AMANDA JOLLY APPOINTED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF QYO

Queensland Youth Orchestras (QYO) is delighted to announce the appointment of Amanda Jolly as our new Executive Director.  Amanda is a highly respected cultural leader with a longstanding commitment to building opportunities for young people to participate in the arts.

Queensland Youth Orchestra’s President Ian Walker said that Amanda’s deep appreciation of music, her broad experience in a range of cultural organisations, both in Australia and internationally, and her talents in philanthropic, arts and strategic management will be immensely valuable to QYO.

Amanda Jolly has an extensive background in the arts industry, most recently serving as Executive Director of Queensland Theatre, where she worked for fifteen years, setting up the Company’s philanthropy department and also serving as Deputy Executive Director. During her tenure at Queensland Theatre, she doubled the Education and Youth programs, expanding significantly into the regions, and led the successful planning and delivery of the new Bille Browne Theatre, a transformational project for the organisation.

Amanda has worked in the arts sector in the United States, Canada and Chile, serving for nine years in the Office of International Relations for the National Department of Cultures in Chile. She also has experience at the State Library of Queensland and with the Victoria State Opera.

Music Director, Simon Hewett warmly welcomes Amanda Jolly to the role expressing their shared excitement for the future. “Amanda’s appointment marks a new chapter for our organisation as we look to the next decade for QYO, and the opportunities inherent in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane in 2032.” he said.

Amanda says,” I am thrilled by the opportunity to work for this extraordinary organisation, which means so much to so many people and has launched the careers of some of Australia’s most exciting musicians. I am honoured to be given the opportunity to contribute to this proud history”.  

President Ian Walker also said,  ”I also take this opportunity to thank outgoing General Manager Geoff Rosbrook, who led this organisation with distinction for over 27 years, alongside founding Music Director John Curro and his successor Simon Hewett. His dedication and skill have left this Queensland Youth Orchestras in a strong position as one of the leading youth orchestras in Australia”.

Amanda joins QYO at an exciting time for the organisation, fresh from the success of an international tour to Singapore, Austria and Germany where a review in Hamburg Abendblatt (Hamburg’s premier newspaper) after the Hamburg performance began with the headline ‘this must be Australia’s best youth orchestra’. Future plans include increased regional touring and musical outreach programs to underserved communities.

For more information about this appointment please contact Brianna Butters, Marketing Officer on 07 3257 3028 or marketing@qyo.org.au.

Amanda Jolly