A MUSICAL VOYAGE - Royal Australian Navy
A MUSICAL VOYAGE - Royal Australian Navy
A MUSICAL VOYAGE - Royal Australian Navy
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- 101 –<br />
Today’s <strong>Navy</strong> Band continues that tradition established by the bluejacket band; however,<br />
instead of playing ‘Sons of the Sea’ and ‘God Save the Queen’, as was the case in 1900,<br />
today’s musicians perform the popular tunes ‘I Am <strong>Australian</strong>’, ‘My Country’, Australia’s<br />
national song, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and our National Anthem ‘Advance Australia Fair’. The<br />
band, and its musicians, communicates a strong level of national pride to all who attend<br />
those ceremonies.<br />
The <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Band has performed on the shores of Gallipoli and in the bunkers<br />
of Vietnam, throughout Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East, at the <strong>Royal</strong> Tournament in<br />
England, in Disneyland, at the Popes summer palace (Castel Gandolfo), in the "Big Egg"<br />
Stadium in Japan, and in many other countries throughout the world. These performances,<br />
throughout Australia and the four corners of the world have created the proud traditions<br />
upheld by <strong>Navy</strong>’s current generation of musicians, and have established the <strong>Royal</strong><br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Band as ‘one of Australia’s premier military ensembles’.<br />
About Me<br />
My journey with the band commenced 32 years ago. I took up music at 17, a relatively late<br />
age, and after completing my fifth grade AMEB assessment on Clarinet I attended the<br />
audition for entry as a musician and was accepted. Nowadays, the audition standard is, I<br />
am pleased to say, very, very, much higher; and I can also state that the applicants with<br />
AMEB qualifications are consistently well-prepared.<br />
Since enlistment I have been fortunate to travel to many parts of Australia and throughout<br />
the world. As a junior member of the <strong>Navy</strong> Band and specialist clarinet soloist I performed<br />
in Malaysia, the Philippines, and New Zealand and embarked in the aircraft carrier HMAS<br />
Melbourne. I had the opportunity to develop my core skills and enjoy my role as a soloist<br />
before discovering arranging, composition, and conducting.<br />
As one of the senior managers I’ve had to move away from the core skills and develop other<br />
competencies in music administration, and music leadership. As the leader of the <strong>Navy</strong><br />
Band I have deployed four times to Iraq and other countries within the Middle East Area of<br />
Operations: Something that I never envisioned 32 years ago was flying throughout Iraq in<br />
Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters and travelling in armoured personnel conveys in the<br />
company of 17 other <strong>Navy</strong> musicians; all whom were carrying loaded weapons. We did this,<br />
not only to provide brief musical diversions for our deployed forces and to boost their<br />
morale; but also to communicate the gratitude of a grateful nation.<br />
In more recent times, I had the good fortune to lead a 70-piece <strong>Australian</strong> contingent to<br />
Brunei to celebrate the Sultan of Brunei’s 60th Birthday and a 35-piece <strong>Navy</strong> Band<br />
contingent to Tonga for the King’s Coronation. The <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Band was the<br />
platform in which the <strong>Australian</strong> Government communicated its goodwill to our close<br />
regional neighbours.<br />
Music has taken me to many parts of the world and filled my heart with much pleasure, and<br />
I commend all of today’s graduates to follow their passion and their gift to wherever life’s<br />
journey takes them; and to enjoy the ride. You have the gift to speak a universal language<br />
and to communicate, through your art, your individual story and perhaps also the collective<br />
story of the organisation for which you may one day be employed.<br />
Closing Remarks<br />
The <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Band is fortified by its heritage, and along with other disciplines<br />
within the music industry, whether that be in music administration, education or<br />
performance, has its roots firmly embedded in the history of human existence.<br />
Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle Plato, is credited with saying, ‘Music gives soul to the<br />
universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to<br />
everything’. Each of the graduates here today has already shown that they have ‘what it<br />
takes’ to succeed—determination, perseverance, and a high level of demonstrated skill; and<br />
I hope that each of you realise your dreams, hopes and aspirations.<br />
Good luck, and thank you.<br />
<strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Band: A Musical Voyage