IAML Australia conference report from Ryan Weymouth

Recently appointed as the Music Librarian at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University Library, I was eager to attend the IAML conference and meet my professional colleagues. In this desire I was not disappointed as the conference started with delegates making introductions on the top floor balcony of the APRA/AMCOS building in Ultimo where we could also take in the pleasant sunny views of the city skyline and the Anzac Bridge. Delegates came from academic, public and government libraries, archives, document centres and special libraries like the ABC sound library. There was a good mix of first time and long-time IAML conference attendees.

Hal Leonard Travel Bursary recipients Lisa Mackie (National Library of Australia), Ashley Sutherland (University of Melbourne) and Ryan Weymouth (Griffith Conservatorium) with Judith Foster (Australian Music Centre) and Linda Papa (IAML Australia President, University of Western Australia) (L-R: Lisa, Ashley, Judith, Ryan, Linda)

The keynote address was by CEO of the Australian Music Centre (AMC), John Davis, who spoke of the connections between the AMC, IAML, and APRA, and the projects currently underway at the AMC safe guarding the future of works by Australian composers. Many fine presentations were delivered at the conference and I particularly enjoyed the individual presentations of Chris Latham “Activating War's Forgotten Music” and Dr Jeanell Carrigan “Composing against the tide”. These presentations highlighted extensive document and genealogical research and use of libraries and archives to rediscover little known and forgotten early 20^th Century Australian music. Chris’s harrowing tales of Australian soldier composers in the trenches of WW1 and Jeanell’s stories of the many talented unsung and little published Australian women composers who faced enormous social barriers to create music were astounding to hear. I look forward to hearing many more research presentations like these at future IAML Australia conferences.

My attendance that the 2015 conference was supported by Griffith University Library and through a travel bursary graciously supplied by conference sponsor music publisher Hal Leonard. My grateful thanks to both organisations for supporting my professional development.

I thoroughly enjoyed IAML Sydney 2015 from its great delegates, tasty conference dinner, fascinating presentations, to the delightful tours of the Australian Institute of Music Library and Symphony Services International. I am eagerly anticipating IAML Brisbane 2016.  

Ryan Weymouth

Music Librarian
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
Library and Learning Services
Brisbane