Ms ROSOL (Bass) – Honourable Speaker, I rise this evening to congratulate St Cecilia School of Music on celebrating their recent 50th anniversary. It was my pleasure to attend a reception at the City of Launceston Town Hall to mark the occasion with a room full of current and former St. Cecilia students and teachers, and yourself, Chair. Over 100 people attended the celebration, which is a testament to the success of the school and the important place it has had and continues to have in the hearts and lives of many Tasmanians. It was also a treat at the reception to listen to performances by current and past students. The Launceston community has an amazing depth and richness of musical talent and I have no doubt that St. Cecilia School of Music has contributed to this.
The school was established in Launceston in 1974 by Matthews Tyson. His vision was to provide quality music teaching for the growing numbers of Tasmanians who wanted to learn music. The school started out with three music teachers but very quickly grew to the point of having over 1000 music students taught by 18 fully qualified professional music teachers. Teaching was provided to students of all ages and levels of development.
St. Cecilia has grown and extended beyond teaching music to individual students. It still provides that musical education, but the school has also developed its own progressive examination and assessment system that is recognised and accepted throughout Australia and around the world. I first came into contact with St. Cecilia while undertaking a beginning level violin exam around 20 years ago.
The St. Cecilia syllabus offers graded examinations starting with beginner, junior and preliminary levels, progressing right through grades 1 to 8 up to diploma level. Students can also undertake concert and recital certificates, and St. Cecilia offers a full suite of examination options in all instruments and results can be registered on the Australian State Education Certificates.
It is the St. Cecilia examination system that has taken the school to the world. Examinations that initially commenced in Launceston are now available in all major cities and regions of Australia, New Zealand, and other global sites including Hong Kong, Britain, Italy and the USA. It was wonderful to see people from several of these locations present at the recent celebrations. As well as lessons and examinations, St. Cecilia School of Music has a number of orchestras that perform around Tasmania, including the St. Cecilia Chamber Orchestra, currently conducted by Michael Stocks, which has a reputation as one of the finest orchestral groups in Tasmania and has undertaken performance tours around Australia and New Zealand. Each of the orchestras provides opportunities for musicians in Launceston to learn and perform with others. I have personally met many people who are members of these orchestras and the challenge, satisfaction, and joy they feel at being part of creating music is easy to see. I also know that the whole community benefits from these orchestras with the opportunity to go along to concerts and enjoy good music.
Music is a gift. Learning music boosts wellbeing and helps improve concentration and memory. It stimulates many different parts of the brain in ways that boost cognitive development and motor skill development in children. Music enriches our lives, lifts our spirits, and draws us together and unites us.
I’ve outlined a brief history of St. Cecilia School of Music and its contributions to the music scene in Launceston and beyond, but it’s more difficult to quantify and describe those less tangible contributions of the school to music and the arts in Tasmania. Te evidence was on full display at the 50th anniversary event, with that room full of people enjoying music, warmly connecting with each other and reminiscing about their experiences.
What an achievement, 50 years of contributing to the arts and music community, not only in Launceston but eventually around the world. I am quite biased, honourable Speaker, but I have a feeling you might agree with me when I say lots of good things come from Launceston, and St Cecilia School of Music is definitely one of them.
Warm congratulations to Matthews Tyson and all those who have contributed to St. Cecilia’s many successes. Launceston and the world are more delightfully musical because of them.
