Inner West to Make Music for Richard Gill
Schools can register their Make Music Day performance at:
https://makemusicaustralia.org.au/
Wednesday 10 April 2019
Inner West Council is calling on local schools to join Make Music Day to honour legendary Inner West conductor and teacher Richard Gill who passed away last November.
The Make Music Day celebration of music has grown from the Fête de la Musique, originally held in France. It is now held in more than 750 cities and 120 countries around the world.
Inner West Mayor said that the ethos of Make Music Day epitomised Mr Gill’s approach to making music accessible for everyone.
“We’ve had such an outpouring of support for a festival to honour Richard Gill since his passing last year, and this is the perfect opportunity for the Inner West to show how much the appreciated him,” said Byrne.
“Make Music Day is a day where any musician can organise a gig or join in an event to share their music. It is free and open to the public, something I’m sure Richard would have applauded.
“We want to invite all schools in the inner west to put on a musical performance on Friday 21 June, record it and post it online as a tribute to Richard Gill.
“We’d like to use Make Music Day to build to a bigger music festival in Stanmore to honour Richard as part of EDGE Newtown in November.”
Mr Gill and Simon Chapman, a well-known Sydney academic, had previously approached Council to discuss holding a music festival throughout outdoor locations in Stanmore.
They were inspired by the French city of Lyon, where musicians ranging from classical to rock, from full bands and ensembles to first time soloists took to the streets to perform. Lyon is where Make Music Day was born.
“Gill had long envisioned a music festival in Stanmore which mirrored the festival in Lyon,” said Byrne.
“From the reaction Council has received so far, many in the community are on board too.
Council is writing to all schools in the Inner West to invite them to take part and upload their performances to the net with the hashtags #RichardGill and #MakeMusicDay.
“What a perfect way for our community to voice how much Gill meant to us all,” said Mayor Byrne.
Richard was the Director of Chorus at Opera Australia and the Musical Director of the Sydney Chamber Choir. He also conducted the Sydney Youth Orchestra, taught at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, worked as the dean of the West Australian Conservatorium of Music and was the founding conductor of the Strathfield Symphony Orchestra.
For media enquiries, please contact Kate Walsh on 9392 5685 or kate.walsh@innerwest.nsw.gov.au