CQUniversity's Performing Arts graduates have upstaged most in getting jobs. 

Recent graduate employment rates published by Graduate Careers Australia suggests CQUniversity's creative and performing arts graduates are some of the most employable in the sector. In fact 25% more CQUniversity performing arts graduates found work in the first four months after graduating compared to the national average.

Professor Matthew Marshall has big plans for CQUni's creative and performing arts.(Based on percentage of Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia and New Zealand 2009 bachelor degree graduates (completed the requirements for their awards in the calendar year 2009) gaining full-time employment within four months of completing their degree.)

And interested students have the opportunity to join this list of successful graduates as vacancies still exist in some programs for this year.

Students can apply for the Bachelor of Music (Jazz and Popular) and the Bachelor of Music (Creative Music Technologies) degrees for 2011, programs that CQUniversity's new Dean believes will ensure graduates have the best chance of success in the creative and performing arts sector.

CQUniversity's music programs are offered across 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time and interested students are encouraged to inquire through the CQUniversity's information line 13CQUni (132786).

Professor Matthew Marshall, an internationally recognised concert performer and recording artist and now Dean of CQUniversity's School of Creative and Performing Arts, knows plenty about arts practice and has a big vision for developing learning, teaching and research within CQUniversity.

"Within five years, I'm keen for CQUniversity to be the institution of choice in Queensland for the study of the creative and performing arts and for us to be the national leader in learning and teaching in these areas," he said.

"I also believe that through the reputations and activities of its highly respected staff, CQUniversity has the capability to be an international leader in the development and implementation of innovative cross-disciplinary programs that cover a full range of the creative arts disciplines and to be a national leader in research in these fields. I am very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and to supporting the great people we have to make this happen.

"We can become a nexus for innovative and collaborative thinking in the creative and performing arts that will contribute significantly to the cultural, social and economic development of Central Queensland and beyond."

Prior to his appointment at CQUniversity, Professor Marshall was Director of Performance at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington 2007-2009, Visiting Professor of Music at the University of Plymouth, UK from 2006-2009, Director of Music at Dartington College of Arts, UK 2006-2007, and Head of the Conservatorium of Music at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand 1996-2006.

He is also an internationally recognised concert performer and recording artist on the classical guitar, having given over 2000 recitals and concerts since 1983 throughout Europe, Asia, America, Australasia, and the Pacific Islands. He has also appeared as soloist with the Berlin Chamber Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Guanajuato & Michoacan Symphony Orchestras in Mexico and the Kemerovo Philharmonic in Russia.

As a recording artist Matthew has released five CDs and appears on another four in collaboration with other international artists including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Voices New Zealand, Kronos Quartet and others. He has also been recording for Radio New Zealand since the age of 17 and has recorded for radio and TV in Australia, USA, Germany, England and Mexico.