Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (CQCM) is the major sponsor for Australia's first national country music conference, to be held in conjunction with the National Country Music Muster at Gympie in August (23-25).

CQCM, which is part of Central Queensland University, is keen to support the country music industry because it will soon be offering a country music specialty via its Bachelor of Music/Performing Arts degree.

This new degree specialty will also be available to Outback and country-based students through CQCM's new Virtual Conservatorium, Australia's first web-based performing arts degree initiative.

Conservatorium Director Associate Professor Greg Whateley said country music had been a significant cultural and economic industry for many years, and as such deserved recognition as a social phenomenon worthy of study and research.

Assoc Prof Whateley said the conference keynote address would be delivered by an American (Prof James E. Akenson) who was involved in the United States country music conference. Papers would be delivered by academics throughout Queensland and NSW, and possibly further afield.

The conference would be chaired by a CQCM industry mentor, Professor Philip Hayward, who is Head of Contemporary Music at Macquarie University.

"The chair's address will be on the music of Graeme Connors, who is another CQCM industry mentor," Assoc Prof Whateley said.

He said conference delegates would work with teachers at Gympie State High School to incorporate country music studies into the curriculum. The delegates would also attend the Gympie Muster.

ENDS For details call Greg Whateley 0418 871 617 or Geoff Walden 0418 792 159