BY LILY BRYANT
In 2014, I auditioned at the Australian National University School of Music for its prestigious H Course.
Each week, my peers and I attended more than four hours of lectures, workshops, and rehearsals. We had the opportunity to perform at beautiful venues (including Government House and the Hungarian Embassy), meet incredible musicians (including members of Australian Chamber Orchestra and Ensemble Offspring), and work at a tertiary level with other students who shared our passion for music.
It was hard work. And it was awesome.
The H Course, offered as part of the ANU’s Music for Colleges program, has to me been an extraordinarily valuable resource for more than 30 years – fuelling the talent of young musicians and wider Canberra music community. It has produced professional musicians who represent the ACT around the world, and given students like me the necessary tools to pursue a music career.
So you can imagine my devastation, and the devastation of the Canberra community, when it was recently announced by ArtsACT that the government funding for the Music for Colleges program, which includes the H Course, has been withdrawn and will officially cease after 2019.
The news has sparked dialogue and action among those who have formed part of the H Course community over the years. On September 5, musicians came together to perform in the open air outside the Legislative Assembly in an attempt to inspire renewed support for the program.
A rally took place on September 5 and featured members of the ACT music community. (Credit: David Smith.)
Canberra bassist and performer Brendan Keller-Tuberg says his postgraduate studies led him to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music – an opportunity he feels would not have been available to him without the H Course.
“It was my experience in the H Course that made me want to pursue music at a tertiary level,” Brendan says.
“From my very first semester, my musical abilities grew exponentially, and I was thrust into a passionate community of like-minded peers and teachers who first revealed to me my love for the music I have now made my career.
“It is no overstatement to say that without the H Course, I may have never taken up a career in music, or made it to Indiana for postgraduate studies.”
Brendan (above) was a participant in the H Course.
Mark Levers is a professional drummer and tutor. And, as an educator who undertook his own pre-tertiary studies at ANU, he sees the necessity of programs like the H course in nurturing young musicians.
In an interview with The Canberra Times, he stated: “When I heard that the government had defunded this program, I felt like someone in my family had passed away. I had been encouraging some of my students to consider this course, and now I have to tell them otherwise[…] I would not have led the life I now do, doing what I love with music, if I had not been exposed to the opportunities the H course has given me.”
The community action has grown as public servant and musician Owen Cooper facilitated an e-petition to the Legislative Assembly to restore ACT government funding to the H Course, which has since garnered more than 800 signatures.
The petition cites a “very low” running cost of $270,000 per year to facilitate the music education of about 40 students.
It further reads: “The H course develops the skills of talented ACT music students (entry is by audition), and prepares them for tertiary level study, and if they wish, a professional career in the music industry. In the absence of this course, talented ACT music students will have very few options to continue developing their skills in year 11 and 12.”
Owen has experienced the success of the H Course firsthand, and says he wants to see more government support for programs of its nature.
“The H Course gives talented ACT students the opportunity to learn from some of the best professional musicians in Canberra, and it really gets results – I was lucky enough to do a year of the H Course as an adult, and the kids in the class were thriving,” Owen says.
“I’ve seen how much this course does for talented young musicians. Grassroots development is great, but it’s not a substitute for talent development programs.
“We want to get the message across to the ACT government that the people of Canberra care about music education. In less than a week, our e-petition was up to 750 signatures.
“As well as the petition, we held a rally outside the Legislative Assembly, with current students playing their instruments to bring attention to the issue. Several Members of the Legislative Assembly and their staffers came out to talk to the students and learn more about the issue, so we’re optimistic that we might be able to change some minds.”
Local oboist and H Course alumna Chayla Ueckert-Smith was one of the many musicians who came together to perform outside the Legislative Assembly as part of the jam-session-turned-rally to support the cause. She aims to send a message to the Canberra community about how essential the H Course is to young musicians.
“The protest was small yet powerful. The sun was beaming and the beats were blaring!” Chayla says.
“We wanted to show how important this course is to others. As a previous student in the course, still training in my music, I felt it extremely important to support the current and future students.
“It is the greatest disappointment to think music students in Canberra won’t have access to such an incredible program.
“The H Course allowed me to see what a career in music could be, surrounded by like-minded, passionate students and staff. Without the course, I would not have considered continuing music studies into university. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity I had.”
Chayla (above) was part of a rally to call for the H Course to be saved. (Credit: William Hall.)
For Chayla, removal of funding for this course hints at a stronger message.
“To the community, I’d like to say that without music and art, we don’t have humanity. Music and art bring us together, and we need to support that.”
ANU has been approached for comment.
The e-petition is open for signatures until 30 November.
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