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Committee Members
Gemma Dashwood Branch Chair Gemma was introduced to church music while she was at school where she sang in sacred music choirs and learnt the pipe organ. Her passion for this genre of music was cemented when she sang with the Newcastle Cathedral Choir from 1997 to 2000, completing her Archbishops' Certificate in Church Music in 1999.
Gemma moved to Hertfordshire, UK at the end of 2000 and played for local churches as a relief organist. She sang with the BBC Symphony Chorus and was often seen dragging her cello around train stations to rehearse with the British Police Symphony Orchestra.
In 2004 Gemma returned to Australia to start medical school at the ANU, from where she graduated in December 2007.
Gemma received an Order of Australia Medal in 1997 for services to Australia through sport.
Julia Golding Branch Secretary Julia graduated with a Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education (Hons) from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 2008.
She was a member of the Choir of Christ Church St Laurence and the St Laurence Singers from 2006 to 2008 (both directed by Dr Neil McEwan). Touring with Christ Church, Julia participated in the European tour of 2002, and in their tour of England and the United States in 2006.
Julia has also appeared with a number of other Sydney-based choral groups, including the Choir of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Capella Sublima, the Burgundian Consort and the Collegium Musicum Choir.
Since 2005, Julia has had a keen interest in choral conducting. She spent most of her time in her honours year directing the UNSW vocal chamber consort, the Burgundians.
Under the tutelage of Dr Neil McEwan, she has also conducted various Junior Choirs in Sydney including the St Mary's Junior Choir and the Australian Girls Choir.
Julia moved to Canberra in 2008, and continues to be involved in music. She is the Director of Music at St Paul's Anglican Church, Manuka and also works as an Administrator for the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.
Ron Muffet Treasurer Ron has been a steadfast member of St John's choir for several years, and also sings regularly with other ensembles, such as the UC Chorale.
He has attended every RSCM Summer School for the past 8 years, including 2 back-to-back in one year (Melbourne and Auckland).
Ron also participated in the inaugural National Seniors' Choral Festival at Newcastle Conservatorium in 2006, and the following one at Sydney Conservatorium in 2008.
He is a co-convener of Canberra's U3A Harmonia Monday Choral Studies group and he enjoys singing Sacred Music at every available opportunity.
Ron has been ACT Branch Treasurer since 2005.
Nigel Poole Website Designer Born of Australian parents with nomadic tendencies, Nigel was fortunate to attend an English secondary school with a strong musical tradition, where he learned organ and developed a love of sacred choral music through singing with the school choir.
He then made an ill-fated attempt at a Bachelor of Music at Edinburgh University, the high point of which was having an original composition highly commended by the composer Kenneth Leighton, who had been appointed Reid Professor of Music at Edinburgh. Nigel went on to fail dismally at first year musicology, and ran away to sea to play piano on cruise ships.
25 years later, deciding this had been a long enough break after school, he returned to studies in the late 1990s with a new enthusiasm, gaining a BA by distance learning (including musicology!), while playing keyboards in tropical Queensland bars.
Moving to Canberra around the turn of the millenium, Nigel went into IT professionally and completed a Graduate Diploma in Computer Science in 2007. He also joined the choir at St Johns after discovering they sang BCP services, which led to a reawakened interest in choral music, organ playing and composition.
Geoff Wells Organ Register For forty years, Geoff was organist at St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in the town of his birth, Mudgee, in central western NSW. Here he had a 20-strong four-part choir, plus 12 juniors. For much of that period, he also played for occasions such as weddings and funerals at the nearby Roman Catholic Church of St. Mary's.
Geoff was also involved in diverse musical activities besides sacred music:Geoff moved to Queanbeyan in 1991, and became organist and choirmaster at Christ Church Anglican Church for 14 years. Since 2006 he has been a member of the choir of St. Paul's, Manuka.
- He re-established the Brass Band in Mudgee after its lapsing during the war years.
- He formed and led the Modernaires Orchestra (dance band) for twenty years.
- He was chorus master for the Orana Opera Chorus (Mudgee)
- He was chairman and musical director of the Mudgee Musical Society for more than 18 years. Despite Mudgee's small population of only 5000, the Society was able to present a major production every year.
Geoff first joined the NSW branch of the RSCM in 1958, and has been a committee member of the ACT Branch since 1991.
Graeme Brown Graeme's first contact with the RSCM was a series of Organ Tutorials conducted by the late William Pierce at St Barnabas', East Roseville in Sydney. He has been a member of both the NSW and Queensland Branch Committees, serving the latter as Chairman for six years. He organised two very successful Brisbane Summer Schools - 1989 and 1996.
He was appointed Director of Music at Canberra's Wesley Uniting Church in June, 2008. He has held similar positions in Lindfield, Sydney (St David's UC), Rockhampton (St Paul's Anglican Cathedral), Armidale (UC) and Indooroopilly, Brisbane (St Andrew's Anglican). He was the inaugural Convener of the UCA (NSW Synod) Church Music Committee (1978 - 81).
A semi-retired science teacher, he holds the Associate Diploma of Church Music from the NSW Conservatorium of Music where his organ teacher was Robert Ampt, and conducting teacher, Norman Johnston. He also has qualifications in education [BEd (Riverina CAE), MLitt(UNE)] and science [Dip Tech (Sc) (NSWIT)].
Catriona Bryce Catriona has considerable experience in church music. She currently sings with the choir of All Saints, Ainslie.
