![]() Venues are designed to serve a variety of what our previous art minister referred to as heritage music: orchestras, and recitals – to which I would add bands. This too is a complex web of education, facilities and communities. The infrastructure for music has a challenge ahead in this regard. Yet for experimental music to be relevant, it has to be shared, debated, and subjected to critical review. Unabashed attempts at challenging the status quo struggle for any real public attention, because they break the perceived link between music and entertainment. We have to push music in unexpected directions. Experimentation is required to keep this reflection accurate and relevant, and challenging the idea of what is “musical” is an important part of this. Music has a role in reflecting contemporary life, our interests and concerns. When we use the word music, most of us are referring to something that’s made for and played on established musical instruments, with certain “musical” qualities such as melody and harmony.Īnita Hustas performing ‘Reflections of a Teardrop’ at La Mama theatre in May, 2015. ![]() Yet it remains difficult to get experiments of the musical kind out into the public arena in way that is any more than a curiosity or “fringe” activity. Gail Priest’s book Experimental Music: Audio Explorations in Australia (2008) was an important step from within the community itself, and when long time violin experimenter Jon Rose deservedly won the most prestigious Australian music award, the Don Banks Award in 2012, it seemed possible there could be change it seemed innovation and experimentation could be recognised as a central to our musical heritage. Imported and adopted forms have an established role in our cultural fabric – but should they be the centre of it?Īttempts to make a music that is our own have never been privileged in Australian culture. Ongoing innovation in all forms of music is essential to ensure music remains relevant to our ever-changing cultural identity. Its hard to imagine the Australian music scene without diverse pioneers such as Jim Denley, Carolyn Connors, Lucas Abela, Ros Bandt, Warren Burt or Joyce Hinterding.
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