And said the latest plans for the School would “accelerate the decline and, ultimately, result in the demise of high-quality music performance training in Canberra”.

In a statement from the CSO board, chairman Prof Deane Terrell, a former ANU vice-chancellor, made reference to an article that appeared in “The Canberra Times” on May 18 that “implied the CSO is seeking to be part of a consortium with the ANU and the Chamber of Commerce to support the ANU’s deficient new music curriculum and maintain the ANU’s management of the School of Music”.

“The board wishes to go on record in saying that this is patently untrue,” Prof Terrell said.

“Whilst the CSO values the support it receives from the ACT Government through ArtsACT, and the Commonwealth through the Australia Council, the CSO has not engaged in ‘on-going discussions regarding future funding’ with the office of Federal Arts Minister The Hon Simon Crean MP.

“The CSO board has observed with concern the erosion of the School of Music funding and support from the ANU over the past decade.

“The board’s unanimous opinion is that the latest plans for the School, announced by vice-chancellor Ian Young on May 3, will accelerate the decline and, ultimately, result in the demise of high-quality music performance training in Canberra.

“The ANU’s plan to substantially reduce the number of staff specialists in music performance, and outsource performance tuition without any governance or quality management is an irresponsible educational model which will confer degrees but not ensure that students graduating from such a program will have the talent to support high quality music performance now or in the future.”

Prof Terrell said the CSO board was seeking a long-term solution for the “renewal and regeneration of superior music performance education in Canberra”.

“The Board is not confident that this can be achieved through the ANU, an institution that cannot reconcile the unique and particular requirements of basic music performance tuition with its over-arching model of education management,” he said.

“As the largest employer of professional musicians in the region and the largest ACT key arts organisation, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra has a role and a responsibility towards securing the future of music in Canberra.

“CSO board and management are actively engaged in discussions with business and government as well as colleagues within the national arts community to find innovative, creative solutions that ensure an inspiring educational environment which results in the very best quality of music performance for our city and beyond.”

The CSO board: chair, Prof Deane Terrell; deputy chair, Dr Andrew Lu; Bob Clark; Alan Bunsell; Harry Bluhm; Melanie Kontze; John Painter; and Barbara Walsh.