PRESIDENT'S WELCOME I frequently hear the question ‘What’s in it for me?’ cited as a reason why some teachers choose not to join MTASA. In response I wonder if they posed the more positive question ‘How can I contribute to the profession and advance my career?’. Then they might see that MTASA offers many opportunities for that. A change in outlook can make all the difference when teaching seems to have become rather tiresome and troublesome. In connection with MTASA’s function as a means whereby members can regain their enthusiasm and move ahead by helping to make the profession better for themselves and everyone else, I’d like to thank the many respondents to our recent Membership Survey. Currently MTASA is at something of a crossroads but is in a good position to proceed in several alternative directions depending on the wishes of our members. Feedback from the Survey will be very influential in informing developments over coming months and your Council is looking forward to making a start on some of the implementation processes quite soon.
MTASA’s function as a means whereby members can regain their enthusiasm and move
In connection with upcoming events members may have noted that our AGM has been moved from its regular spot with the September Expo to a separate occasion involving some PD and a Dinner during November. Bearing in mind members busy schedules Council has made sure that AGMs are conducted alongside other events in recent years.
ahead by helping to make the profession better for themselves and everyone else Following some interstate models, we are now joining it with PD and a dinner, still ensuring it is part of a worthwhile event and forms a good use of members’ time. Finally, I’d like to thank Council members Sofie Arhontoulis and Pete Barter for their continuing work on our Website, ironing out small glitches and enhancing its useability. MTASA’s website presence is fundamental to its stature and influence as the principal association for instrumental and vocal teachers in this state and a major player in the field of teaching. We hope members are availing themselves of the website’s many useful features as it continues to grow with our Association.
AGM has been moved from its regular spot with the September Expo to a separate occasion involving some PD and a Dinner during November
Rodney Smith, President 2
SA MUSIC TEACHER THE MAGAZINE OF THE MUSIC TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED
Print Post Pub. No 100003224 VOLUME 27 NO 2 – WINTER 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PATRONS: Dr Doreen Bridges AM Emeritus Professor David Lockett AM PRESIDENT: Rodney Smith VICE PRESIDENT: Robert Brown OAM SECRETARY: Masako Kondo TREASURER: Samantha Penny AUDITOR: Australian Independent Audit Services COUNCIL 2018/2019: Sofie Arhontoulis, Pete Barter, Robert Boundy, Robert Brown OAM, Naomi Hede, Masako Kondo, Monika Laczofy, Heather Lander, Yong Cheong Lye, David Metin, Samantha Penny, Rodney Smith, Ian Vayne EDITOR: Robert Brown OAM Layout: Masako Kondo MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES to the Secretary –
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME by Rodney Smith COMING MTASA EVENTS MEMBER INFORMATION OTHER ORGANISATIONS’ NEWS OTHER ORGANISATIONS’ EVENTS RECENT EVENTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY
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PO BOX 4, RUNDLE MALL, ADELAIDE SA 5000 Mobile: 0402 575 219
CONCERT PERFORMANCE DAY 1
E-mail: info@mtasa.com.au ADVERTISING – Please contact the Secretary Please see MEMBER INFORMATION page for Advertising Price List. CONTRIBUTIONS and DEADLINES for 2019 Contributions to SA Music Teacher are most welcome. All items to be included must reach the Editor, Robert Brown OAM
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PEDAGOGY MATTERS by Rodney Smith
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ACCOMPANIST’S CORNER: HALF A LIFETIME OF COLLABORATION by Diana Harris OAM
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(robbrown@adam.com.au) no later than these deadlines: Tuesday July 16, Thursday October 31, Friday January 31, 2020, Monday April 30, 2020.
MUSIC AND THE BRAIN, PART 18 2 by Ian Vayne AUSTA SA by Agnes Weinstein
MTASA WEBSITE Please visit http://www.mtasa.com.au/ MTASA FACEBOOK
Please visit the MTASA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/The-Music-Teachers-Association-of-SAInc-883307955101655/
Front cover: Ella Ma trying the oboe with help from Celia Craig. Photographer: David Metin.
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LYNDALL HENDRICKSON AM (1917 - 2017) by Ibolya Mikajlo 5 MINUTES WITH AUSTIN MADDERN! by Hayley Wedding MAKING A NOISE ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS THAT DESERVE TO BE HEARD… by Celia Craig CONTACT DETAILS FOR OTHER ORGANISATIONS
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COMING MTASA EVENTS MEMBER INFORMATION
NEW MEMBERS
June 22 and 23
Competition Days Miriam Hyde Awards, Reimann-Robinson Scholarship, Norman Sellick Memorial Prize
The Music Teachers’ Association extends a warm welcome to the following music teachers who have joined the association. We are looking forward to meeting them at our events. Sarah Porter, Full member: Acc, P, F, R, V, T Caroline Wai Hing Ng, Full Member: P, EK, H, HARM, His, M, T Don Whiffen, Full Member: C, Sax, Jazz Imp, SACE, Roland Aerophone
Virginia Weekes, Full Member: CM, V, Vo
NEW HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Mary and Susan Jaunarajs have enveloped and posted MTASA’s newsletter for many years and recently announced their retirement. Thank you to Mary and Susan for your years of work and dedication. In recognition of this Mary and Susan have been awarded Honorary Life Membership of MTASA.
Madley Rehearsal Studio The University of Adelaide Admission: gold coin The Reimann-Robinson Scholarship is open to all instrumental/vocal students of any member of the MTASA who are teaching in a private capacity. Open to students who are 18 years or under on the closing day of entry to the Scholarship. The Miriam Hyde Open Award is open to all instrumental/vocal students of any member of the MTASA or related organizations. Open to students of any age. The Miriam Hyde Junior Award is open to all instrumental/vocal students of any member of the MTASA or related organizations. Open to students under 15 years of age on the closing date of entry. The Norman Sellick Memorial Prize is open to all instrumental/vocal students of any member of the MTASA who are teaching in a private capacity. Open to students who are 12 years or under on the closing day of entries to the competition.
August 25
Concert Performance Day 2 Westminster School Band Room Alison Avenue, Marion Admission: gold coin Entry form will be available to download from mtasa.com.au events page soon. Entry via mtasa.com.au, e-mail or post.
August 31
Piano lecture and Masterclass with Virginia Black (UK) Madley Rehearsal Studio The University of Adelaide Entry form will be available to download from mtasa.com.au events page soon. Entry via mtasa.com.au, e-mail or post.
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September 22
IN MEMORIAM
Music Educators' Expo Thebarton Community Centre corner South Road and Ashwin Parade, Torrensville Ticket will be available soon via the MTASA website (mtasa.com.au) on the Events page.
November 10
MTASA Professional Development Afternoon Practising and Performing: teaching for successful outcomes - a woodwind perspective with Elizabeth Koch AM, Celia Craig, Lynton Rivers and Josie Hawkes OAM. Venue: Unley Uniting Church, 187 Unley Rd, Unley. Followed by AGM and Dinner at La Scala.
Dr Betty Snowden, a former MTASA Council Member, died on February 27, 2019, aged 78 years. She had a BA (Hons) from the University of Adelaide, Diploma of Humanities from Flinders University, PhD in art history from the University of NSW and A.Mus.A. (piano). As an art historian and academic she was for many years a curator at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and later the Flinders University Art Museum. She has lectured on art history at South Australian universities and art institutions. As a student Betty worked for Max Harris in his Mary Martin Bookshop in Adelaide. This inspired her to research and write about him. In 2013 Betty wrote a chapter on Max Harris for the Adelaide University publication Adelaide: a literary city. She followed this with the biography Max Harris: with reason, without rhyme, published by Australian Scholarly Publishing in 2015 and featured at the Adelaide Writers Festival. Betty also enjoyed working as a piano teacher. We send our condolences to the members of her family.
NEW MUSIC DIARY Selling for $7 each, the proceeds support MTASA. The Music Diary features day-to-a-page journaling, staves for each week, holiday challenges and games every ten pages, with space for personal notes, lists and goal setting. Visit https://mtasa.com.au/mtasamusic-diary/ for more information.
AON’S MUSIC TEACHER INSURANCE
OTHER ORGANISATIONS' NEWS MITCHAM ORCHESTRA
Aon, our recommended insurance provider, has over 50 years experience and a dedicated Entertainment team who understand your needs. As the New Year is already upon us, what better time than now to organise your cover and peace of mind for the rest of the year! Aon’s Music Teacher Insurance Policy is affordable, easily purchasable online and comprehensive, covering you for Public and Product liability (including wrongful allegation), Professional liability and Personal accident. For more information and to buy online visit aon.com.au/musicteachers.
THE MUSIC EDUCATION STRATEGY The Department for Education has announced the Music Education Strategy. A panel of experts will be appointed to oversee the development of the strategic plan. The job specification for Manager of the Music Education Strategy can be found at https://iworkfor.sa.gov.au/website. The document, ‘Music Education Strategy 2019-2029’, can be accessed at https://www.education.sa.gov.au/sit es/default/files/2019-2029-musiceducation-strategy.pdf and is also available in the resources section of MTASA’s website (members’ portal). The website, Music in Schools, can be accessed at https://www.education.sa.gov.au/te aching/projects-andprograms/music/school-musicprograms/music-schools. This outlines the current approaches to music teaching in Department for Education Schools. The website https://www.education.sa.gov.au/te aching/projects-andprograms/music covers School music programs and School music ensembles.
The Mitcham Orchestra is looking for string players: violin, viola, cello and double bass. Rehearsals are held on Saturday afternoons at Richmond Road Hall, 1 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park, from 2 pm4.30 pm. Please contact Robert Brown, 8431-0452, or e-mail robbrown@adam.com.au, for more information.
AUSTRALASIAN PIANO PEDAGOGY CONFERENCE 2019 July 8-12, University of Queensland, Brisbane. Variations on a Theme: The Portfolio Piano Teacher. The Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference was launched in 1993 in Adelaide, and brings together pianists, teachers, students, scholars, piano enthusiasts and composers from all over Australia and beyond. APPCA has engaged an impressive line up of keynote and invited speakers and recitalists. Further information from the website at https://www.appca.com.au/. Enquiries: appca.secretary@appca.com.au. The full Conference Program will be available in May.
ADELAIDE CHAMBER MUSIC SCHOOL 2019 July 18-21, Hahndorf Resort Tourist Park. Registrations are now open, visit https://www.adelaidecms.org/contact.html for full details and register before April 1 for the discounted early bird rate! Website: https://www.adelaidecms.org/school-2019.html. E-mail: adelaidechambermusicschool@gmail.com. Tutors: Benaud Trio, Lachlan Bramble, violin; Ewen Bramble, cello; Amir Farid, piano.
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EISTEDDFODS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Educators SA
METROPOLITAN MALE CHOIR ANNUAL MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2019 The Metropolitan Male Choir Annual Music Scholarship will be offered again in 2019. Applications from young musicians are invited from May/June onwards each year with auditions usually held in September. Visit http://www.mmcsa.org/about/music-scholarships/ for more information.
OTHER ORGANISATION’S CONCERTS
RECITALS AUSTRALIA WEDNESDAY LUNCH HOUR CONCERTS 2019
ELDER HALL CONCERTS 2019 ADELAIDE EISTEDDFOD SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS CONCERT
Pilgrim Church, 12 Flinders Street, Adelaide, at 12-10 pm and 1-10 pm. Adults: $5. Tickets at the door. Enquiries, mobile 0432114-127, e-mail info@recitalsaustralia.org.au. Visit http://www.recitalsaustralia.org.a u/ for more information. Lunch Hour Concert Series, Fridays, 1-10 pm. General admission: $14. Gold Pass Subscriptions available. Evening Concert Series. 6-30 pm. Ticket Prices: $30 Adult; $25 Concession; $19 Student. Visit www.elderhall.adelaide.edu.au for more information. Monday, September 23, 7-30 pm Salvation Army Citadel, 55 George Street, Norwood. Admission: Adult, $10; Seniors/Students, $8; Children under 16 free 7
As a member of Educators SA, MTASA can offer benefits to its members. Here are some offers: Andersons Solicitors offer MTASA members: • 10% off legal services, in ALL areas. • Free initial phone conversation with a lawyer. When contacting Andersons Solicitors tell them you are a member of MTASA, which is a member organisation of Educators SA (CEASA). Visit the website at www.andersons.com.au/. Credit Union SA has a range of education only offers. Visit the website at www.creditunionsa.com.au/comm unity/education-communitybanking-benefits/ for more information. Hotel Grand Chancellor Adelaide offers an exclusive accommodation deal for 2019. This includes WiFi, welcome drink cards on arrival, a uniquely South Australian gift and the paper daily. Go to https://www.grandchancellorhotels .com/hotel-grand-chancelloradelaide to book! Enter the promo code EDSA to access the member exclusive rates and offers.
MTASA MEMBERSHIP FEE INCREASES MTASA membership fees have been increased. This allows the Association to continue providing a sustainable service for its members. The new membership fees are: Full member $120 Student $60 Friend $30 Institution $30
YOUNG VIRTUOSO AWARD 2019
RECOMMENDED TEACHING FEES The following teaching rates are recommended to members by the MTASA Council for 2019. Full Member - $73 per hour Associate Member - $62 per hour Student Member - $46.50 per hour
MTASA MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Membership Subscription Renewals for 2019/2020 will become due on June 30. Subscription renewal notices will be sent in late June via email to remind members to log in and renew their membership for the 2018/2019 financial year. If you don’t receive an e-mail please check your spam folder. You can log in at any time to renew your membership. If it seems that you didn’t receive an e-mail, have forgotten your username or are having problems logging in please contact Masako Kondo (info@mtasa.com.au). Paper invoices will be sent to members who prefer to receive them.
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SA FINAL Sunday, October 13, 2-30 pm St John’s Anglican Church, 379 Halifax Street, Adelaide Admission: Adult $20; 5MBS Members $15; Student $10 NATIONAL FINAL Sunday, November 24, 2-30 pm St John’s Anglican Church, 379 Halifax Street, Adelaide The winner of the National Final receives a $10,000 prize sponsored by the Fine Music Network and Freemasons Victoria. Admission: Adult $20; 5MBS Members $15; Student $10
NOTICE TO STUDENT MEMBERS Have you fulfilled the requirements for Associate or Full Membership? Student members are reminded that Student membership is restricted to four years after which time it is expected that they would be eligible for another membership category. Student members who are ready to upgrade their membership are invited to submit an application form to the Secretary together with the required supporting documents. Criteria can be downloaded from the MTASA website (www.mtasa.com.au) or obtained from the Secretary (info@mtasa.com.au).
ACCREDITATION Members are invited to seek accreditation by obtaining applications forms from the MTASA Secretary and submitting them to the Music Teachers’ Association of New South Wales. Visit http://www.musicnsw.com.au /teachers/accreditation/ for more information. Upon gaining accreditation members are then requested to advise the MTASA Secretary if they wish to have this qualification entered either on our website. This information cannot be supplied by the Music Teachers’ Association of New South Wales due to privacy laws.
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MTASA MEMBERSHIP NOTES Visit http://mtasa.com.au/index.php/members/ become-a-member/ to join MTASA. Current Full, Student or Associate Members are not required to submit any supporting documentation to continue their MTASA membership. Anyone applying for Full Membership (either Tertiary Level Qualification and Study or Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience) or Student Membership for the first time must fulfil all of the requirements listed and submit the appropriate supporting documentation. Associate Membership is no longer being offered but those who were Associate Members on September 24, 2017 can continue their membership provided they remain as financial members. Full Membership (Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience) has replaced General Membership. MTASA Members are always encouraged to write to the Secretary about any concerns that they may have. The MTASA Council will consider your request.
TEACHERS OF THEORY/MUSIC -IANSHIP To be listed in the ‘The Directory of Teachers of Music’ on the MTASA website as a teacher of theory/musicianship applicants for Full or Student membership must supply evidence of having completed studies in this field to at least AMEB 5th Grade theory/musicianship standard or equivalent. Full, Student or Associate MTASA members wishing to have theory and/or musicianship included in their Directory listing should send copies of the relevant certificates to the Secretary (info@mtasa.com.au).
POSTNOMINALS
Full members of the Music Teachers’ Association of South Australia may use the letters MMTA (member of Music Teachers’ Association) as a post-nominal while they are financial members. Interstate Music Teachers Associations are also encouraging their members to use this or a similar postnominal.
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TEACHING IN THE COUNTRY
In recent years each issue of SA Music Teacher has included an article about music teaching in a country region of South Australia. No article was received this time and there are some regions that haven’t been visited yet. If you haven’t yet done so please write something – it doesn’t need to be very long – and also include a photo. If you have written something before you are welcome to send an update. E-mail to Robert Brown at robbrown@adam.com.au.
ADVERTISING PRICE LIST For the SA Music Teacher, 2019
INSERTION FEE FOR POSTERS AND FLYERS One issue $100. Four issues $360. Advertisers have two choices: 1. To provide the inserts, 2. To provide the artwork, MTASA will arrange the printing and invoice for this. Members placing an ad are entitled to a 15% discount.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SA MUSIC TEACHER The Editor is always looking for things to include in SA Music Teacher. Articles can be about any music related topic. If you would like to write an article this is your invitation! A helpful hint, a comment, a joke, a poem, a cartoon, etc. … please e-mail them to Robert Brown at robbrown@adam.com.au.
CLASSIFIED AD MTA Members, free. Nonmembers, $15. Please contact the Secretary about advertising. Mobile: 0402 575 219 E-mail: info@matsa.com.au
EVENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Classified Ad
Enthusiastic volunteers are needed to help with various jobs at MTASA events. Tasks include setting up chairs, tables and piano, helping with registration at the check in table, ushering, assisting performers, helping with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, and packing up afterwards. It is a great way to network and a volunteering certificate will be provided, which will enhance your CV! For more information please e-mail the Secretary, Masako Kondo, at info@mtasa.com.au.
FOR SALE. Piano benches, $60, ready to paint or polish. Standard size, length 800 mm, width 300 mm, depth 100 mm, height 460 mm. Opening lid for book storage. To order contact Samantha Deconno: text or Phone 0419-817-991. Pick up: Salisbury Downs. Deposit needed.
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REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FULL MEMBERS OF MTASA MTASA is introducing a Professional Development scheme for Full members. The scheme is designed to underpin and enhance MTASA’s established reputation for the professional excellence of its members, ensuring its standards are fully compliant with current educational expectations. These are clearly outlined in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and similar documents. Commencing July 1, 2019 Full members will begin accumulating their seven hours of Professional Development. After July 1, 2019 new Full members will be required to make their first declaration by July 1 following their first full year of membership. From July 1, 2020 onwards Full members will be required to submit a pro forma declaration via the website confirming that they have undertaken at least seven hours of Professional Development in the previous 12 months. It is envisaged that a tick box for this purpose will be available on the website. The declaration will also require Full members to confirm their willingness to provide MTASA with evidence of their PD for that year if requested by the Secretary. Such requests will be made occasionally at random to ensure the integrity of MTASA’s requirements. MTASA will itself continue to provide at least seven hours of PD each year and members’ attendance at these sessions will automatically be recorded by MTASA.
RECENT EVENTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY KEEPING TODAY’S PUPILS MOTIVATED HELD: SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17, MADLEY REHEARSAL STUDIO, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE PRESENTERS:
Ruth Saffir Ian Vayne Heather Lander and Wendy Gumpl Sofie Arhontoulis Robert Brown OAM
Harnessing Strategies and Resources Performance and Practice Encountering Roadblocks to Learning
The Creative and Interactive Teacher Keeping Today’s Students Motivated, A Perspective and Overview
Pete Barter
The Game of Engagement
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY
17.2.2019
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CONCERT PERFORMANCE DAY 1 HELD:
SATURDAY APRIL 13, SALVATION ARMY CITADEL, 55 GEORGE STREET, NORWOOD
REVIEWERS: Lishan Xiao and Frances Norton; Yong Cheong Lye and Dr Helen Payne.
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PEDAGOGY MATTERS by Rodney Smith
From Monday evening July 8 to Friday afternoon July 12, 2019 the University of Queensland Music Department will be alive with events associated with the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference 2019 (APPC 2019 if you’re searching for its website). APPC 2017 was held in Adelaide and a very substantial contingent of MTASA members attended. It’s accepted that MTA members from the host state will be numerous of course. It’s on their doorstep. And the cost of airfares plus accommodation adds considerably to the already large outlay on registration.
APPC generates around 48 hours of PD That means that many MTASA members won’t be attending APPC 2019. It’s understandable. But many will still have in mind the packed activities and outstanding speakers and presenters at the Adelaide conference and may be wishing they could have been present this year. Two points are pertinent. APPC generally returns to each capital city about once every 10-12 years. Also, APPC generates around 48 hours of PD if you enrol full time. Twelve years is a long time to wait until it comes around again and 48 hours of PD are not to be sneezed at!
These days parents are very aware of how well a teacher shapes up regarding qualifications and experience. Making PD work for us is key, in terms of its value to advancing careers and assisting in PR for our music teaching endeavours. Too many teachers quietly keep a record but don’t inform the outside world (including their pupils and parents) about how much knowledge and experience they’ve gained and can pass on. These days parents are very aware of how well a teacher shapes up regarding qualifications and experience. They rightly want the best for their children. Maybe it’s worth considering the real value to your career and business of attending an event like APPC. Providing you’re willing to use the experience you’ve gained in advantageous ways perhaps it’s worthwhile attending more regularly than every 12 years after all!
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ACCOMPANIST’S CORNER DIANA HARRIS – HALF A LIFETIME OF COLLABORATION by Diana Harris OAM, Collaborative Pianist - Proud but Retired!!
When Monika Laczofy asked me to do a 1,500 word article on my accompanying experiences for the MTASA Accompanists’ Corner I wondered how on earth I could reduce a wonderful lifetime of 70 years of playing with others to 1,500 words - of course I couldn’t!! So what follows is a glimpse of some Pieces, Performers, Places and Predicaments I recalled in a flash and in no particular chronological order. Piece: (more formally Composer and Composition) George Crumb - Vox Balanae - The Voice of the Whale for three Masked Players - electric flute Elizabeth Koch, electric cello - Jacqueline Curiel and electric piano - me (plus my page turner extraordinaire Heather Webb). Performed in 1993 in Elder Hall in a Chamber Players of SA concert, Vox Balanae still glows in my mind as one of the most dramatic, sad and inspirational works I have ever performed. I recall audience members weeping at the tragedy - even more relevant today. Individual preparation and rehearsals were challenging but worth every hour spent alone and in collaboration. Predicament? I was constantly standing to play inside the piano. Heather, in pure theatre nurse mode, managed moving the piano music stand up/down, turned the 10 huge pages, handed me the various implements for playing on the strings (paper clip, silver bottle opener and glass rod) and was even ready to replace my mask should it become dislodged. For Crumb the visual impact was important - right to the repeated last motive - repeated diminuendo until mimed in silence. A lot of my collaborative experiences have been with new music. But there’s been much standard
classical repertoire too (in the broadest sense of the word). One memorable series combining the two was with violinist Ronald Woodcock in the 1976 Adelaide Festival - four concerts called ‘Mozart Plus’ in Edmund Wright House (pity it’s not still a concert venue) - all recorded by the ABC. The ‘Plus’ were the four Charles Ives Sonatas. No obvious predicament here - just hard to learn. At least Ives got easier so No 4 Children’s Day at the Camp Meeting was a rollicking joy to play. The next year (1977) Ron and I performed on tour in Papua New Guinea - an experience that could take pages to recount. One gem of a moment was playing the first movement of the Mozart G Major Sonata K301 to a large group of primary school children. Soon after we started they began to laugh - just gentle giggles. As we proceeded the laughter grew until the children were rolling on the floor - broad smiles and shrieking. No classical concert decorum there as there had been in the Adelaide Festival performance! Mozart would have loved it! After all it was marked allegro con spirito and con anima. The children reacted absolutely naturally to the musical conversation - we were delighted. I am immensely grateful to have begun my tertiary studies in music education. At the time I chose it because it actually paid a salary!! I didn’t much mind the three-year bond - at least you had a job guaranteed. Most importantly it did mean I was well trained as an educator and had lots of experience teaching in schools during the four years of training. The big bonus was that this training (which also included a load of performance as a pianist) opened up possibilities for my future musical life with 1) three years of High School teaching, 2) six years Lecturing at Torrens/Adelaide CAE teaching teachers how to teach music, 3) three years back at the Con for Post Grad performance, 4) over 20 years Lecturing at the Flinders Street School of Music. These four avenues put me in direct contact with an enormous range of performance opportunities. The initial contact with High School teaching taught me much about organisation and class communication as well as providing musical joy with choirs and productions like Trial by Jury and even a reduced Marriage of Figaro. The CAE brought me in touch with two lecturers who had an indelible effect on my future. Vivienne Haynes - mezzo soprano and Brian Chatterton pianist. Vivienne was the first ‘seriously musicianly’ singer I’d encountered.
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DIANA HARRIS – HALF A LIFETIME OF COLLABORATION - Cont'd Former Adelaide Singers member she had a huge Art Song repertoire and she could read anything. We performed so much together during the 60s and 70s that we decided to study overseas as a partnership in 1975 with renowned Art Song interpreter Madame Sylvia Gäwiller in Zurich and Austrian, Paul Hamburger, accompanist in the mode of Gerald Moore and Geoffrey Parsons in London. In an Elder Hall concert after we returned, we performed songs by Othmar Schoek - Swiss composer introduced to us by Gäwiller, Hugo Wolf, including Anacreons Grab (Grave). I remember Paul’s elegant movements as he illustrated the flowers and vines on the grave. We concluded the recital with the Seven Spanish Folk Songs of Manual de Falla. Brian Chatterton at the CAE? A young and talented High School teacher, he was fired with enthusiasm for NEW music which reinforced my own fascination. Concerts by students and staff were almost a weekly feature at the CAE. Just one organised by Brian in the early 70s presented music by Richard Orton, Robert Ashley, Morton Feldman, Howard Skempton and Brian Chatterton. The Feldman (Piece for four pianos 1976) was the first multiple piano work (beyond two pianos) I’d experienced. Did this mark the beginning of a lifelong fascination with multi piano music culminating in my 2018 Accompanists’ Festival’s Multi Piano Extravaganza for 2 to 32 pianos? Why 32? I visited the Piano Max showroom in 2017 seeking sponsorship for the 2018 Festival - saw all these pianos begging to be played - asked if they’d like a concert there and, without hesitation, they answered ’yes’. There were 32 pianos on the floor. Thank goodness Terry Riley ‘s In C was written for multiple pianos - I asked young local composer Jesse Budell to provide an additional work for multi pianos so at least there were two multi piano works on the program. What a night that was with several 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 piano works including an 8 piano version of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
I’d performed the Rite of Spring in 1982 as a piano duet with Ffrangcon Davies (a very strong boxer as well as a brilliant pianist - one rehearsal when we crossed hands I ended up on the floor!!) I’d also played in the 8 piano version, in a Chamber Players of SA Elder Hall Concert in 1997 - Grand Rites. A fortnight before I was involved in a large vocal concert so was not included in the original 8. The tragic death of the arranger and pianist Piero Hadjikakou a week before the performance meant someone had to take his place - I did. The concert was dedicated to Piero. I felt honoured to be playing his part even if it was on the strength of just 2 rehearsals. Carl Crossin conducted the 8 pianists from Flinders Street and the Elder Con. I’m running out of word space and I’ve hardly scratched the surface of the multitude of experiences I’ve enjoyed as a collaborative pianist. Returning to the Con in the early 70’s provided endless opportunities for performance with staff such as the Adelaide Wind Quintet (Mozart) and all individual members - and new flute lecturer Zdenek Bruderhans - as well as advanced students. Violinist Bogdan Kazimierczak and I began a long-term partnership so I played most of the standard repertoire in subsequent years. I recall a memorable Elder Hall performance of the Brahms Horn Trio on a cold winter’s night. The horn player, Patrick Brislan, was off stage for the first item - downstairs in the cold. The long opening for violin and piano announced the main material - then came the horn - but we heard nothing - eventually a strangled squawk emerged - the warmth in the hall had taken its toll and the horn had flooded. It was hard not to laugh. As Patrick drained the horn we regained composure. My contact with the String Repertoire and stylistic performance expanded in partnership with visiting violinist Brenton Langbein in the late 1980s when he was in Residence at Flinders Street and here for Barossa Festivals. In an ASKM (now Recitals Australia) all French concert in Edmund Wright House we performed Sonatas by Cesar Franck, Debussy and Ravel. A wonderful experience but one Predicament! Brenton broke a string - he retreated - I waited, expecting a swift return - 10 minutes later I left to find Brenton in a darkened office minus his glasses desperately trying to thread the offending string - first and only time I’ve helped string a Stradivarius. This short article does not give me space to include so many fantastic musicians I’ve performed with - local and international - as well as fabulous repertoire we’ve played. ‘My Lifetime of Collaboration’ needs a part 2 and possibly even a part 3 to explore the opportunities that being a staff member for over two decades at the Flinders Street SOM provided. My story is not yet told! In the meantime do value pianists who play with others - collaborative pianists - there are prestigious music schools worldwide now offering courses for them.
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AUSTA SA by Agnes Weinstein, President, AUSTA SA Among the central challenges music educators face are staying connected and current to meet both the future needs and opportunities in our professional lives. The Australian String Association (AUSTA) is an association of teachers, players and makers of bowed string instruments that promotes excellence in all aspects of performance, teaching, composing, conducting and string instrument making. We partner with other musical organisations and groups to mutual benefit by presenting conferences and workshops while promoting services for our members and the broader community. As the voice for Australian string teachers, we work to promote string playing by supporting talented students with scholarships and awards in music exams, eisteddfods and music festivals. Our aim is to inspire and support the string community and facilitate communication at local, national and international levels. At the same time, we act as an information link to connect and network with other Australian music associations and institutions - including schools, universities, examination bodies, eisteddfods, youth orchestras, chamber music promoters, symphony orchestras and music festivals. So how can we continue working together to remain ‘student-ready’ in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment? Gaining access to new ideas, teaching techniques and technologies that benefit our students can us help stay current on a path of lifelong learning.
Networking, exchanging ideas, attending workshops and discussion groups helps us as educators stay-up-todate on the latest concepts, practices and pedagogy. These vital connections and collaborations with other experienced teachers and colleagues serve as invaluable resources. In South Australia, The Australian String Association (AUSTA SA) is dedicated to promoting string learning and playing on behalf of an enthusiastic membership and vibrant committee. We would welcome your involvement in a wide range of exciting opportunities. This year AUSTA will run a variety of events - from workshops for young string players, adult beginners, and chamber music workshops for adults, to opportunities for local composers and arrangers to have their works presented by these groups. There are also performance opportunities for string players, pedagogy workshops scheduled from local, interstate and international presenters, conducting and improvising workshops, a double bass workshop and cello master class. AUSTA tries to feature local musicians in our workshops with an aim of helping string players and teachers outside of Adelaide in places such as Kadina, Gawler and Mt Barker. Last year we presented an event in Alice Springs. AUSTA SA members also receive discounts to some concerts and very generous discounts on all our events even some free events. We welcome your participation and would appreciate hearing your ideas or discussing opportunities to build connections and promote mutual musical growth.
Goetz Richter, Head of Strings at the Sydney Conservatorium, conducting at his workshop, Adelaide, August 26, 2018.
Viola players at Viola Fantastic Afternoon, July 2018
Please visit the AUSTA website at https://www.austa.asn.au/ or e-mail us at austasa@hotmail.com for more information and how to become involved. 19
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SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LYNDALL HENDRICKSON AM (1917 - 2017)
by Ibolya Mikajlo Reprinted with permission of the author: first published in Stringendo, Journal of the Australian Strings Association Ltd., January 2019. © Ibolya Mikajlo, Perth
War time portrait of Lyndall Hendrickson (Courtesy of Adelaide’s Rembrandt Studio)
Lyndall Hendrickson led a lifetime of Australian achievements as a concert violinist, war time performer, polio survivor, cartoonist, violin instructor, lecturer, story writer, and teacher of language and music to non-verbal autistic students. Hendrickson first started the violin at the age of three, by trying her father’s instrument and experimenting with her own playing. Shortly after, her family enrolled her to study violin with Louise Hakendorf (pupil of Gerald Walenn). At the age of ten, Hendrickson was dubbed a violin prodigy and was performing for ABC radio broadcasts as well as giving concerts with her sister Cynthia on the piano. 1n 1932, Hendrickson won a scholarship to study at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide with violinist Peter Bornstein. From 1934 to 1940 she also studied composition with Angelita Davis. In 1936 she took violin lessons with Ludwig Schwab who had been a student of Otakar Ševčík. Over the four years of study with Schwab, she had greatly improved her technique. In 1935, William Garnet James, the Federal controller of music for the ABC, had been following Hendrickson’s career in violin performance. An unknown reporter from the Radio Call newsletter wrote:
On August 5, 1939, Hendrickson gave her debut in the Adelaide Town Hall, performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the South Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. From 1939-1946, she performed with ABC orchestras and conductors including Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Bernard Heinze, Joseph Post, William Cade and several other conductors. Hendrickson was also involved in ABC Commonwealth concert tours, ABC National Radio appearances and studio recitals. Her accompanists were Spruhan Kennedy, Marshal Sumer, Raymond Lambert, Laurence Godfrey-Smith, Joyce Hutchinson and Jessica Dix.
After many radio recitals, Lyndall was not heard for four years while she perfected her studies and added to her repertoire of violin concertos. At the end of this period, the A.B.C. Federal con-troller of music (Mr. W. G. James) heard her again and predicted world celebrity status for her. He said that her improvement in that four years was amazing. (Radio Call, April 15, 1942, p. 2).
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Flowers for the Sick. After her debut with Sir Malcolm Sargeant at the Adelaide Town Hall, Hendrickson decided to share all the flowers received in triumph of her performance, with the infantile paralysis patients at the Adelaide Hospital. (The Adelaide Chronicle, August 10, 1939)
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN - LYNDALL HENDRICKSON AM (1917 - 2017) Cont'd After Hendrickson’s debut, Neville Cardus offered to sponsor her on an overseas tour: however, plans were halted when World War II broke out in September. From 1939 to 1945, Hendrickson performed nationally in over four hundred concert appearances at hospitals, charities, Red Cross recitals, air force camps, and for Australian and allied forces in the army and navy, to raise war and charity funds. One of the favourite performance requests at many performances was Mendelssohn’s On Wings of Song. Hendrickson had performed this piece for a dying American soldier, Sandford Ash, at the Service Hospital in Perth. Hendrickson gave Sanford a private two-hour recital in the operating theatre at the request of his matron. As a final request, Sandford asked her to play On Wings of Song, for his mother. He died shortly afterwards. The broadcast of this story was given by Jean Forward for 5KA-AU Radio, on September 19, 1944 (Forward, September 19, 1944).
In 1953, whilst Hendrickson was still in leg irons, she enrolled in Commercial Art at the Gawler Technical School in Adelaide. The South Australian Advertiser published an interview with Hendrickson entitled, ‘Found New Talent’ stating that with paralysis on the left side, Hendrickson ‘knew her violin days were over’. In the interview she stated: Lying in bed…I used to watch the constantly changing patterns on the ceiling caused by the dancing shadows of leaves on a tree outside my window. I watched them for three months and even learnt to tell the time by them. As soon as I could sit up I started drawing the flowers in my room and the leaves. From there it was a short step to commercial art. (The Advertiser, October 11, 1956).
As Hendrickson was left handed and paralysed in that arm, she had to learn to write and draw with her right hand. This cartoon is a sample that was published for The News on November 5, 1953.
The News, November 5, 1953 - courtesy of Hendrickson files Courtesy of Rembrandt Studio, Adelaide
In 1950, Hendrickson contracted polio from one of her husband’s patients, during the outbreak of the Australian epidemic. The prognosis given to the family was that she was not expected to survive. It was a time of great despair. Exercises designed by her medical husband, Dr Graeme Robson, led to a recovery period of around eight years. Her determination and attention in exercises to regain skill has been documented in a letter to Henry Roth about this time of her life. She wrote: I was grossly deformed when I became ambulant. To correct this, I wore mechanical supports…leg irons and steel back brace, and my arm in a hallelujah splint. I wore a leather thumb support to prevent my hand forming a claw. Horn cells, once destroyed do not ‘recover’. Cells in the residual muscle tissue can, in some cases, restore some muscle power and allow limbs to function, although not with the former strength… I started muscle rehabilitation after two years. I followed a program which combined exercises of strong muscles with weak muscles, and weak muscles with strong ones. It was not the usual physio-therapy program. My husband devised it. One of the most significant exercises was one that involved a tennis ball. Large holes were at first made in it and I was required to squeeze it hundreds of times a day. Despite the heavy and cumbersome leg irons I was quite mobile and jerked myself around at a pace. (Hendrickson, April 22, 1993).
In 1965, Graeme died, and Hendrickson became a single mother and took a job in commercial art. She kept working on her ideas of recovering violin technique, and by 1968, Hendrickson had regained enough left hand skills to perform in a concert with pianist Clemens Leske (Mikajlo, 2009). She wrote to Roth that when she applied aspects of muscle rehabilitation exercises to violin drills, she had great success. Hendrickson also found that as an added bonus she was further able to improve technique in scale passages and double stopping. (Hendrickson, April 22, 1993). In 1986, journalist Harold Tidemann wrote for The News, ‘Violinist in Comeback’, stating: Musical triumphs of nearly thirty years ago were recalled when violinist Lyndall Hendrickson made a comeback solo appearance in a lunch hour recital in Maughan Church ... Yesterday she showed that she had not lost the qualities described by Neville Cardus as ‘exceptional’. With wonderful support from Clemens Leske at the piano, Miss Hendrickson played the exciting Brahms Sonata in D minor with immense feeling, beautiful legato and a warm vibrato. It was a performance of the highest standard. Her other item, Beethoven’s ‘Romance’ showed similar command of style and cantabile playing. (Hendrickson, April 22, 1993).
Her performing career, however, again came to a halt when she broke her left-hand middle finger whilst intervening in a ball game. Her former teacher, Louise Hakendorf, decided that Hendrickson’s talent should not be wasted on just commercial art, and sent her some more pupils to teach. Hendrickson reflected, that at this time, she varied her own training from Schwab and Hakendorf, and studied educational, psychological and neuroscientific theories to work on experimental styles of teaching. (Hendrickson, 2009).
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SOUTH AUSTRALIAN - LYNDALL HENDRICKSON AM (1917 - 2017) Cont'd In her youth, Hendrickson stated that she learnt a vast amount of violin technique naturally by trying it herself at a very early age. After polio, however, Hendrickson stated that hierarchies of instruction that she had previously learnt no longer helped her recover fine motor skills to play the violin. From the 1960s, she experimented by creating her own hierarchy of exercise and pieces. The few students who she began teaching had enormous success. Hendrickson was soon known for producing prodigies, although she was also aware that some critics thought she was eccentric in her ideas. Her new experimental styles of teaching were not understood or accepted by everyone. Reporter Randall Ashbourne noted the discrimination for being a different thinker in the South Australian Advertiser. Of Hendrickson he wrote, ‘They call her a crackpot, an eccentric, a prodigy propagator’. (Ashbourne, c. 1980). In 1978, Hendrickson became the first Western string teacher to be invited to lecture on violin teaching in a cultural exchange to the People’s Republic China. She gave lectures and lessons at the Shanghai and Peking (Beijing) Conservatoriums. On her return to Australia she worked with Roy Baynes AO, President of The Australian Chinese Friendly Society in South Australia, to send donations of music scores to the Conservatoriums of Music in China (Ashbourne, c. 1980). In 1978, Hendrickson describes a very different China from the modernized country we know today. A surprise was the number of students wanting to study music. She stated: In the Peking Conservatorium, just before I arrived, they had some auditions for young players to learn music. The figure I was given was that there were two hundred and fifty places in the Conservatorium. At the auditions, would you believe it, pianists, cellists and violinists all turned up and there were seventeen thousand. This was in Peking alone… (Baynes and Hendrickson, 1978).
Hendrickson’s thinking and perception in 1978 is descriptively detailed in this reflection of China. Her thoughts reflect the concerns about the preservation of people worldwide. She states: After you visit China you realize it is a country of highly articulated and forward going people. It has an impressive history and ancient civilization behind it. You tend to forget this. But you can’t help wondering about how the pressures and demands from Western Society will reshape China culturally, spiritually and physically. You ask, will China spiritually lose her own unique way of life? Politically will she suffer the ills of our Western society? Physically will she pollute her air and her people’s minds with petrol fumes and a skyline of steel and concrete lines? So far none of these calamities have overtaken China. So, in a way, now is the time to go to China to visit and revel in what she has to offer. Perhaps you can come away and review your own lifestyle and the priorities as a result. And that is why I say; you should give a thought to the conservation of people, not only animals and plants. People are important as well and that is a rare lifestyle that is still present in the world today as something that is important to see and something to experience. Finally, in my own part working with Chinese colleagues has inspired me to push forward with my research so that together we can accomplish what China’s greatest violinist said to me in Peking, violinist Ming... let’s take a giant step forward and step together. (Baynes and Hendrickson, 1978).
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Teaching in Peking (now Beijing)
Hendrickson was the Keynote speaker for the Gifted Children Inaugural Conference on August 25-26, 1978 at Monash University in Victoria. She was a catalyst in working with others for this association to be represented in Australia. In 1985, Hendrickson presented her paper on A Longitudinal Study of Precocity in Music at the 6th World Conference for Gifted and Talented Children held in Hamburg, Germany, August 5-9, 1985. Themes spoken about at the conference included cognition, left/right brain dominance and creativity and curriculum development. (Sisk, 2017). Many of these themes are reflected in Hendrickson’s papers and research. To note the importance of Hendrickson’s contribution to this association, Felicia Chadwick wrote that ‘apart from a single Australian case study by Hendrickson (1986) little is known of the conditions in which young Australian musicians develop their musical potential’. (Chadwick, 2000, p. 217). From c. 1985 to 2000, with the support of the Head of Music, Brian Chatterton, Hendrickson taught pedagogy classes at Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music. She influenced many performers and teachers of the violin. She co-supervised two Master of Music Degrees and was teacher of violin studies. Her students include Paul Wright, Jane Peters, Adele Anthony, Lucinda Munro, Raffaela Accella, Robyn Tannhauser, Elizabetta Parella, Imogen Lidgett, Katie Perisic, Susan Rutherford, Ibolya Mikajlo, Kemeri Spurr, Sophie Klein, Hamish Philpott, Andrew Philpott, Trevor Tao and many others. For almost half a century, Hendrickson has been conscious that the acquisition of skill starts first with perception. In the 1960s one of the layers of knowledge and theories she researched was the idea of lateralisation and how information could be processed between the hemispheres. Hendrickson questioned whether individuals displayed hemispheric dominances by patterned thinking behaviours that were inherent or possibly learned from circumstances or education (Hendrickson, 1977). Hendrickson endeavoured to understand how students encoded signals and responded via sensory pathways. This interest included right or left handedness, auditory ear preferences, and the effect of eye dominance and path connections due to varied visual stimuli. Hendrickson also pursued kinaesthetic, spatial and proprioception aspects. In the late 1970s she began using colour in her drills and began experimenting with teaching finger motions vertically up the string in elementary lessons. Hendrickson was also influenced by other educational teaching practices such as Dalcroze. In communications to Henry Roth she wrote:
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN - LYNDALL HENDRICKSON AM (1917 - 2017) Cont'd When I began teaching in 1968, I concentrated my interest on the influence of the finger-tension and finger-contraction principle which seemed to be tied-in with the development of finger function. It was clear that a relationship existed between the two. My interest in this aspect of technique was furthered by a study of skill getting methods employed in the industry. I turned, also, to the teaching methods of Montessori, Martin Deutsh, Mason, Bereiter, Dalcroze, Dewey and others. This study was fruitful. It made possible a new analysis of the general principles of violin technique, using psychology and physiology as the basis for understanding motor control and coordination. From this point I moved away from the accepted conventional procedures of teaching the violin and applied the skill getting techniques to industry to teaching the violin. The outcome of this experimentation has been a totally new concept of violin training… My method does not resemble contemporary orthodox training at all. Present day methods still have their roots in the past. Ideas of skill getting, borrowed from modern industrial and educational psychology, cannot be reconciled with the old ways of acquiring technical facility. I have introduced much advanced technical material into elementary training, but this unorthodox approach has been supported by the ease with which young beginners overcome the traditional fingering and bowing problems of the instrument. Like Ševčík I systematically develop recurring finger patterns, but the presentation and order differ radically from the Ševčík system… My study of bowing disciplines followed my interest in developing the techniques of the left hand. In this particular field I did not have the advantage of having to re-learn to use the bow - thus discovering, by analysis, the various functions involved in mastering the difficult strokes of the bow. Since 1971 I have made a number of original approaches to the introduction of training procedures which led to the early mastery of the spiccato, up and down bow staccato, ricochet, saltato and sautillé. (Hendrickson, c.1980).
Hendrickson further met and corresponded with Eduard Melkus, Henry Roth, Louis Kaufman, Jascha Heifetz, Sherry Kloss, Nathan Milstein, Sheila Nelson, Kyung Wha Chung, Hartmut Lindeman, Jan Sedivka, Yehudi Menuhin, and also many other national and international musicians whom she corresponded with or met at Conferences.
Hendrickson spoke at several AUSTA conferences and workshops in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and supported the Stringendo magazine. She often mentioned with enthusiasm the talks with Philip Carrington and other AUSTA members who visited her in Adelaide (Mikajlo, 2009). Hendrickson was also very supportive of Adelaide National AUSTA President Ian Russell, who in 1986 supported the display of her work at the ‘AUSTA 150 Workshop’ held at the University of Adelaide. In 1990 she wrote to Ian stating: This is to tell you how very happy I am for AUSTA’s sake that you are its new president. You will be following in the footsteps of a most gifted and able leader, and I am sure you will measure up to his high standard. Bravo to the appointment and much good luck as a leader… (Hendrickson, Letter to Ian Russell, November 7, 1990).
In a lecture at the recent AUSTA Conference in Perth, July 10, 2018, Brian Finlayson acknowledged that he used Hendrickson’s unusual technique of using some oil on the fingerboard to teach the sensory application of shifting to his daughter (Finlayson, 2018). Hendrickson has affected many people. In a reference for Hendrickson, Brian Chatterton OAM, founder of Co-Opera and former Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts at the University of Adelaide wrote, ‘Her breadth of knowledge, depth of understanding and generosity of human spirit are unique. She is truly one of Adelaide and Australia’s greatest treasures’ (Chatterton, 1993). Hendrickson is proudly remembered by the Australian Strings’ Association Community for her generous contribution in lectures, lessons and workshops. Her legacy in methods and philosophy are being collated in research studies at the University of Western Australia and we hope that this will be presented at the next Australian AUSTA Conference in 2021.
Hendrickson had subscriptions to memberships with the Gifted and Talented Children’s Association, Australian Strings Association, Australian Society for Music Education, South Australian Pioneers Association, Post-Polio Association, Autism Association, Queen Adelaide Association and The Strad Magazine. In the 1990s Hendrickson was researching special education needs with Professor Verity Botroff from the Flinders University. She also met and corresponded with Howard Gardner on sensory memory in autism (Gardener, 1997). Hendrickson visited Professor Bernard Rimland and the staff at the Hope University for the Arts in San Diego, to further her research with the connections of music and autism. It was there she met Jonathon Glazier, who made microtonal instruments for San Diego’s Exploratorium (Mikajlo, 2009). From 1990-2010 Hendrickson was experimenting with devising ninety-minute listening programs for autistic children and exploring the connection of music and motor skill. Hendrickson won the Don Banks Award in 2002 and then an AM in 2004 ‘for services to music and to children with autism through creating music and sound programs for speech development’. In 2009 she was awarded the National AUSTA Award for services to the development of string teaching and in recognition of her lectures delivered over half a century.
Lyndall Hendrickson AM
Bibliography on page 25
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5 MINUTES WITH AUSTIN MADDERN! Hayley meets Austin Maddern, Elder Conservatorium postgraduate student, by Hayley Wedding Music education is a beautiful, creative and individual process where teacher and student work together to build and support passion. But there are times when these passions become career opportunity, and this tends to place a huge importance and seriousness over what is usually a relaxed and growing interest. As a student myself, I remember the period of my life where study and preparation ruled me. It was that burning desire to successfully enter Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music, to pursue a career in Music Education and deliver to students the love, support and skill my teachers gave to me. But as many music tutors know, the audition process for the Conservatorium is one that doesn’t come lightly. I interviewed Elder Conservatorium postgraduate student, Austin Maddern, to discuss the valuable roles that his teachers played in preparing and coaching his work ethic to prepare for his Adelaide Conservatorium Audition. Austin was successful in completing his Bachelor of Music Education in 2018, but he is still all too familiar with the hard work that both he and his teacher put it. Read on to understand the influence that music teachers can have on mature students and preparing them for real life career opportunities.
1. As a student of the Elder Conservatorium of Adelaide, what are the more valuable skills you’ve learned/traits you’ve developed? Studying through the Con has been an incredible privilege and honour. I’ve met some incredible people, both students and teachers, and have had the opportunity to soak up all the information I can from them. I’ve learned many things such as how to practice effectively (ha ha), this is ongoing, I’ve learned how to interpret and express classical music, I’ve developed in skill on my instrument and theoretical application, I’ve learned a broad amount of information regarding music education. Most importantly I’ve learned of the importance of music education throughout the world. Music education is so diverse and is for people of all ages, I’ve recognized that it can have an incredible impact on personal wellbeing and can have an extraordinary impact on the brain. This leads to one of my core values, every child should have the opportunity to study music education. The passion that I have for this is a trait that I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t studied through the Conservatorium.
Austin Maddern
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5 MINUTES WITH AUSTIN MADDERN! Cont'd 2. How did your personal character and passion contribute to you achieving your position in the Elder Conservatorium of Music?
4. As an aspiring and new instrumental teacher, how would you prepare your students for Conservatorium life?
I had to work hard. That’s probably the easiest way to put it. I had never really played classical music before my Con audition. I had probably only played Pachelbel’s Cannon in D before my audition. I had begun studying a Bachelor of Science in my first year of university and had to stop studying due to personal circumstances. This led me to go back to my passion which was always music. I practiced hard, I had too - mainly due to my lack of experience in classical music. I’ve always been hard working (sort of a perfectionist) and I believe this was a trait that contributed to my successful entrance into the Elder Con. Also, I am a Christian, and I knew that it would take a miracle for me to get into the Con due to my lack of experience and the number of people auditioning. I’m not going to lie, I trusted alot in God and He came through! It’s funny, 3-4 weeks before the audition I found out that one of my prepared pieces couldn’t be used to audition. I had three weeks to prepare a piece of Grade 8 standard for my audition, that kind of puts the icing on the cake.
To prepare students for the Con I would tell them to work hard but most of all I would tell them to OWN THEIR LEARNING! I would urge them to take any and all learning opportunities, to attend everything and soak up all the knowledge they can before the Con, but also at the Con. There are so many incredible opportunities at the Con and by owning their learning, students will gain so much more from these things. When you own your learning it’s yours, there’s a reason for it. You’re not just doing it because you have too. Lastly, I would tell them to try their best, and put everything they can into preparation, I feel this is super important. This year Austin completes his Masters in Education at the University of Adelaide. Meeting with him, I have no doubt he will be a ‘life-changing’ teacher with a passion to bring to his students that his teachers once did and more. Good luck with your future career Austin... and congratulations to the incredible music teachers that guided you here!
3. How did your instrumental music and classroom teachers influence your preparation for your Conservatorium Audition? Funnily enough, due to my first year of Uni being within science, I wasn’t in contact with any instrumental or music teachers. I had some incredible teachers throughout school though - one being Renee McCarthy (former ARIA Teacher of the Year). She played a large role in the development of my passion for music. Instrumental in this were the opportunities she gave me and the passion that she had for music herself. She supplied practice resources and was super supportive when she found out that I was auditioning. Furthermore, my piano teacher from Year 12, Sue Boyce played an incredibly important role in preparing me for the audition. However, it was the teacher from my Primary years that I always go back to. It was because of him that my passion for music was ignited. His name was Mr Larcombe. He was passionate, he made music fun and incredible, he inspired me. And as an upcoming music teacher that is my aspiration! I want to inspire kids to pursue, play and engage with music just as I was once inspired.
Hayley Wedding
LYNDALL HENDRICKSON AM Cont'd Bibliography Ashbourne, R. (c. 1980). ‘The pain and the prodigy’, The Advertiser. Baynes, R., and Hendrickson, L. (1978). Australia Chinese Friendly Society Meeting to raise donations of books to China [Recorded. Adelaide: audio transcript by Ibolya Mikajlo]. Chadwick, F. (2000). ‘An Australian perspective on talent development in music: The influence of Environmental catalysts upon the provision of opportunities for learning, training, and practice in the musical domain’. Doctor of Philosophy thesis, University of New South Wales, Sydney. Chatterton, B. (1993). [Lyndall Hendrickson reference]. Finlayson, B. (2018). ‘Set Up for Success: The Left Hand’. Paper presented at the Australian Strings Association National Conference, Trinity College, Perth WA. Forward, J. (September 19, 1944). ‘The passing show’, (First Broadcast: 5KA-AU studio). The Mirror, Perth, Western Australia. Gardener, H. (1997). [Letter to Lyndall Hendrickson]. The Adelaide Chronicle, (1939). ‘Flowers for the Sick’, Photo and article. (No author) Retrieved from ‘The Hendrickson Files’ in 2018. Hendrickson, H (1953) Cartoon drawn for The News, November 5, 1953. Efforts to locate original in archives of The News was not successful. Retrieved from ‘The Hendrickson Files’ in 2018. Hendrickson, L. (22 April 1993). [Letter to Henry Roth] Hendrickson, L. (1977). ‘Music teaching and learning at the crossroads’, unpublished lecture originally presented to University of Western Australia, transcribed by I. Mikajlo, April 26, 2018. Hendrickson, L. (2009). [Interview with Ibolya Mikajlo in Upper Sturt]. Hendrickson, L. (c.1980). Lyndall Hendrickson – ‘regaining skill’ (typed notes in a folder marked to Henry Roth). Mikajlo, I. (2009). [Interviews with Lyndall Hendrickson]. Radio. (April 15th, 1942). ‘South Australians to Star’. Radio Call, Volume 5 No. 249, retrieved from https://www.unlockthepast.com.au/sites/default/files/samples/AU1401-1942s.pdf. Sisk, D. A. (2017). ‘History of The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children’, Beaumont, Texas: Lamar University. Retrieved from https://www.world-gifted.org/about-wcgtc/history/. Tidemann, H. (1968). ‘Violinist in Comeback’. The News, Arts and Entertainment, Adelaide.
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MAKING A NOISE ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS THAT DESERVE TO BE HEARD… by Celia Craig, April 2019 (www.artaria.co) Adelaide has a proud South Australian Double Reed history. We have players all over the country and the world who studied here under the internationally famous University of Adelaide Wind Quintet members and a legacy of amateur players in all walks of life for whom double reed playing is a continuing passion. We have a thriving Symphony Orchestra with a quality oboe section, Specialist Music Centres and other impressive music departments and teachers. But we have had no oboe students join the Elder Conservatorium for two years now, despite an impressive $12,000 Double Reed Scholarship and as a consequence, I have been sadly unemployed with no tertiary students to teach, while enrolments in other instruments continue to improve under a vibrant teaching staff. Adelaide Youth Orchestra and State Music Camp have struggled to fill their oboe sections for the past few years too. This is also despite a thriving and dedicated volunteer ADRSSA committee and a number of new and continuing initiatives in individual school music departments. I am aware that music as a subject is under a number of pressures that apply to all, including oboe students. But if music is under pressure across the board, all the more reason to encourage greater numbers of young students in the first place. Jonathan Daw, former Principal Oboe of the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, Elder Conservatorium graduate, comments: ‘…With the availability of good starter instruments children nowadays are afforded earlier access to the instrument. Are they also afforded opportunities to hear and fall in love with the sound it makes?’ Decades ago South Australia had a Music Branch and opportunities for demonstrations in schools of every instrumental group over a four year cyclical period. SA also used to have more encouragement and opportunities for players to consider double reeds, and it is a testament that we have recently had two young former South Australian double reed players, one of whom is also Principal Bassoon of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, both selected this year for the prestigious MURI International Double Reed Competition, whose final held on the day of writing. I’d also like to pay tribute, in particular; to the decades of dedication to oboe in South Australia shown by Rosemary Stimson, our busiest oboe teacher in schools and a passionate member of the musical community, who sadly passed away recently, leaving behind an enormous number of former pupils and colleagues. However, research in the UK commissioned by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama found that without extra attention, encouragement or incentives, there were a number of instruments that will fall behind naturally in the instrumental stakes, because of availability, cost or specialization or perceived difficulty. These included oboe, bassoon and French horn. Since that research at the turn of this century, nearly 20 years ago, the UK has enjoyed a number of new initiatives under ‘Endangered Species’ and ‘Wider Opportunities’ Schemes, which have supported projects such as entire classes learning oboe together, subsidies for double reed pilot schemes, group teaching, new ‘cool’ cases for these instruments, and much associated spin off publicity, bringing the problem into focus.
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Celia Craig. Photo: Finn Mellor
MAKING A NOISE ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS THAT DESERVE TO BE HEARD… Cont'd Junior oboes and bassoons enthusiastically adopted in many countries in Europe, have contributed to the numbers of continuing students by enabling them to start earlier and progress further before teenage embarrassment kicks in. Large group teaching is now more common in England and has produced some spectacular successes (try Googling ‘Acer Saccharum bassoon quartet’). The natural time to start learning an instrument is at Primary school, when enthusiasm is peaking, but until Junior instruments existed, this was impossible for our double reeds. Junior Oboes and bassoons are available here through Richard Craig Woodwind for sale and hire, by the way. A key member of some of these Government launches due to my role as Principal Cor Anglais and Chairman of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the early 2000s, saw me participate in projects (with our Artist in Residence, composer John Adams) at Brixton Academy and at the Royal Academy of Music, and as a member of our Education team as well, I became truly involved. As President of the Australasian Double Reed Society 20072013, I again tried to draw attention to this issue and its implications for Australia, with articles for Music in Australia Knowledge base and Limelight magazine. Here are some soundbites from the original research undertaken at Guildhall School: ‘Without action, the future for oboe and bassoon looks bleak. Who will take responsibility for addressing this problem?’ ‘Passionate Professionals are needed to act as ambassadors for their instruments…’ ‘I want players who chose to play our instruments, who are inspired to make those sounds and are playing for the love of music: these players will become the future generation of players and teachers, transferring their love of music to the next generation.’ ‘It’s a common problem in community and youth orchestras: ‘we have eleven brilliant flutes but no one to play the bassoon… and we want to do The Rite of Spring.’ ‘We wonder how many potential talents are missing the opportunity to express themselves.’ …and Australian teachers responses to my survey in 2013: ‘In the public schools, there wouldn’t be a quarter of the number of these instruments taught compared with when I left the public system in 1995…’ Rosemary Stimson, Adelaide. ‘I have also found that my oboe students have dropped off dramatically in the past 8 years'. Dr Elle McPhee, Sydney. ‘This is an excellent and much needed initiative. We have a small number of double reed teachers ‘holding up the fort’ so to speak and doing a really fantastic job. However I agree that we need to have a big drive to encourage young musicians to take up these endangered species...’. Associate Professor Elizabeth Koch, AM, Elder Conservatorium of Music. Recognising that the political and economic landscape has changed worldwide in the past twenty years, and budgets, from Government at all levels to schools and Universities, face new challenges, rather than pressing for extra resources, I decided to make a bold move and found a commercial recording company based in South Australia, with a mission to inspire new oboe participation and advocate publicly for the instrument. Recording in super high-quality audio (only the second artists in Australia) and importantly, on video, real footage of top quality players is sensitively mixed with stunning South Australian landscapes, giving consumers the chance to see close up and recognize instruments, players’ interactions and more. The choice of music is enhanced by the gorgeous photography carefully edited to match the music, providing a total immersion in music experienced through a number of innovative modern delivery platforms: from smartphone, public screenings in schools, cinema, television, home cinema and of course computer. Our videos have been shown in Palace Nova and on SBS TV.
Celia with oboe students
Good feedback has been received from patients in trials at Flinders Medical Centre and additional markets include waiting rooms, airports, inflight entertainment, corporate receptions. Classical music can be soothing, relaxing, immersive and inspiring and educational too. Further Artaria expansion will allow us to collaborate with more players, make more adventurous screen images, and make the videos available in schools. I have printed posters for each project, which I will make available to South Australian classrooms, ideally for free. Head to the website, Artaria.co, to see what we’ve been doing and to consult the current South Australian teachers’ register. Because young people today learn so much through online resources, I have also launched Artaria’s Online Oboe Masterclass series, to help people get started on their own without a specialist teacher and to upskill music teachers to support oboe if required. Find it on the Artaria website or on Vimeo on Demand. We have promotional material on YouTube as well. I enjoy running courses for Professional Development, teaching in groups and I have included on my website (and on the Vimeo on Demand Artaria Oboe course page), a list of retailers and resources to enable good equipment and instrument hire, quality reeds and the exam syllabus used in 93 countries whose repertoire and technical requirements will nurture a new generation of wellfounded oboists who can easily progress with their studies if they choose. I don’t know if it will work. I have made a submission to the new SA Music Plan, of course. But the collaborations, the recordings are a joy to create and with synaesthesia, capturing colours and light on film inspired by music is an inspirational opportunity. Artaria is a long-term plan, and does depend on capturing the public imagination, with advocacy and exposure for the instrument and the issues for SA. With a larger budget, there would be so much that could be achieved. I believe future South Australian students will primarily come through our own network of schools and teachers, but if we can create a ‘Buzz’ about Oboe here now, it might draw the attention of those further away as well. Our artistic endeavours have to be impressive enough to draw their own audience, for this to work. But the signs are good. Already Artaria has been taken on by the Amsterdam based company NativeDSD, has been in their top twenty downloads for over six months, Album of the Week (also on 5MBS FM) and Staff Pick, awarded 5***** in The Weekend Australian and described by Greta Bradman as ‘sublime’. An exciting announcement over national distribution for the CD will be made soon. International reviewers have been positive: ‘… idiomatic and magnificently managed by Craig. The sensitivity of the Artaria string players is a marvel too... Artaria just lets it soar and its intrinsic beauty envelops the listener...’. Craig Zeichner, Associate Director of Marketing, Carnegie Hall. ‘…this beautifully performed debut disc…intimately but passionately expressive.’ Graham Strahle, The Weekend Australian ‘… so delighted to meet Celia and to listen to her original idea that resonated so strongly…love the sound of your project…’ Maggie Beer
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CONTACT DETAILS FOR OTHER ORGANISATIONS 5MBS: MUSIC BROADCASTING SOCIETY OF SA www.5mbs.com 8346 2324 5mbs@5mbs.com AUSTRALIAN BAND AND ORCHESTRA DIRECTORS’ ASSOCIATION (ABODA): ABODA SOUTH AUSTRALIA www.abodasa.com.au abodasaonline@gmail.com ABRSM EXAMINATIONS https://us.abrsm.org/en/home SA Rep.: Anastasia Chan 8234 5952/0423 282 589 abrsmsa@hotmail.com ACCOMPANISTS’ GUILD OF SA INC. http://accompanist.org.au President: Leonie Hempton OAM 8272 8291/0404 145 502 leoniehempton@gmail.com ADELAIDE BAROQUE www.adelaidebaroque.com.au 8266 7896 manager@adelaidebaroque.com.au ADELAIDE CHAMBER SINGERS https://adelaidechambersingers.com/ 8352 1329 admin@adelaidechambersingers.com ADELAIDE PHILHARMONIA CHORUS For enquiries please contact the Secretary at secretary@philharmonia.net ADELAIDE EISTEDDFOD SOCIETY INC. http://sacomment.com/aes/eisteddfod/ Secretary: Brenda Rayner 8366 6531 adleisteddfod@adam.com.au ADELAIDE HARMONY CHOIR www.adelaideharmonychoir.org.au/ Secretary: Sherry Proferes adelaideharmonychoir.info@gmail.com ADELAIDE PHILHARMONIA CHORUS http://philharmonia.net/ ADELAIDE YOUTH ORCHESTRAS https://adyo.com.au/ 8361 8896/0410 062 677 General Manager: Claire Oremland claire@adyo.com.au AMEB EXAMINATIONS: SA AND NT https://ameb.adelaide.edu.au/ 8313 8088 ameb@adelaide.edu.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF SINGING (ANATS) ANATS: SA AND NT CHAPTER www.anats.org.au/sant-chapter Secretary: Dianne Spence anats.sa.nt@gmail.com ANZCA EXAMINATIONS www.anzca.com.au (03) 9434 7640 admin@anzca.com
AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY FOR MUSIC EDUCATION PRIMARY SCHOOLS MUSIC FESTIVAL www.festivalofmusic.org.au (ASME) 8261 5438 ASME: SOUTH AUSTRALIA CHAPTER office.psmf799@schools.sa.edu.au http://www.asme.edu.au/sa/ President: Luke Gray THE SOCIETY OF RECORDER PLAYERS SA graylu@trinity.sa.edu.au INC. www.facebook.com/recorderplayerssa/ AUSTRALIAN STRINGS ASSOCIATION (AUSTA) 0410 109 135 AUSTA: SA CHAPTER npope@bigpond.net.au www.austa.asn.au/chapters/sa/ President: Agnes Weinstein SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BAND ASSOCIATION AustaSA@hotmail.com www.sabandassociation.org Secretary: David Corkindale AUSTRALASIAN DOUBLE REED SOCIETY secretary@sabandassociation.org www.adrs.org.au Contact: Josie Hawkes OAM SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC CAMP josie.bassoon@gmail.com ASSOCIATION www.samusiccamp.net.au AUSTRALIAN STRING QUARTET Administrator: Samantha Taylor https://asq.com.au/ admin@samusiccamp.net.au 1800 040 444 asq@asq.com.au TRINITY COLLEGE LONDON EXAMINATIONS BALAKLAVA EISTEDDFOD SOCIETY www.trinitycollege.com.au www.balaklavaeisteddfod.org.au 1300 44 77 13: National Contact: Trish Goodgame 8345 3117: Local 0417 891 834 stanley.tudor@iinet.net.au info@balaklavaeisteddfod.org.au UKARIA CULTURAL CENTRE ELDER CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC www.ukaria.com https://music.adelaide.edu.au/ 8227 1277 8313 5995 info@ukaria.com music@adelaide.edu.au ELDER HALL https://music.adelaide.edu.au/concerts/8313 5925 concertmanager@adelaide.edu.au FLUTE SOCIETY OF SA INC. www.flutesocietyofsa.org Secretary: Masako Kondo 0448 730 845 secretary@flutesocietyofsa.org INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION Instrumental Music Office - Klemzig 8261 8988 IM.KlemzigOffice608@schools.sa.edu.au Instrumental Music Office - Morphett Vale 8392 3800 IM.MorphettValeOffice896@schools.sa.edu.au Music Programs 8226 1883 education.musicprograms@sa.gov.au MUSICA VIVA www.musicaviva.com.au for concert details Box office: 1800 688 482 contact@musicaviva.com.au MT GAMBIER EISTEDDFOD www.backstageinc.org.au Secretary: Maxine Chalinor OAM 0457 067 555 tonymaxine@internode.on.net MUSICIANS’ UNION OF AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE BRANCH https://musiciansunion.com.au/ 8272 5013 musosa@bigpond,net.au
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