BY JESSIE WANG, LEAD WRITER (COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AWARENESS)
Richard Gill AO, Australia’s most iconic music educator, believed that all of us have the potential to be great musicians. And that potential may be hidden behind closed doors, or simply hasn’t been unlocked yet.
Shortly before his deteriorating health, Richard and his neighbour Simon Chapman had the idea of creating a music festival in their local community of Stanmore, which is often overshadowed by its livelier neighbouring suburbs. But they knew the suburb had musicians, young and old, professional or not, just waiting to play.
After Richard passed away, Simon got together a committee, including Richard’s wife Maureen, to fulfil Richard’s dream.
This festival will mark a year after Richard’s death and will be dedicated to the man who has shaped Australia’s music community.
We chat to Simon about this upcoming Stanmore Festival of Music.
Hi Simon. Thanks for taking the time out for this interview today. So tell me, what is the Stanmore Festival of Music and what was the idea behind it?
My wife Trish and I lived in Lyon, France in 2006 and one night walked out of our apartment straight into the amazing experience of the French Fête de la Musique, where everyone – from name acts to tiny kids bowing away on their first violin performance – come out to play.
‘Wow, wouldn’t this be fun to have back home?’ we thought. Eighty-thousand towns, hamlets, and suburbs now participate in it each year in France.
‘The world – and Australia — could do with more of this,’ we thought.
Stanmore Festival of Music is also known as St. Anmoré Festival. What was the story behind this pun?
Stanmore unfortunately suffers a little in the dullness department by comparison to its more vibrant neighbours of Newtown, Petersham, and Leichhardt, which all have annual street festivals. I always tell people I live in Sydney’s French quarter, St. Anmoré, and then explain. Our shy little village has so much potential waiting to be unlocked.
What are you hoping the community will get out of the festival?
Music is infectious. It breaks down barriers as people become mesmerised by it, share the joy, and often shed their inhibitions and dance and sing along. The diversity in the styles we have pulled together will also erode comfort zones and make people realise what a rich community we live in.
Give us a hint of some of the acts that are performing at the festival. How were they selected? What kind of music will be played?
We were deluged with offers to perform. We also approached a few crowd magnets like Reg Mombasa’s Dog Trumpet, Brendan Gallagher and The Morrisons, but by far the most common denominator is that the acts live locally.
We have a mixture of total professionals and even a few first-timer young performers. The key idea is that there is a secret reserve of musical talent living behind suburban doors just itching to get out and play. We’ve opened the tap. The full program is here.
The festival, like any music festival, isn’t just a one-person gig: you are part of a committee of organisers. Who else is part of the committee?
We have a small core doing the hard yards – me; Tony Egan, a local rock photographer and guitarist; Ged Dore, the amazingly generous publican at the Salisbury Hotel; and Danielle Funston, a local classical violinist.
Maureen Gill, Richard Gill’s wife, is our very engaged patron. Elaine Chia, CEO of the City Recital Hall, has been very helpful linking us up with some name acts, too.
What has been your favourite part of organising the festival?
Being gobsmacked at the generosity of acts who could command big money to perform – but who totally get the spirit of a community music festival; and want to pay homage to Richard Gill’s legacy — that so many of us have a latent little musician in us, wanting to get out.
This festival is dedicated to Richard Gill. For many of us, we have very fond memories of the man who shaped the music community of Australia. What was your favourite memory of Richard?
I’d never met Richard until I approached him in the street one day and ran the idea of the festival by him. He knew all about it from living in France too, and got on board immediately. But then, he became ill, and we shelved it. But after he died, I approached his family, who were delighted at the idea of the festival. So here we are, about to see it happen.
Lastly, what do you think Richard would say if he was here to witness the festival?
Everyone I talk to who knew Richard well says that he was driven throughout his life to be a spark plug – to ignite ordinary people’s love for music, and their confidence to start having a go.
If he walked through the festival, he’d see all stages of that journey, and I’m sure be very pleased.
The Stanmore Festival of Music starts at 12.30pm on November 16 in Stanmore Village. Visit the website for full details.
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