Special Board Skills

A Board like this not only needs general business skills and specialist expertise like accounting and law, but also specialist experience in relation to the musical and creative industries.  Greg Reinhardt AM and Miki Oikawa were both Presidents of the Richard Wagner Society in Victoria, whose primary focus was fundraising for performances.  Miki has had experience as a dancer, including choreography.  Until recently, Dr Ruth Rentschler OAM was chair of The Australian Dance Theatre. She has been involved  in fundraising and philanthropy for new works, also in the selection of artistic and executive directors. 

Chris Arnold AM and Margot Costanzo have commissioned two 25 minute works composed by Elena Kat Chernin-The Offering, Elena’s  first piano quintet with Benjamin Martin and Flinders Quartet and Take Me Along, a six part tango work  commissioned for the 100 years of Tango by Plexus (Stefan Cassomenos, piano, Monica Curro, violin, Greg Eldridge, Clarinet, Michelle Good, cello). Both works were recorded for the ABC and are frequently played on Classic FM and on 3MBS Music Melbourne.

Margot was a presenter at the 3MBS for Vocal Chords, the opera highlights program, for the breakfast program and the midday program.  With Karen van Spall, she was the co-curator with the 3MBS Dante 700 Festival which involved 4 live lectures, a 5 part 10 hour Dante in Music Illuminations series and 5 studio broadcasts of music involving Dante.

General Business Skills

  • MARGOT COSTANZO

    President

    Margot Costanzo is a former lawyer with a strong involvement in events and training. She served as Vice-Chair of Professional Development for the International Bar Association and has scripted and presented numerous programs for 3MBS, including Vocal Chords, Wednesday Night at the Opera and Illuminations. Margot co-curated the Dante 700 Festival with Karen Van Spall and has been a director of 3MBS.

  • GREGORY J REINHARDT AM

    Secretary

    Greg Reinhardt has a distinguished background in legal and judicial administration and is a respected member of Australia’s cultural landscape. A passionate advocate for music and the arts, Greg is a former President of the Richard Wagner Society Victoria and is a Member of the Order of Australia.

  • CHRISTOPHER ARNOLD AM

    Board Member

    Chris Arnold brings extensive leadership experience from the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, having served as a board member, business advisor, and CEO across six organisations. He is a long-time supporter of Australian music, commissioning two classical works by Elena Kats-Chernin (with Margot Costanzo). Chris has previously served on the boards of the Melba Opera Trust, Australian World Orchestra, Melbourne Early Music, Philanthropy Australia, and the Australian Communities Foundation.

  • PROFESSOR RUTH RENTSCHLER OAM

    Board Member

    Ruth is a strategic and creative thinker, having been a Professor of Arts Management at various universities including teaching in Asia and Europe. Ruth has also held Board appointments in government NFPs and in educational bodies.

  • MIKI OIKAWA

    Treasurer & Communications

    Miki Brotzler Oikawa brings global leadership and a strong commitment to the arts. She served two terms as President of the Richard Wagner Society Inc. and is a former board member of Lyric Opera of Melbourne. She is on the board of IDPro, an international professional association for digital identity specialists, and serves on the committee of the Friends of Melbourne Opera. Miki supports a wide range of Australian musical organisations and emerging performers.