument and enjoys jazz as much as classical music.
Mr Singh has worked as a conductor, performer and music teacher with opera and jazz groups in Melbourne but said he came to Orange to be with his fiancé.
“My partner already lived in Orange. We met on holiday, we got engaged and will be getting married in a few weeks,” Mr Singh said.
“I’ve only been here for two weeks and I’m trying to build up [the number of students] as quickly as I can.
“It’s a lovely area, a lovely town.”
However, for flautist David Shaw the move is a return to his roots.
The former Kinross Wolaroi School student has returned to teach and perform after extensive experience with some of Australia’s great orchestras.