1990 School Magazine

A career in music was not tliought to be very "safe" so TheIma entered the law firm of Cannan and Peterson in 1924 and continued her secretarial work there for nineteen years, while pursuing a busy round of musical engagements at night recitals for the ABC and accompanying at Radio Stations 4BC and 4BH 111 1934 TheIma became official accompanist for the Queensland Eisteddfod and apart from a short time while her two daughters were small, 11as continued in that capacity. Since 1955 she has also been official accompanist at the City of Brisbane Eisteddfod in 1939 she played at the Inaugural Meeting for the Art of SpeeclT Association at the Old Teachers' Building in Ttii'bot Street As well as her duties as accompanist for many celebrities including June BTOnhill. Suzanne Steele and Thomas Edmonds. TheIma taught piano foi. many years and was a 101'mer organist at both tlie Park Presbyterian Church and West End Methodist Church Today. a resident at the Wheller Garden Settlement at Chermside. The Ima is rarely home, with four choirs, the Brisbane Apollo Male Choir. the WeIsh Singers, Cameo Singers and CWA Oxley Choir demanding her services, not 101'getting her own group The TheIma Loving Singers WITo devote much time and energy to charity \\, ork. Rhonda Rolevink (nee Vickers) was awarded the Wight Medal ill 1958. her final year at B. G. G. S. She then went to the Qiicciisland Conservatorium of Music where she graduate(I with a Master Diploma in Performance and Teaching in 1963 Rhonda. who always had a great skill as an accompanist, Teniained at the Conservatoi'ium teaching piano and doing a great deal of accompanying work

In 1967 she was granted a Churchill Fellowship to study harpsichoi'd and accompaniment ill Europe and London. She returned to the Brisbane "Con"in 1968. and continued in lier capacity as teachei. . accoinpanist and repeliteur. as well as giving frequent broadcasts and recitals. in I 978 she accepted an appointment as Music Director at 111e new Opera School within the Adelaide College of Arts. 111ei'eby taking a very active part in Adelaide's musical lite While in Adelaide she inari. ied. and as lier husband had a position with the AUSti'aliaii Opei'a Sydney became home in 1982. TITere Rhonda continued to broadcast. give recitals and coach opei'a singers. "In 1984. " said Rhonda. "my ITUsband and I decided to letire and enjoylife. I had been totally committed to music for twenty-five years and I wanted to do other things. " "We moved to Brisbane and eventually found a lovel old. historical home near Buderim. which we ale restoriitg. 1110 longei' have pianist's nands - In ine are now those of a gardener. builder. brickie and labourer. " Catherine Milliken, a studeitt at Brisbane Girls' Grammai' School from 1969 to 1973 and winner of the Wight Medal for excellence in piano performance in 1973. has carved out a successful international musical career as an oboist, not a pianist

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Catherine Milliken

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A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, and winner of some of Australia's most prestigious awards, Catherine received the Caltex Award "Woman Graduate of the Year" in 1978 Since then she has lived in Germany. studying with the world's foremost oboe players, Professor He inz Hollinger in Freiburg, Maurice BOUTgurin Paris, and Professorlngo GOTitzki in Hannover. Catherine was principal oboist with the Symphony Orchestra in Bergen, Norway in 1981 and 1982, and has made an intense study of the Alexander Technique and principles of stance and breathing applied to wind Instrument play

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Rhonda Rolevink

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