The cloistered world of Sydney’s harbourside Conservatorium of Music has been rocked by a scandal that has left staff in fear, an opera singer student banned and court orders put in place.
Court documents show that former Conservatorium student Janine Harris last year sent hundreds of emails and dozens of texts to two of her opera teachers over a three-month period.
Harris was forced to repeat a semester after failing to attend enough classes. “As a result, police form a view that the accused sent emails to the victims in a threatening, harassing and suicidal nature,” court documents state.
The barrage of correspondence came from her email and phone number, police say.
“Are you in Europe? Would you like to kill me in person? Or just buy me a beer?” she emailed one of her lecturers from Germany in July. A week later, she said: “I hope someone sent you the video! I’ll take my post down once you admit to f—ing me over.”
Three days later, she bemoaned his supposed lack of understanding: “Art isn’t meant to be shown, it is meant to be felt.”
She said a week later: “Shouldn’t have failed me in the first place or given me such a shitty role in flute.”
Harris was banned from university grounds and issued with a cease and desist letter, but the correspondence continued.
In quick succession on November 11, she texted one of her teachers: “Tell them why I failed”. “It had nothing to do with me missing a class”. “I would never f— with a conductor like that in the real world, just as you wouldn’t cast inaccurately if you had a real job”.
Harris also barraged her other lecturer. On August 4 – the day after she asked if she made lurid remarks involving a former prime minister – she asked him if he was in Israeli spy agency Mossad.
“These colleagues have my full support.”
Professor Annamarie Jagose, university provost
Later in August, she suggested he take her to court, said she intentionally sent “trans porn” to him and claimed some “very specific number plate combos” were causing her “overwhelming emotions”.
A series of messages sent at 4.33am on August 16 included: “I said get f—ed” and “You are the worst singing teacher there.”
The messages turned more menacing the next month: “I know what you love and I’ll do everything I can in order to destroy it.”
Correspondence seen by this masthead from university provost Professor Annamarie Jagose shows Harris was banned from campus.
“I want to acknowledge the challenging nature of this communication … Please be assured that any University colleague named is disturbed by the detail of her correspondence, the nature of which is untrue, but also concerned that the recipients might form a view that would have a detrimental impact on their reputation. These colleagues have my full support,” she wrote.
Police charged Harris with two counts of harassment using a carriage service this year. She was initially convicted, but both charges were ultimately quashed on the condition she complies with community treatment orders.
Apprehended violence orders preventing her from approaching either academic are in place until 2028.
In a statement, the University of Sydney said: “We are aware of the allegations made by a former student about members of our staff, which have been strongly refuted and they have our full support. We are concerned for the wellbeing of our Conservatorium community and have taken steps to ensure their safety. As this is a criminal matter, we are unable to comment further.”
If you or anyone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 131 114 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
