Latest news with #RichardTognetti
ABC News
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Australian Chamber Orchestra's Richard Tognetti slams ANU's plan to axe School of Music
The artistic director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra has slammed a controversial plan by the Australian National University to axe its School of Music, warning it would be an "act of cultural vandalism". Virtuoso violinist Richard Tognetti took to the microphone after a performance at ANU's Llewelyn Hall on Saturday night. "Let us hope in marking the School of Music's diamond anniversary, we are not also preparing its obituary," Tognetti told the crowd. "But if the current trajectory continues, that is where we are heading." The university is proposing to absorb the School of Music into a new School of Creative and Cultural Practice, removing the specialist performance and composition teaching for which the ANU is renowned. It is part of broader cost-cutting measures at the university, which is trying to save $250 million by the end of the year. The plan has sparked intense backlash and protests by students and staff. Tognetti, who has been at the helm of one of the world's leading chamber orchestras for more than three decades, said it would have grave consequences for Australia. "When the tuition stops, the music stops," Tognetti said. "If maintaining our national parks costs money, we do not burn them down to save on upkeep. "It is not acceptable that in a country like ours that there could be no place in the public system of our nation's capital to learn a clarinet, the cello or the drums somewhere between Melbourne and Sydney. "The School of Music is not just a Canberra institution or an ANU department, it is a national, indeed international, asset — a training ground for the musicians who give life to our cultural identity. "Once lost, it won't be rebuilt." Tognetti has also written directly to the ANU's leadership, calling for an immediate moratorium on the proposed changes and a "fully transparent and independently moderated consultation process". "The future of the School of Music must be shaped not by expediency, but by expertise, integrity, and vision," he said in the letter. "To accept anything less is to permit an act of cultural vandalism." In a statement, the dean of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Bronwyn Parry, said the proposed changes were a result of "carefully considered" consultation, strategic planning and benchmarking against other international institutions. She said the intake of students studying music performance had dropped from 49 in 2018 to 22 students this year. "The proposed new school reflects how artists and creatives work in the real world today and is designed to equip students with the range of skills that they will require to excel in these domains in the future," Professor Parry said. "We are a university, not a conservatory. "That distinction matters because our focus is on academic and creative inquiry, not on replicating conservatory models. "We are proud that this proposal saves every existing discipline in the arts, humanities and social sciences in the midst of extremely challenging financial circumstances." Among those fiercely opposing the ANU's plan is the Canberra Symphony Orchestra (CSO), which said the changes would pose a serious risk to the city's pipeline of musicians and Canberra's cultural vibrancy. "If we fail to continue to have graduates coming out of the School of Music that can contribute to our city, it's a loss that we will never recover from," CSO chief executive Rachel Thomas said. Ms Thomas also wrote to ANU's leadership last month during the consultation phase of the draft changes. She said the CSO had sought to work collaboratively with the university to find solutions that would keep the School of Music intact. Ms Thomas recently received a reply from the university, which she described as a "thanks, but no thanks". "We've been incredibly disappointed with the response we've received from ANU," Ms Thomas said. "It really was an email which indicated that the decision on this had already been made. "What this signals, if these cuts take place at ANU, is that it's OK to keep cutting arts and humanities across the nation." The ANU said it was reviewing the feedback it received during the consultation period and would present its implementation plan "in due course".
AU Financial Review
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AU Financial Review
Get 20% off Theremin & Beyond with the Australian Chamber Orchestra*
As a subscriber, you can save 20% on tickets to Theremin & Beyond with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, directed by Richard Tognetti.
The Age
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Get 20% off Theremin & Beyond with the Australian Chamber Orchestra*
As a subscriber, you can save 20% on tickets to Theremin & Beyond with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, directed by Richard Tognetti. This fun and eclectic program features international theremin superstar Carolina Eyck performing stage and screen classics, from Bach and Flight of the Bumblebee to Star Trek and The Beach Boys. An instrument capable of expressing a thousand different colours and moods, the theremin creates melodies and sounds as if by magic. And in the hands of Carolina, the foremost virtuoso of the instrument, you will experience them all: serenity and beauty, longing and danger, mystery and wonder. This is an ACO concert you have to see to believe! Head to the ACO booking page and use the code SMH2025 on any A-C Reserve adult tickets at checkout up to 24 hours before your selected performance to claim 20% off your ticket. The event will run from May 8 to 20 in Wollongong, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra. You can see more details about show dates and locations here. *Terms and Conditions: This discount is available to Sydney Morning Herald, Age and Brisbane Times digital subscribers and Sydney Morning Herald and Age print subscribers with 2+ days of home delivery. This offer is only valid to receive 20% off A-C Reserve adult tickets for the 'Theremin & Beyond' shows in May 2025. Offer does not apply to 'Under 35 years' tickets and must be redeemed up to 24 hours before the selected performance. To redeem this offer use promo code 'SMH2025'. This offer expires 20 May, 2025. Offer may only be redeemed once per subscriber. Offer must be redeemed online and cannot be redeemed for cash.
