BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
This International Women’s Day, we showcase some of the inspiring women in Australia’s musical landscape.
Brooke Shelley is a composer and singer with the Choir of St James’. She has studied piano, harpsichord, and composition – winning the SSO Schools Composers Competition twice.
Brooke completed a Bachelor of Music (Hons) in Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and a Master of Music in Advanced Musical Studies majoring in Historical Musicology at Royal Holloway, University of London. She joined the Choir of St James’ in ’96, for which she sings and writes (she’s also sung for the Sydney Antiphony, Australian Brandenburg Choir, and choirs across London).
This month, the Choir of St James’ will perform Handel’s Messiah at the City Recital Hall, teaming up with the musicians of BachBand@St James. But while the group remembers such significant icons in musical history, it also commissions new work by past and present choir members including Brooke, alongside others such as Joe Twist and Owen Elsley.
We have a chat with Brooke, who has previously spoken out about her experiences of gender inequality. She tells us why she values International Women’s Day.
Brooke, thank you very much for taking the time to chat with us in light of International Women’s Day. What does this global event mean to you?
I love that International Women’s Day is a worldwide celebration of work women do in society. This is especially important given the historical emphasis on recognising men’s achievements and contributions.
In the past, you’ve used social media to speak out about an experience of sexism in your career, in which you had received unequal credit for your musical achievements alongside a male composer. Why do you feel that experiences like yours highlight gender inequality in the music industry?
Simply because the male composer received all of the credit, whereas I received none. Thankfully, society – and the music industry – is changing for the better, with the help of things like International Women’s Day to give women the recognition they deserve. I don’t believe such a situation, like what happened to me, would occur today. I certainly hope it wouldn’t.
How has the experience of prejudice in your musical career been echoed by your fellow female composers and musicians? Do you feel we need a strong cultural shift?
I may be naïve, but I think it is shifting. However, it has a long way to go. Until there is equal recognition, we will still have things International Women’s Day and specialised promotion of women in the arts.
Despite these challenges, you’ve maintained a highly active career in music. How would you advise young women experiencing sexism in the industry to stay strong in their careers?
Awareness is the key – and women need to be encouraged women to speak up. I don’t think sexist men on the whole realise what they’re doing and how it can affect women, so it’s important to make them aware of their actions if they’re causing offence.
How would you like to see Australia fight for equality in the arts?
Although I’ve experienced sexism, and I absolutely stand for equal opportunities, remuneration, recognition, etc., I am wary of going too far down the equality path. In an ideal world, people would be recognised for the quality of their work, not for their gender, religion or race. Organisations supporting the arts should strive for equal gender representation on boards and committees, in particular those organisations responsible for industry awards and education.
What the arts really needs is strong community support and engagement from everyone, regardless of gender, age, race, beliefs, and the like. The result would be a flourishing arts scene accurately reflecting the diversity that’s already right under our noses – not obscured by politics and personal agenda.
Do you have any other words of advice you’d like to share?
I think that rather than concentrating on all of the obstacles we’re facing in the arts, we should take a breather, look around us, and see what wonderful art we’re all creating. It’s hard when we’re so flat out – curating a concert or exhibition, rehearsing, organising promos, worrying about budgets, practising, food shopping, paying the bills – to remember to look up and see we’re actually doing a great job.
With the help of organisations like CutCommon, I hope the art-makers – not a gender or section of society – in Australia can be further and fully recognised and supported. I’d swap International Women’s Day for International Arts Day any day!
See Brooke in her element with the Choir of St James’ and BachBand@St James on March 22 in the City Recital Hall. Click here to learn more.
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