Building musical futures
Following the recent discussions about the future of Australia in the political arena, one could easily think that a country can thrive on economic and technological advance alone.
Yet how many great civilisations do we know where the humanities and the arts did not flourish? The Roman Empire, India under Emperor Akbar, Italy in the Renaissance, the Turkish courts, the kingdom of Mali under the great Mandinke kings, The Netherlands in the 17th century; all times and places where great prosperity went hand in hand with impressive artistic activity, both in preserving heritage and in breaking new ground.
There are some voices that reiterate this in contemporary settings. Richard Florida, who was a guest speaker at Griffith a few years ago, argued in his The Rise of the Creative Class that great economic benefit arises from nurturing an environment where creativity flourishes, citing places like Silicon Valley in the USA as a prime example. But one wonders if creativity should only be supported for its utilitarian functions.
In fact, similar discussion is raging around music education. While there is research (not all of it very solid) that indicates learning music is good for developing spatial-temporal reasoning and social skills in young people, should we teach music because it is instrumental in making children better at core subjects in school, or because music is a beautiful and even essential part of human existence, celebrated by all cultures in all periods of history?
One of the greatest assets of a university like Griffith is its strong commitment to a broad offering of performing and creative arts. Presences at Mt Gravatt, Nathan, the Gold Coast and especially South Bank (the largest creative and performing arts campus in Australia) create an atmosphere where our diverse cultural heritage is preserved, and where new artistic ideas and projects can be developed, at the heart of the cultural precinct of Brisbane.
During its 50th year, Queensland Conservatorium highlights its commitment to both honouring the past and preparing for the future. With the theme Building Musical Futures, we celebrate our contributions of the past 50 years to a vibrant musical life in Queensland and beyond, from the international star alumni to community musicians across the region. But we also look forward to the next 50 years.
A wonderful example of this approach is how the mythical musician Orpheus appears in our events throughout the year. In addition to the interpretations of the myth by Gluck and Offenbach staged by our Opera school, the versions of Monteverdi and William Duckworth serve as bookends to our celebrations: looking back to the beginning of opera as we know it, and looking forward to new ways of delivering music in the future.
As part of the Queensland Music Festival, Queensland Conservatorium staged a full production of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo (premiered 400 years ago) in the Masonic Temple of Brisbane. The imaginative production was further enhanced by the unique setting, in an intimate and historical space that would probably have pleased the composer.
One month later, the South Bank Parklands came to life to the sounds of the future-oriented iOrpheus, conceived and developed by New York-based composer William Duckworth and media artist Nora Farrell on a Senior Fulbright Specialist Award. The project followed the five acts of Monteverdi, but placed these in outdoor settings: the Nepalese Pagoda, the Jungle Walk, Aquativity, Picnic island, the Piazza. The music was a mix of scenes that were downloaded, live music and electronic soundscapes. Choreographed movements and theatre highlighted the various scenes.
Both productions combined strategic partnerships (Queensland Music Festival, South Bank Corporation, Apple) with creative thinking. Both delighted audiences. Both gave students something to take with them in their future careers.
We realise not all of these careers will involve musical star status. But many of our alumni do find part time or full time work in music. And even if they do not end up making music as a profession, their creative training with us continues to nurture and inspire them. Julie Owens, Con Graduate and now MP for Parramatta, sang praise on how well her musical training had prepared her for the work she is currently doing in politics: being able to get down and concentrate for hours, get down to a base line when you are exhausted, having the skill to improvise when needed, and perform. In most professions, creativity is a requirement, not a luxury. And we are proud we can help young people develop this elusive but valuable quality.
Peter Roennfeldt and Huib Schippers Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University