The Net Result - Book 2. Lucille Jr. Orr

a sixteen-voice choir of music teacher, who spent several weeks in North Queensland sharing their expertise. Since then some members of that choir have returned many times to teach throughout Australia. We also invited Dr Roy Wales from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music to come and give us workshops on conducting. Over the years his involvement with Mackay grew, and now there is a branch or the Conservatorium well established in Mackay.

      When I go back and see all the musical activities now taken so much for granted in Mackay, I feel good that I made the effort to change things so that my own children wouldn’t miss out. (My son is now a professional musician.)

      In 1984, when my family and I moved to Brisbane, I took a year off engineering to study conducting full time at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. I received a Graduate Diploma in Music and was awarded the Director’s Prize. The opportunities for professional choral conducting are just about non-existent and my strength lies more in getting the best out of amateur groups. As a hobby, music is a wonderful contrast from engineering.

      Several years ago there was little training available for choral conductors and no-one knew the extent of choral music in Australia. I applied for a grant from the Australian Council to go and see what was happening in the United States and attend a national convention of the American Choral Directors association. There was enough money left over when I came back for postage and telephone calls, so that a small group of us could start the Australian Choral Conductors Association. That was in early 1985. Now the Association has grown to about 800 members and choral music is alive and well in Australia. In July 1993, I convened a national conference on the Gold Coast.

      I like to make things happen. All my life I’ve had a strong interest in technology and technology education balanced by a passion for the arts, especially music. I like to throw my energies full time into making changes for the better, in improving the world about me. It’s not for the sake of power or for possible rewards. In fact I often find it most effective to be an influential associate rather than the leader, yet I know I can contribute useful ideas and driving enthusiasm for any project in which I’m interested. The rewards always come from achieving a more enriching environment for myself, my family and my associates.