Liz McKenzie Director: Liz McKenzie

Liz McKenzie was appointed Director of the Wesley Music Centre in 2014. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the Canberra music scene, as well as great skills in management and organisation. Liz is Volunteer Coordinator for the Canberra International Music Festival, a former President of the Oriana Chorale, former Administrative Director of the Tallis Scholars Summer Schools and leads the Canberra-based support group for The Song Company. She also runs her own consulting company specialising in leadership development.
Catherine Clunes-Ross Executive Officer: Catherine Clunies-Ross

Catherine Clunies-Ross was appointed Executive Officer of the Wesley Music Centre in 2013. She has a background of music knowledge and a diverse range of skills. She grew up in Sydney and then spent 23 years living remotely in the external territory of Cocos Keeling Islands before returning to the mainland in 2011.
 

Principal Organ Tutor (ACT Organ School): Christopher Wrench 

Christopher Wrench (LMus, FTCL, BMus QCM, DipMus Vienna, GradDipMus Vienna) was appointed as Principal Organ Tutor at ACT Organ School in 2017.

Equally at home as soloist, ensemble player and liturgical musician, Christopher Wrench is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium, Vienna Conservatorium and the Vienna University of Music.  International recognition followed performances at the Vienna Concert Hall, St Stephen’s Cathedral (Vienna), Austrian Radio and major competitions in Melbourne (1st Prize, 1985), Dublin (2nd Prize), St Alban’s UK, Calgary and Odense DK (1st Prize).  He returned to Australia in 1991 to teach organ at the Queensland Conservatorium.Christopher is currently Director of Music at Christ Church St Lucia (Brisbane) and principal organist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.  Twenty international tours include Austria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Norway and Sweden.  His SACD (Melba) of Bach’s Organ Sonatas received rave reviews from around the globe.
Wrench performs at major festivals and venues throughout Australia, including concerto engagements with the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Canberra Symphony Orchestra, the Camerata of St John’s the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and the Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra.
www.christopherwrench.com
Garth Mansfield

Founder: Garth Mansfield OAM

Garth Mansfield (OAM, Hon FGCM) is the Founding Director of the Wesley Music Centre (2002 to 2013) and is a former Director of Music of Wesley Uniting Church (1978 to 2008). He has also been Board Secretary of the Wesley Music Foundation since its inception in 1999. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 1994 for services to church music.

In October 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship Diploma of The Guild of Church Musicians, an international and interdenominational body, “in recognition of the outstanding work done serving as Director of Music and Organist at Wesley Uniting Church in Canberra, in the setting up of the Wesley Music Centre and in the fostering of students of church music and promoting scholarships at the Centre leading to the furtherance of the goals of excellence in the ministry of music in the church”. This was the first award initiated from Australia. He was formerly organist at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Forrest, ACT from 1957 to 1978 and choir conductor there from 1968 to 1978. Garth studied organ privately with Dr. George Faunce Allman at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music from the age of 11. He attended Westminster Choir College, Princeton, USA in 1983 to study choral singing and church music.

A more detailed description of Garth's musical life is contained in this article from Organ Australia.

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live, learn and work, and pay our respects to the First Nations Peoples and their Elders, past, present and emerging.