The virtual conservatorium

The problem for this project is the solution to the question, 'How can a conservatorium in a geographically isolated area with a relatively small catchment area survive and thrive in the 2000's?' This project chronicles the story of a three year strategic plan that has taken on this challenge. In order to do this it has been appropriate to discuss global conditions that are the driving forces of economies and the education systems within them. In adittion we show how these 'macro-conditions' affect the Australian Unviersity system and especially conservatoria. Having contextualized the project, we then move to an exploration of the main facilitating conditions that provided an orrprtunity to diversity the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music in ways that better fit the international and national pressures that beset university based conservatoria. The Virtual Conservatorium, we then argue, provides a workable alternative to current conservatorium practice and at the same time provides a cost effective, contemporary, technology friendly paradigm that ensures ongoing quality and delivery effectiveness.