▁Queensland . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁festival ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁for ▁a ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁premi ere ▁by ▁Professor ▁Ray ▁Gold ing , ▁the ▁then ▁Vice - Ch an cell or ▁of ▁James ▁Cook ▁University ▁and ▁The odore ▁K uchar ▁who ▁continued ▁as ▁the ▁art istic ▁director ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁ 1 6 ▁years ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁The ▁festival ▁began ▁conserv atively ▁foc using ▁on ▁the ▁more ▁contemporary ▁music ▁of ▁the ▁classical ▁and ▁rom antic ▁periods , ▁over ▁the ▁first ▁five ▁years ▁K uchar ▁started ▁inserting ▁works ▁of ▁Bart ok , ▁Blo ch , ▁Martin u , ▁Sh ost akov ich , ▁expand ing ▁the ▁musical ▁depth ▁for ▁enthus iast s ▁while ▁maintain ing ▁the ▁popular ▁appeal . ▁ ▁The ▁festival ▁has ▁tried ▁to ▁avoid ▁a ▁per ception ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁only ▁there ▁for ▁cultiv ated ▁southern ers , ▁for ▁example ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁A FC M ▁had ▁a ▁presence ▁at ▁a ▁Cow bo ys ▁football ▁match ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁increased ▁public ity ▁foc using ▁locally . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁the ▁A FC M ▁gained ▁a ▁new ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁in ▁P iers ▁Lane ▁A O . ▁Lane , ▁an ▁Australian , ▁a ▁leading ▁international ▁pian ist ▁who ▁is ▁based ▁in ▁London ; ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁programme ▁involved ▁vocal ists ▁and ▁more ▁variety ▁than ▁previous ▁years ▁to ▁appeal ▁to ▁a ▁bro ader ▁audience ,