The RCM's Senior Executive Team
Hamish Tait
Director and Chief Executive Officer
AMusA, BA(Creative), Grad Dip Mus, MMus, MBA (USQ)
Hamish holds Masters degrees in both Music and Business Administration from the University of Southern Queensland. He has studied piano with Wendy Lorenz and Roy Howat. In 1997 Hamish was awarded a Regional Arts Development Fund allowing him to study piano and accompaniment in London with the renowned pianist/accompanist Nina Walker, herself a pupil of Claudio Arrau and Alfred Cortot.
In 2003 he was appointed as the Director of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga and has held the positions of President, Vice-President and Executive Secretary of the ANSWRC and has served over nine years on the ANSWRC Committee. In 2011 Hamish was the Vice-Chair of the 10th Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference (APPC) and is currently a NSW State Representative on the APPC National Committee.
Hamish appears regularly as a piano soloist, duo pianist, accompanist and chamber musician. He has performed extensively across Australia and internationally including tours of the USA and the UK. As a teacher Hamish works with Diploma and Tertiary students at the RCM and is sought after as an adjudicator. Hamish performs regularly with violinist Lauren Davis and with Anthony Bozicevic as the Riverina Piano Duo.
Dr harold gretton
Associate director
BA(Mus) (ANU), PhD (ANU)
Dr Gretton began playing guitar at the age of 7. He first studied at the ANU in Canberra before completing a course specialising in guitar duo performance in Strasbourg (France).
He has won numerous international competitions, both as a soloist and in various chamber music combinations. He has been invited to perform concerts all over Europe, as well as in the USA, Mexico, Vietnam, and all over Australia. He has performed with orchestras in Australia and Europe, and gave the world première of Westlake's concerto Shadow Dances under the composer's baton.
He has recorded three CDs, a solo album, an album of Austraian guitar quartets with Guitar Trek, and a mixed album of guitar duos, funded by a successful crowd-funding campaign.
A dedicated pedagogue, Harold has given masterclasses in numerous guitar festivals, lectured at Universities and has participated on numerous juries in international competitions. He has held teaching positions in Stuttgart, Baden-Baden, Lichtenau (Germany) and Saint-Louis (France).
Harold joined the RCM's Guitar Department in 2018 and was appointed as Associate Director of the RCM in 2021.
Venita Riordan
Deputy Director - Finance and Administration
Venita has an extensive background having worked in both the private and government sectors. She has been with the RCM since 2012 and has transformed the RCM's administrative operations.
With professional accounting and administrative experience in manufacturing, public service and as a TAFE teacher, Venita has a strong understanding of the RCM's complex operations.
With two children heavily involved in music over many years, Venita also brings a passion for music education and performance.