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Rennie Elaine Herbert OAM

Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women logo
Rennie Herbert

Awarded for service to the Arts

Born: 1925

Entered on roll: 2005


Born in Paradise in 1925, Rennie Herbert attended Sheffield Area School and studied music privately at Devonport, qualifying for her AMus and ALCM. She then attended the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music where she received her LMusA in late 1950. She married in 1965.

Rennie’s passion for music has touched many lives and she has inspired many of her students to pursue a career in music. She has taught piano, music theory and singing on the North-West Coast for more than 50 years. She is a Life Member and past President of the Tasmanian Music Teacher's Association. Rennie is also an examiner with the Australian Music Examination Board and a member of the AMEB State Committee. Rennie has been the organist at the Wesley Uniting Church in Devonport since 1975.

Rennie is a Life Member and current Vice President of the Devonport Eisteddfod Society and has adjudicated at eisteddfods in Tasmania and interstate. She is a Life Member of the Devonport Choral Society and a former conductor of the Society’s Ladies Choir.

Rennie formed the Creadon Singers choir and the very successful youth choir, the Renae Singers, in the early 1970s. Under Rennie’s leadership, the Renae Singers have won more than 20 championships in eisteddfods in Devonport, Burnie, Launceston and Sydney. Rennie conducts the choir’s performances around the state in hospitals, nursing homes, rural schools and charitable events and during interstate tours. Rennie inaugurated the biennial Youth Choirfest in 2001.

Rennie has been a member of Soroptimists International since the early 1960s, serving two terms as President. She is currently the longest serving member. She was also responsible for organising the Soroptimist Carols by Candlelight from 1965 until 1999.

Rennie is well known as a canvasser for charitable organisations. She played a key role in raising $70,000 within two years for a replacement organ for the Wesley Church.

Rennie was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 1991 for her services to music. She was named as Devonport Citizen of the Year in 1997. In 2001, Rennie was awarded a Centenary Medal and received a Recognition Award for the Senior Australian of the Year. Rennie was named as the Lions Club Devonport Citizen of the Year in 2004.

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