Joshua Ives (2 May 1854 – 16 June 1931) was the first Professor of Music at the University of Adelaide and founder of the Elder Conservatorium of Music.
History
Ives was born at Hyde, Greater Manchester, the sixth son of Hannah Ives, née Goddard and her husband Joseph Ives, a furniture dealer. He was educated at the Commercial School and Owens College, Manchester, and studied music under (later Sir) Frederick Bridge and Henry Hiles. At age 16 he became assistant organist at All Saints, Manchester (perhaps All Saints Anglican Church, Bury), and two years later was appointed to St. James, Gorton, but soon afterwards left for a better position and a finer organ at St. Andrews, Manchester (perhaps St. Andrews Anglican Church at Ramsbottom, Bury). He moved to St. Stephens, Hulme, where he had a large choir. In 1881 he entered Queens' College, Cambridge, and in 1883 received his Mus. Bac. He was appointed organist at the Established Church in Anderston, Glasgow, also lectured on Harmony and Musical Composition at the Glasgow Athenaeum. See List of churches in Greater Manchester
It was due to the enthusiasm of the Governor of South Australia, Sir William Robinson, an accomplished musician, and W. R. Cave's sponsorship, that the University of Adelaide was the first in Australia to offer a degree in music. In order to achieve this, he raised subscriptions totalling £5,000 over five years to employ a Professor of Music, and of 19 applicants in 1884 Joshua Ives was selected and took up the position in March 1885. He was also to replace T. H. Jones as City Organist; his first recital at the newly enlarged Town Hall instrument was on 9 April 1885, and was well, if not ecstatically, received.
As there were insufficient funds to found a Chair in Music, and those promised were only for five years, potential students were warned that there was no guarantee of continuation of the course beyond this time, however this failed to diminish the enthusiasm of students and 25 were enrolled for the first year, mostly females. Ives had demanded concessions on matriculation requirements; although not dropped entirely as was the case at Oxford and Cambridge, it was less demanding (presumably omitting the Classical language — Latin and Greek — requirement). And the matriculation examinations could be undertaken at any time prior to awarding the Music degree. This had the unfortunate effect that many otherwise successful students never graduated.
The financial position was unsupportable, and other sources of funds were sought, and Professor Ives instituted a scheme of public examinations, the first in Australia, the fees of which were used to support the Chair. The examinations, modelled on those of the Guildhall School of Music in London, became very popular and not only contributed largely to the faculty's finances, but led directly to an improvement in the standard of teaching in the colony. Sir Thomas Elder died in 1897, and bequeathed £20,000 to endow the Chair permanently, but as financial needs were being covered by examination fees, it was decided to establish a Conservatorium of Music, using L. G. Reimann's College of Music in Wakefield Street as a nucleus. The Conservatorium was established in 1898; additional temporary premises were secured and additional staff hired. Ives was appointed Director, with a salary increase of £200 and for a term of three years. A partnership was entered into between the University of Adelaide and the Associated Board of the Royal College of Music and with the Royal Academy of Music in London in order that qualifications gained in South Australia were recognised elsewhere. These links greatly enhanced the status in Australia of the Associated Board, which was hitherto almost unknown. After around 10 years the connection with the Associated Board was relinquished, and a partnership was formed with Melbourne University, forming the basis of the Australian Music Examinations Board.
While in Adelaide he served as Conductor of the Philharmonic Society and was a prolific composer, for organ especially. He served as Organist and Choirmaster at the North Adelaide Baptist Church 1891–1896. The church, which had invested in a particularly fine organ, pleaded with him not to leave but he was adamant and a replacement was found in Louis Yemm.