John Curro

John Ronald Curro AM MBE (6 December 1932 – 6 November 2019) was an Australian violinist, violist, conductor and music director.

Curro was the founder (1966) and Director of Music of the Queensland Youth Orchestras, with which he established the National Youth Concerto Competition (NYCC).

Curro was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1981 and a Member of the Order of Australia in 1995.

He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001.

The Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to music in Australia.

The Don Banks Music Award was established in 1984 to publicly honour a senior artist of high distinction who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia. It was founded by the Australia Council in honour of Don Banks, Australian composer, performer and the first chair of its music board.

The Queensland Greats Awards commenced in 2001 and recognise outstanding Queenslanders for their years of dedication and contribution to the development of the state and their role in strengthening and shaping the community in Queensland, Australia.