You are here: Elder Conservatorium of Music > Conservatorium Staff > Keyboard

Print View Login

Diana Weekes

L. Mus, BArts(Hons)(Melbourne), Staatsexamen Meisterklassendiploma (Hochschule fur Musik Munich), Grad. Dip. Bus. Man. (University of South Australia), FIMT (Australia)

After graduating from University with first class honours in German, Diana Weekes was awarded a DAAD scholarship for studies in musicology at Munich University. One year later she transferred to the Hochschule für Musik where she undertook a 4-year degree in music performance, completing her Meisterklassendiplom in piano in 1974. After returning to Melbourne she made numerous return trips to Europe to take part in international competitions, gaining second prize in Finale Ligure, third prizes in Senigallia and Vercelli, fourth prize in Terni and fifth prize, together with a special award for Schubert interpretation, in the prestigious Busoni competition in Bolzano.

During these years she also gave recitals and broadcasts in Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, and was invited to perform the Liszt Concerto No.1 with the Suisse Romande Orchestra under Hans Zanotelli in a live telecast which was transmitted throughout Europe. A successful debut recital in London’s Wigmore Hall was followed by major recitals in Australian capital cities, and she has appeared as soloist with the major Australian orchestras under Arthur Fiedler, Clive Douglas, Georges Tzipine, Fritz Rieger, John Hopkins, David Measham, Vladimir Kamiersky, Richard Divall, and Leonard Dommett.

Formerly a Senior Tutor in Piano at the University of Melbourne, Diana Weekes came to Adelaide in 1981 to take up a position as a full-time Lecturer in Music at the Flinders Street School of Music, where as well as teaching piano she gave lectures in Aural Development, Music Language Studies, Keyboard Musicianship and other Supporting Studies. During her time at Flinders Street she was responsible for the inter-institutional Chamber Music Program (1989 – 93), for setting up the Music Technology Centre, and for developing curriculum for the Certificate 4 in Music Technology (1994).

She also undertook studies in Commercial Music and Jazz, and in 1995 completed a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, gaining the coveted medal for the “Most Outstanding Student” awarded that year by the Australian Institute of Management. Two years ago she rekindled her earlier interest in composition, and for the year 2000 Festival of Australian Music she presented a lunchtime concert of her own compositions including a song cycle, a Trio for recorder, harpsichord and bass viol, a Duo for alto flute and marimba, and three unaccompanied choral works.

Diana Weekes has studied with Roy Shepherd and Jascha Spivakowsy (Melbourne), Professors Vladimir Horbowski, Rosl Schmid and Ludwig Hoffmann (Munich), and Alberto Colombo (Milan). Her former students include David Hirshfelder, Paul Rickard-Ford, Prof Dr Richard Parnutt, currently Head of the Institut für Musikwissenschaft in Graz, Austria, and many others who are now working in secondary and tertiary institutions in Australia and overseas.

Highly acclaimed for her work as visiting Professor at the University of Champaign-Illinois, USA (1991) and the Sechuan Conservatorium in Chengdu, China (2001), she has given Master Classes and lectures for various organizations both in South Australia and interstate, and in 2001 was awarded an inaugural Fellowship from the Australian Institute of Music Teachers. Still active as a performer, Diana Weekes has a distinguished reputation as a dynamic and inspiring teacher with over 25 years experience in tertiary music education, and an unqualified commitment to the highest standards of musical performance.