Following five and a half very successful years as Artistic Director of ANAM, Paul Dean has announced that he will not be seeking a third term when his current contract concludes at the end of 2015. His time at the helm of ANAM has seen wonderful achievements; ANAM now enjoys international prestige and reach, and nurtures important partnerships across major music institutions in Australia and around the world.
Dean will be taking up the position of Senior Lecturer of Clarinet and Head of Woodwind at the Queensland Conservatorium, in his home city of Brisbane, starting in 2016. This teaching position will also provide him with the time to pursue his increasingly busy compositional career. It will also strengthen ANAM’s partnership with Griffith University.
“Paul has left his indelible mark on ANAM, creating the strong and internationally recognised program we now have. ANAM has progressed considerably over the last five years and Paul’s contribution as Artistic Director has been crucial. The musicians of the future are blessed to have talented and active Australian musicians like Paul as mentors and educators,” says Ian McRae, Chair of ANAM. “While of course saddened by his departure, I am personally pleased that his new appointment at Griffith specifically provides the opportunity for Paul to pursue his creative juices as a composer. We are also thrilled that Paul will continue to be associated with ANAM.”
“This opportunity came up at the perfect time for me,” says Dean, “While I am excited about starting at the Queensland Conservatorium in 2016, I am very focussed on ANAM’s students this year. I know that I leave ANAM in a very strong place.”
The ANAM Board will now embark on an extensive search for a new Artistic Director to commence in 2016, and is confident of securing an outstanding individual for the exciting task of taking ANAM into its 21st year and beyond.
In the meantime, the ANAM Board looks forward to this year, with ANAM’s students experiencing the musical rigours of the 2015 program under Paul’s direction.