QMusic Unveils New Leadership

Vivienne Mellish is the new president of QMusic, Queensland’s trade body for the contemporary music industry, with John “JC” Collins confirmed as vice president.

Announced today, July 18, Mellish and Collins step-up following the retirement from the management committee of president Natalie Strijland and VP D-J Wendt, marking “the end of a significant era,” reads a statement.

“Following the recent state and federal budgets and prior to the state election, and after 20 combined years of board service,” comments Strijland, “we thought now was an ideal time for a handover to the new board leadership and allow D-J and I the chance to focus more on our own businesses and families.”

Strijland departs after nine years on the board of QMusic, the last four of those as president.

“Over that time we have grown and changed as an organisation and faced challenges both from within and outside the industry,” she continues.

Adds Wendt, who guides the classical crossover juggernauts The Ten Tenors: “Giving back to the industry that has been very good to me has been an honour, I will likely miss being involved and will definitely miss working with the many great board members and especially Natalie Strijland, who has the biggest heart in the world and she gets things done.”

Wendt has been volunteering with QMusic for over a decade, service that has been “one of the most rewarding experiences” of his life. He’s retiring to focus on the 30th anniversary world tour of TTT.

Mellish and Collins are well-equipped for the task.

As founding partner and CMO at Queensland-based digital music distribution and artist services company GYROstream, Mellish plays a critical role in leading a business that employs 50 staff.

Earlier this year, GYROstream unveiled a new-look leadership team at home and abroad, another step towards its ambition to become the country’s No. 1 net exporter of music.

John ‘JC’ Collins

Collins, meanwhile, is the founding bass player with Powderfinger, and now manages such venues as The Triffid and The Fortitude Music Hall.

As previously reported, Collins, who has roles with the Brisbane Economic Development Agency and the Better Brisbane Alliance, was recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list, appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the arts through music, and to the community.

Both are committee members of the trade association.

QMusic produces the Queensland Music Awards (QMAs) and Bigsound, and exists to “stimulate and grow the state’s music sector.”

During their tenure, Strijland and Wendt led QMusic through a string of initiatives, including the $7 million Live Music COVID Support program, the creation of the Qld Safety and Diversity Advisory Group, the $4.5 million Bigsound funding uplift, the recent Qld Govt announcement of Venue Funding packages and a series of new programs, including Goolwal Goolwal, Tropic Fiesta in Townsville and the largest ever Industry Connect program.

Brian “Smash” Chladil, co-founder of Oztix and longtime QMusic partner, has the last word.

“I cannot let Natalie and D-J go without acknowledging them as the most successful leaders the organisation has ever had,” Smash comments.

“Measured on any level, QMusic is not only the biggest and best of all the state music organisations, it is also the most respected. This is only due to their unwavering integrity, strategic counsel and their engendering support for all those who surround them.”