ANAM Swansong?

From the recent ANAM year-end celebration concert, watch the ANAM Orchestra perform the world premiere of Andrew Ford's Symphony, here. Symphony was composed with ANAM's line-up of musicians in mind and for ANAM Artistic Director Brett Dean to conduct. Read the program note here.

And Richard Tognetti introduces and conducts the ANAM Orchestra in Beethoven's Fifth, here.

ANAM: What's In a Name?

So, the Government had to abandon the idea of naming their new deracinated music education institution the Australian Institute of Music Performance (AIMP). Instead, it will continue to be the Australian National Academy of Music. This wasn't so much because they wanted to keep ANAM's students happy (or even so much as to trade on the exsiting reputation of the Organisation-Formerly-Known-As-ANAM), but because an Australian Institute of Music (AIM) already exists (it's located in Surry Hills, Sydney) - AIM was rightly angry. This gaffe led to the hasty decision that came from Canberra complete with patronising spin about 'connotations of excellence' and caring about the concerns of students.

On Tuesday, ANAM students staged a musical protest at Parliament House and then, with Artistic Director Brett Dean, met with Peter Garrett (read more) to lobby for a stay of execution. The Government has pledged $500 000 to ease the transition of ANAM into the University of Melbourne music faculty (press release). Rumour has it that such ad hoc policy-making has foisted ANAM upon the University of Melbourne, infuriating Melbourne Uni Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis.

You can still register your support of (the original) ANAM by signing the petition, calling your local MP or writing to Mr Garrett:

The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277 7640
Fax: (02) 6273 6101
Email: peter.garrett.mp@aph.gov.au

Whatever ANAM's problems were, it didn't deserve to be so ignominiously knackered by Rudd's razor-gangs. The whole affair could have been handled with a lot more tact.

Fortunately, this business can never diminish the talents or the reputations of the brilliant musicians and staff who continue to show the Government the true meanings of class and excellence.

The fight goes on.

A Speech at ANAM

WATCH the speech (and then watch the ANAM Orchestra perform Beethoven's Fifth).

In the light of the events that bring us all here tonight, I would like to propose a scenario known as a strange philosophical paradox. A ship is in Port Phillip Bay made of wooden boards and as each board becomes old it is removed and stored in a warehouse. Later, when all the boards have been replaced with new ones, a different ship is built with the old boards ostensibly identical to the new one. So now there are two ships in the bay. The question is asked, which one is the real ship?

So it is with Australian National Academy of Music. As you are aware, the Government had announced that they wished to close this wonderful Academy in its present incarnation with a desire to replace it with another institution entitled AIMP. The people of Australia came forward - not just the so-called elites but people from small towns and big, politicians from the Greens, Liberals and Labor, Alan Jones to Janet Holmes à Court, Paul Kelly to Barry Humphries – and they were galvanised to plead with the Prime Minister to reverse this decision.

The Government couldn’t get it right, so they deflected, dissembled and strategised and now they have announced today that ANAM will close but the name will be appropriated in the guise of another organization. Will the real ANAM please stand up?

[At this point the ANAM Orchestra walked on stage to rapturous applause.]

I personally don’t come out lightly to endorse or support something, and I sure as hell don’t stand lightly here tonight.

The proposal promises a “better alternative” to what Brett Dean and his faculty and students “produce”. The flow on effect of Brett Dean’s work is profound and broad-reaching. Consider again the names on the open letter to the Government. Consider the groundswell of opinion on the online petition. Consider all the musicians in all the orchestras throughout the country and beyond: MSO, WASO, TSO, QSO, ASO, SSO, Orchestra Victoria, the AOBO, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics, and on it goes. These are the opinions that count. So what of the better “alternative”? An alternative proposal will always threaten the essence that the real ANAM has created. ANAM was gestated 14 years ago and has variously stumbled, grown and now bloomed. In the words of John Painter, the visionary who conceived ANAM; “the place is finally producing in the way originally intended.” It is this essence that I, and every musician I know and respect, endorse. The Government’s new so-called “better alternative” is a mirage mired in mirrors and smoke screens.

There is no greater endorsement of an institution’s reputation than to appropriate its name and therefore reputation. In the strongest possible terms, the question must be asked who serves to gain from the ring barking of this, the original authentic ANAM, and the construction of the mirage ANAM announced in desperation today? It seems it’s safe to say that the student body would be last on the list. When faced with an actuality as stunningly effective as the real ANAM, anyone parading the notion of a “better alternative” runs the risk of being revealed as a false prophet.

I wonder what Beethoven would say about this?

Richard Tognetti
28 November 2008

ANAM: The Green View

The Greens have weighed in on the ANAM saga:

"Peter Garrett must keep the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) open next year to ensure continuing appropriate training for Australia's top young classical musicians while any long-term solution is reached, the Australian Greens said today.

The Australian Institute of Musical Performance as proposed by Minister Garrett today is largely indistinguishable from ANAM's plans for next year, but deserves to be discussed over time instead of launched as policy on the run. Meanwhile, the interim measure, to send students to Melbourne University until the new Institute starts in July, is entirely inappropriate."

Read the whole article here. The Greens blog post, here.

Beethoven 8 Review

Diving into Prokofiev’s Classical symphony like a seal into a pool of clear water, an expanded Australian Chamber Orchestra reaffirmed its dazzling unity and focus.

Prokofiev penned this symphony in the manner of Haydn. But although it is based on traditional structures, the composer infuses them with contemporary colour, sweet and sour harmonies and a gavotte that springs with angular rhythm. The exaggerated manipulation of these characteristics and the highly nuanced dynamics and phrasing were delivered with extraordinary precision in a superb opening performance. All four movements had a sharply defined personality and the musical gestures sparkled with clarity.

The final ACO tour for 2008 pays homage to musical forms of the classical period. This concept provides an ideal vehicle for an ensemble that excels in highlighting the changes in particular forms with imaginative shading, and a group that has an extraordinary flair for interpretative cohesion. These qualities stand out particularly with composers such Beethoven; not surprisingly, the performance of his Eighth at breakneck speeds – apparently as specified by Beethoven – was lush, richly detailed and fired by fierce energy.

When Prokofiev and Brahms were writing the Classical symphony and Double Concerto in A minor respectively, they were looking back to past fashions for inspiration. And while the Double Concerto sings in the spirit of romanticism, the forms is decidedly retro. It harks back to the days of Brahms’s delight in the concerto grosso form that manipulates conversational interplays between multiple soloists and the orchestra. Richard Tognetti and the charismatic, principal cellist Timo-Veikko Valve were the soloists here.

But while Brahms’s commanding orchestral declamations had a robust, visceral power, and both players wrenched the pathos and palette of varied tone from their Guarneri instruments, this tense rendition needed more magic and was the least convincing. Perhaps this was due to the awkward split in leadership that was rather unnecessarily shared between Tognetti and Helena Rathbone. On this evening, the soloists needed to soar more freely above an orchestral force.

At the end of the concert, Tognetti spoke to the audience about the Government’s decision to stop funding the Australian National Academy of Music. His comments were then followed by a poignant encore of Sibelius’s Scene with Cranes, with the artistic director noting that it was one of six pieces written as incidental music for a play about death.

Gillian Wills , The Australian | 06 Nov 2008

Richard Tognetti orchestrates chorus against arts cuts

From The Australian:

Australia's international arts reputation will suffer and more musicians will be forced overseas by the Rudd Government's effective closure of an "iconic" institution.

Australian Chamber Orchestra artistic director and violinist Richard Tognetti yesterday performed at the Australia Unlimited Roundtable before making an impassioned plea to save the Australian National Academy of Music. Federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett last week decided to stop annual funding of $2.6million to the Melbourne-based academy for elite musicians. After an outcry from key music, arts and academic figures concerned that the funding cut would harm classical music in Australia, Mr Garrett will meet Melbourne University heads tomorrow to discuss a possible university takeover of the academy.

Tognetti said he constantly heard that arts bodies were under threat. "We live in a continuous state of fear in this country, so closing an iconic national institution like that doesn't send a good message and it doesn't look too good on the Arts Minister's portfolio or CV," he said.

He said Australia suffered from "cultural diaspora" and he feared the students would be forced overseas. "I don't think it looks good from an international perspective to see that Australia has closed its Australian National Academy of Music," he said.

With Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the audience, Tognetti suggested the federal funding cut would not have been tolerated if the Australian Institute of Sport had been the victim.

Many observers were critical that the funding announcement was made close to the end of the academic year. Students who auditioned in August for 2009 places are uncertain about where they will be studying next year.

Mr Garrett's meeting tomorrow is likely to be with Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis. The ANAM was founded in 1996 as a subsidiary company of the university, with its own board and budget.

After months of discussions, Mr Garrett put ANAM's board on notice in August by demanding detailed plans of future budgets, new income streams such as private philanthropy, and a review of ANAM's constitution.

The board responded this month after meeting only twice to discuss the critical issue. In a letter dated October 2, ANAM chairman John Haddad requested more time and a review of the academy's structure.

While Mr Garrett axed future funding, he stressed his commitment to training young artists.

A spokeswoman for Professor Davis said Mr Garrett had contacted the university on Monday to explain his decision about ANAM, and "foreshadowed future discussions with the university on professional training of young musicians".

ANAM artistic director Brett Dean said he was "concerned for the kids". "As long as something happens for their benefit, and it's something that can provide them with the same kinds of experiences in the same spirit as we have now, then that's a good outcome," he said.

(Ewin Hannan and Corrie Perkin reporting)

Orchestra Chief Calls for Music Academy Rethink

From The Age:

The head of the Australian Chamber Orchestra has condemned the Federal Government's cutting of funding to a music academy and wants a national music curriculum established.

Speaking at a Global Foundation conference, yesterday the orchestra's artistic director, Richard Tognetti, called on the Government to reverse last week's decision to cut funding to the Australian National Academy of Music.

The South Melbourne academy was established by prime ministerial order in Paul Keating's 1994 Creative Nation statement. It receives $2.64 million of federal funding each year.

Last Wednesday the academy was told funding would end this year, with federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett saying the academy was no longer the most effective way of training elite musicians.

About 55 students attend advanced performance courses and a further 30 take part in the academy, which has put on 170 public concerts this year.

Tognetti, a lead violinist who has been the artistic director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra for 20 years, said the decision made no sense. "It costs only $2.5 million a year to run and it produces some of the best students in Australia. The ACO has no deliberate connection with this academy but most of the candidates for our orchestra come from the academy."

Tognetti called for a national approach to music education. "We need a comprehensive national music education unencumbered by state differences," he said.

A spokesman for Mr Garrett said talks would continue.

(Bridie Smith reporting)

A National Academy of Music No More

Brett Dean, Artistic Director of the Australian National Academy of Music discusses the Government's decision to withdraw funding from our only full-time, dedicated institution for the training of Australia's elite musicians:

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/newsradio/audio/20081024-music.mp3