Rita Fin retires
Head of Instrumental Music Mr Bob Wagner reflects on Ms Rita Fin’s remarkable career, as she takes up her retirement after nearly thirty-five years of dedicated service.
Pictured: Ms Fin conducting the School Orchestra at the Term I Concert in 2022
Pictured in header: Rita Fin with Vincent Lo (OS 2012) who is now Associate First Principal Cello in the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig
The strength of Grammar’s Music programme has been no secret since the days of Headmaster Mr Alastair Mackerras – 2025 marks the end of the career of one of the greatest contributors to that reputation, Ms Rita Fin.
Born into a musical family, Rita trained at the Sydney Conservatorium and the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg in Austria. Before coming to Grammar, Rita was Principal at International Grammar School, a position to which she was appointed aged just twenty-seven. Leaving IGS was not an easy decision for her but the lure of teaching music and heading up one of the leading music schools in the country proved to be irresistible, and she was appointed as Grammar’s third Director of Music by Headmaster Dr Ralph Townsend in Term I, 1991.
She quickly made it her business to expand and promote music within the School. Her pioneering spirit was strong: the number of classroom and instrumental music staff increased under her leadership and more musical opportunities for the boys was a swift and direct consequence. Festivals, special concerts, tours, commissions, Composers-In-Residence and more became a regular part of the School calendar. Forging links with St Ives and Edgecliff Preparatory Schools was also a high priority for her.
Rita recognised the need to strengthen and develop the Music classroom teaching and integrated many elements of the Orff and Kodaly teaching methods into completely new programmes.
Her tenure as Director of Music was notable for supporting the efforts and initiatives of her staff and expecting the highest levels of professionalism from them.
Few would realise that she is an accomplished cellist – she occasionally found time to use her significant skills in school events, playing in several of Grammar’s presentations of JS Bach’s largest choral masterpieces such as St John Passion, and a memorable guest appearance at Grammarpalooza.
Pictured: Ms Rita Fin conducting
Pictured: Ms Rita Fin applauding Waynne Kwon (OS 2013) who is now working professionally in the UK as a cellist
Rita led the Music department until 2004, when she became Assistant to the then Headmaster, Dr John Vallance. Later the title was changed to Deputy Headmaster (Co-curricular) under Dr Richard Malpass; her duties changing considerably as her administrative and organisational skills were applied to the ever-increasing administrative burdens placed on schools. She unofficially carried much of an Human Resources role as well, for several years managing the School’s support staff. There would be a lengthy list of staff who took Rita into their confidence.
Space for this article is too short to name the many other achievements and legacies that Rita leaves. She will be best known by generations of Grammar boys as conductor of the School Orchestra for more than thirty years. Many of her charges subsequently built careers as professional musicians; many more gained a simple love for orchestral music under her precise baton.
Her colleagues admire and recognise the immense contribution that she has made to the School. After thirty-four-and-a-half years she leaves Grammar to a thoroughly well-deserved retirement.
Pictured: Lifelong colleagues and friends L-R: Mr Bob Wagner, Ms Kim Waldock, Mr Paul Gaske, Ms Rita Fin, Mr Tod Piekos and Mr Greg Howard
Sydney Grammar School
College Street, Darlinghurst
NSW 2010 Australia
Phone: (02) 9332 5800
Edgecliff Preparatory School
Alma Street, Paddington
NSW 2021 Australia
Phone: (02) 9366 0100
St Ives Preparatory School
Ayres Rd, St Ives
NSW 2075 Australia
Phone: (02) 8302 5200
