10 November 2012
The cultural cringe in Australian classical music - pianist Michael Kieran Harvey fires an attack
Michael Kieran Harvey's address was delivered in November 2012 in Sydney and Melbourne. The shorter Sydney version was broadcast on both ABC Radio National and ABC TV. The longer 50 minute Melbourne version can be seen and heard on YouTube. Michael challenges the the funding model for classical music in Australia today. He describes the funding bodies as having an ‘anti Australian’ bias and figures the bulk of the funds should flow first to original Australian compositions.
The Australian pianist and composer was giving the 14th annual Peggy Glanville-Hicks address organised by New Music Network (www.newmusicnetwork.com.au). He poses the question "what would Peggy do?".
"I try to live up to the impossibly high standards of commitment and vision of Peggy Glanville-Hicks and her ilk and I know I fail miserably,’’ he said. "But I cannot think of a greater cause to aspire to for my limited talents. I sincerely hope for the sake of our young people that Australian art music continues to attract our brightest minds and does not turn them off by slavishly promoting competition philosophy and, consequently, importing musicians who do not have any sense of responsibility to young Australian musicians (to say nothing of the planet), and who do not respect Australian music, yet are given the power to dictate to Australian performers and composers how to spend our own tax money.”
Further reading
Michael Kieran Harvey
Australian pianist and composer, Dr Michael Kieran Harvey FAHA, is one of the foremost interpreters of contemporary piano music of his generation. A champion of Australian music and himself a composer, he regularly commissions new Australian music and has performed with Australia's leading contemporary music ensembles and orchestras.
