BY RICHARD GILL AO
Australia’s leading music education advocate Richard Gill has worked with almost every major opera company and orchestra in the nation. Holding two Honorary Doctorates and an AO for his service to the music community, Richard is renowned for his vision and views on the positive impact of music education on the development of young people. He will conduct the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra this May 20 and 22.
Richard Gill on why we must value young musicians
Young musicians are the new creators, thinkers, performers who push the older musicians to work even harder.
The young can challenge us
Young musicians question older practices, do not necessarily accept the received wisdom of the past, and create opportunities for older musicians to re-evaluate their positions. If as a musician you are fortunate enough to teach a younger generation, you will learn more about music than you ever imagined. This is why I still teach and look forward to every lesson.
To career or not!
A young musician who is drawn to music makes a series of steps before making a final commitment to music as a career, or indeed, not. However, whether this means that no career path is followed, or steps are taken towards a career path, all young musicians will have music for the rest of their lives. You can’t take the music out of people’s heads. It’s there for life.
Good and bad music
There are really only two types of music: good and bad. That goes for all music from the beginning of time to now. There is no virtue in preferring one musical style over another musical style. Studying music intensely is a great way to learn to appreciate new styles. We can’t love things we don’t know. The greater one’s knowledge of a breadth of styles, the better one’s chances of becoming a well-rounded musician. At some stage, we end up making choices and decisions but these choices and decisions should be based on knowledge and appreciation.
Our choices
All the musicians in our orchestra, the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra, have made a choice to play on instruments representative of the periods we play; that is, Classical and Romantic music. These musicians are at the top of their games and brilliant exponents of their craft. It is a huge privilege to work with them and make music with them. Come and listen to our music-making.
See Richard Gill conduct musicians of all ages in the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra’s concert Unfinished Romance at City Recital Hall, Angel Place (May 20), and Melbourne Recital Centre (May 22). More info and bookings www.arco.org.au.
Images supplied.
