Key Notes from the Courtyard | Issue 5, 2026

Keynote from Carl

I have recently returned from having some time off with the family, and whilst I would love to have been on campus for the final days of Term 3 to show off my new tan, I have instead been bedridden all week with a nasty bout of Covid. Working from home has been challenging, but it has given me time to take stock of all the things our wonderful Conservatorium community has achieved over the term.

We had the great honour of naming the chamber room (Studio 9) after our esteemed patron Charmian Gadd OAM, whose extraordinary legacy and decades of advocacy for the arts have shaped music on the Central Coast and beyond. And congratulations to Trish O’Hearn, our remarkable brass teacher, on placing 4th! in the British Open Brass Band Championships – a world-class achievement that reminds us of the calibre of educators our students learn from.

The Central Coast Strings Day and The Central Coast Flute Day were both held this term with Sydney Conservatorium of Music Lecturers Evgeny Sorkin (Violin) and James Kortum (Flute) both visiting for the day and working with students of all ages.

“Tales in Tune”, our Book Week collaborative project with the University of Newcastle, was a resounding success and is validation of what happens when we bring creativity, collaboration, and the genuine love of music into the room. Our students, guided by Jo Arnott and Naomi Blanch, conceptualising and creating original music, performing live alongside incredible storytellers like Deborah Kelly, is a perfect example of what we love to do. The University has requested this becomes an annual event, and that speaks volumes.

Make sure you don’t miss our ‘In The Spotlight’ section of this newsletter where we feature siblings Knoa Casey Fernandez and Lyra Casey Fernandez who were both personally invited by William Barton to participate along side him in a recent performance held at the State Library of NSW. We are super proud of you both!

The calendar of events is shaping up nicely for Term 4 and like always, it’s looking like a super busy finish to the year with highlights such as BandFest, the Student Concert Series and the Premier Ensembles Concert. Be sure not to miss these as they will showcase the hard work that has been put in over the year.

Thank you all for your continued dedication and support throughout the year. Students, parents, carers, volunteers and teachers have all contributed to enrich our musical community.

There are also some fantastic concerts planned by our valued affiliate organisations, so visit our website to see them all and pop the dates in your diaries!

So, with the start of the warmer weather upon us, please enjoy your well-deserved spring break. Rest, recharge, and we’ll see you refreshed when classes recommence from Monday October 12th.

Please be aware that Patrick will be away until November during which time I will continue in the CEO role. Hope to see you at the open Morning and BBQ on October the 17th!

Regards,

Carl Schmidt
CEO | Central Coast Conservatorium of Music

What’s On

Celebrating Success

Honouring our beloved Patron, Charmian Gadd

Tales in Tune – Our Symphony of Stories

Tales in Tune – Our Symphony of stories

We are delighted to share that the University of Newcastle has recognised the Tales in Tune project through their internal Celebrating Success program.

We would also like to acknowledge the incredible effort and results that were presented through this project. Selected Conservatorium students (guided by teachers Jo Arnott and Naomi Blanch) conceptualised, planned and created the music for this interactive, engaging event at two short workshops. This culminated in them providing live and interactive accompaniment to readings of 3 Australian children’s stories presented by our own Johnshu Myers, University of Newcastle student, Imogen Pickard-Ling and Australian Children’s Author Deborah Kelly.

The event attracted significant community interest and showcased the best of what the Conservatorium can achieve to a full house of all ages. In fact, this event was such a success the University has requested it become an annual event on their calendar – Huge Congratulations to all involved!

4th in the world!!!!!

4th in the world!!!!!

Our incredible brass teacher, Trish O’Hearn has done it again! Not content with being placed 6th in the world at the World Music Competition (as reported in our July news), Trish, along with her colleagues at Sydney City Brass, has recently placed 4th in the British Open Brass Band Championships (one of the best band contests in the world)!

If you are looking for a world class brass teacher for yourself, your family or your friends we can highly recommend Trish! Give us a call to book a lesson with Trish or with any of our amazing brass teaching team!

In the Spotlight

Celebrating the students, teachers, volunteers and supporters who bring music to life every day

Willam Barton’s Earth Flow – Featuring Knoa & Lyra Casey Fernandez!

This term, Knoa Casey Fernandez and Lyra Casey Fernandez, both students of the Central Coast Conservatorium, were invited by William Barton to participate in Earth Flow . William met them when he visited the Central Coast earlier this year at a workshop which included a number of conservatorium students. This groundbreaking performance was held at the State Library of NSW’s Mitchell Library Reading Room on September 18–19, 2026.

The Performances

Composer and yidaki master William Barton presented Earth Flow, a work honouring the living systems of memory and interconnected knowledge. The work reimagined the Library as a forest, holding rings of interconnected knowledge from the books that line the shelves to the people who move through this place each day.

Knoa recited “Ngara Dali Duga” at the Friday 7 pm performance and “Out on Country” at the Saturday 6 pm performance. His sister Lyra also performed at the event, reciting “The Book Nook in the Forest.”

Sharing the Stage

Knoa and Lyra joined accomplished artists including William Barton and his mother Aunty Delmae Barton, actor Jack Thompson, journalist Ray Martin, local Elder BJ Duncan, and musicians including Joshua Batty.

A Multi-Talented Musician

Beyond his performance at Earth Flow, Knoa continues to develop his musical abilities across multiple instruments—violin, piano, and guitar. He is currently teaching the didgeridoo to students at Gosford Public School and Henry Kendall High School, and is exploring further opportunities to share his music and cultural knowledge with the Central Coast community.

We are so proud of both of these incredible young people and to be able to share in their creative journeys. Congratulations Knoa and Lyra!

————–

NGARA DALI DUGA

Gurugal balagaman mudang wa Nura walla,
Angalanda nuwi banga marrang walla gan gunang.
Dyural yirran buyi yirran boot boot.

Gudba Yilabara Nura Byawurra Nyimang.
Bamal Garrigarrang Burra.

Nura ngalawa,
Bamal ngalawa,
Garrigarrang ngalawa,
Burra ngalawa,

Yura ngalawa bulbuwul.
Ngara dali yellamundie.
Ngara dali duga.

Long ago Aboriginal people lived on Country, then
English ships rowed onto the beach, guns and spears fought.
Many died, many hearts were broken.

Now Country Wounds Extinguished
from Land, Sea and Sky.

Country remained.
Land remained,
Sea remained,
Sky remained.

Aboriginal People remained strong.
Let’s listen to the storyteller.
Let’s listen to the Forest.

By Knoa Mirko Casey Fernandez

Photo credits Lorena Fernandez, Ray Martin and State Library of NSW (shared with permission of Lorena Fernandez)

Student Extension Opportunities

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