About Us

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music (RCM) is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1981 by the Riverina Institute of Advanced Education. Based in Wagga Wagga, with a team of almost 40 professional music educators and support staff, the RCM teaches music to almost 1200 students from across the Riverina region. 

our vision

our mission

The core business of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (RCM) is the provision of pre-tertiary instrumental and vocal music tuition. RCM students are able to learn all aspects of music history, theory and composition. The RCM is also the Riverina region's primary provider of classical music performances.

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music was established to augment the music teaching opportunities for Institute teachers and to create a broader educational experience for Institute education students and the community. 

Today the Riverina Conservatorium of Music operates as a non-profit Company Limited by Guarantee. In February 2023, the RCM was relocated to a brand new purpose built Conservatorium at 1 Simmons Street Wagga Wagga, after 41 years in the Blakemore Building on CSU South Campus.

The RCM also provides valuable opportunities for students in low SES schools and facilitates band programs in many Riverina Schools. The RCM extends its educational reach across regional NSW through state of the art videoconferencing systems. Currently, the RCM is using video teaching programs to work with remote students in isolated communities in NSW. It also extends into many of the regions schools providing in-school access to music education. 

Funded primarily by the NSW Department of Education, the RCM has a strong focus on equitable music education.

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music is proud to have Graham Abbott and Dame Marie Bashir AD, CVO as its Patrons. The RCM sadly acknowledges the passing of our patron, Emeritus Professor Peter Sculthorpe.

The Riverina Conservatorium of music’s Teaching and Administrative team

The RCM's Team is an amazing group of teaching and Administrative staff. They are highly qualified, skilled and experienced to deal with your or your child's music education needs. 

All RCM staff have full Child Protection screening and are required to undertake annual training in Child Protection and CPR. Staff are actively engaged in professional development and are frequent presenters and attendees at major national and international conferences. 

Many of the RCM's teaching staff are also busy professional musicians performing in some of Australia's leading orchestras including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music’s Board

The RCM’s Board of Management is made up of representatives from the RCM community together with representatives from the Wagga Wagga City Council and Charles Sturt University. It is responsible for the oversight of the Conservatorium and for the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and is accountable for these to statutory bodies and government agencies. It is ultimately responsible for setting the organisation’s budget, mission, and strategic directions.

Click below to view the current board members or to nominate a director.

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music's Strategic Plan

Dear RCM Stakeholders,

I write to update you on our Strategic Plan, and to thank you for your contribution to the process. Our staff has really made a big difference to our plan, and I have to say that our imagination has made the Fresh Start that we talked about a reality. The document reflects the work of our whole community, with new ideas coming from both the board and especially from the staff and executive at the RCM. It has been a very positive process.

Our Board formally adopted the 2025-2028 Strategic Plan on behalf of the RCM in May. It is an exciting document that sets a very positive agenda for our next steps into our future.

Moving forward, our shared vision is clear, and we are all accountable to it. It will be an exciting and rewarding time for us all.

Best wishes,

Dr Andrew Wallace,

RCM Board of Management, 26 May, 2025

the Association of NSW Regional Conservatoriums

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music is part of an 18 Conservatorium wide network. NSW Regional Conservatoriums are unique to NSW and are funded through the Regional Conservatoriums Grants Program managed by the NSW Department of Education. 

Regional Conservatoriums are self-governing incorporated not-for-profit organizations managed by community Boards. These Boards of Management are, in each of the 18 Regional Conservatoriums, representative of the community and region in which the Regional Conservatorium operates.

In 2003, the collective of Regional Conservatoriums formed the Association of NSW Regional Conservatoriums Incorporated (ANSWRC) as a device for developing policy and educational cohesion across regional NSW.

In 1999, the NSW State Government reviewed the level of funding provided to Regional Conservatoriums, resulting in an increase in 2001 to global Regional Conservatoriums. The Regional Conservatoriums and the NSW Government grant program was reviewed again in 2008. The review that was conducted by the Minister for Education resulted in an increase in funding for this program and the implementation of a number of recommendations which have led to a beneficial revision of the structure and delivery of the funding.

Check out the ANSWRC's website to discover more about this exciting network.