Musicology Workshop Journal

1st Week 26/2/22

As an introduction to a Workshop that I’ve yet to find out anything about from my
perspective, the presentation given about the research into South Sudanese-
Australian Worship really dropped me into the deep end. It helps me in that I myself
have a Christian faith, so I can understand how this group of believers can create
their own style of worship out of what I could understand as necessity.
The specificity in particular of the South Sudanese-Australian church gave me a very
clear understanding that Musicology can be very personal and very deep. The
amount of effort that the presenter put into in terms of attending and participating in
the services really showed me how much this topic mattered to her, and how much
she wanted to show the importance of it to her to others. I found it engaging when
she spoke about contrasting nature of it from the churches that I have regularly
attended, especially in the combination of different languages and styles to really suit
the congregation the best.
It was a very rich presentation and there was so much to unpack that I wasn’t ready
for, but I was very impressed and very interested by the end. What a way to start the
semester!

2nd Week 5/3/22

Trying to introduce myself and my ideas in a musicology class amongst what
seemed to be very accomplished musicologists was a very daunting task. Whilst the
other students had very elaborate and specific areas of study, I found myself clawing
at any information that might sound interesting. What a range of unique ideas and
interests!
Chris Coady’s colloquium was very interesting indeed, since I hadn’t known at all
about Dean Dixon’s role as conductor of the Sydney Symphony in the 1960s. What
Coady described as a very racially motivated “anti-racist” decision I tried to see as
something a bit simpler initially. Although as Coady went on it became clearer that
this really was the case. Anyway, I was surprised I didn’t know about this key part of
the Orchestra’s history, and I following the colloquium I can see why it hasn’t really
been shown, due to all of the issues surrounding it and the controversial nature of
the events surrounding it.
An interesting perspective of a world unknown to me, another hard hitter for the
second week of semester.

Notes
Era Bell Thompson went to every end in her "race-finding" assignment. During this
she came to the conclusion that Australians wanted to keep the country white. The
story of conductor Dean Dixon was a contradiction to this idea, in that he had no
prejudicial response in Australia (proved by the soaring reviews of his music), he had
however allegedly experienced this in America. The white Australia policy was
keeping Australia fully white and British/European in heritage. They feared that there
would be an uprising and tried to restrict the African American migrants. Dixon's
response by the African-American press in comparison to the Australian press was
clearly to do with race. The Immigration Reform Group was leading the idea of letting
in migrants based on their skills rather than the colour of their skin. However, in
many cases it was clear that Dixon's unique position meant that Australia could look
progressive whilst keeping Australia white. In situation upon situation, it became
clear that Dixon was an excellent conductor, and that he had a lot of power in his
position. The reason why Dixon was welcomed was because of his addition to
Australian culture. Dixon was an exceptional subject in the African-American
community, which was agreed upon by many scholars.

3rd Week 11/3/22

It was difficult for my simplistic brain to keep track of the differences between the
Musicologies, however I was very impressed and intrigued by the research and
explanations coordinated by the other groups, and the exceptional work done by the
leader of mine. Coordinating our presentation was difficult and was changing and left
me stressed, however I was reassured directly and through the presentation itself.
Looking at the application of each type of research into the Robert Johnson
recording at the end of the class was of course rather challenging for me as I still am
very underexperienced in the field of musicology so far.
I enjoyed the class nonetheless and look forward to what’s coming next!

4th Week 19/3/22

The beginning of the class, where we looked at the choosing of a research topic was
very varied and wide in the examples of what might or might not be ideal in its
characteristics. Within my own group, we discussed the benefits of sitting in between
poles of research that are, on one end, very regularly discussed and on the other
barely looked at. We also discussed the idea of a topic that is so regularly discussed
that trying to clear up misconceptions may also be a valid option of research.
The question of historical Japanese music in Australia being classified under either
ethnomusicology or historical musicology was a clear indicator of the nature of this
topic and what I was going to see.
I didn’t know that there was such a history of Japanese culture in Australia! The
presentation made in the colloquium was very descriptive in the history and unique
characteristics of “Australian” Japanese music. I found it interesting that it started in
Northern Australia, and it flourished there. All the different combinations of culture
and styles as well as the growth of a unique heritage within our diverse country
became very clear to me the further the class progressed. All of the small details
about this music and the culture just lead me more and more to wonder!
I really loved this week, despite the fact that there was so much to unpack.

Notes
Traces of this music in Australia in North Queensland is found through photos of
Caucasian people holding Asian instruments amongst Japanese people.
Some contexts for music among migrant minorities include making music among and
for themselves in a practise of musicking.
In the mid-1930s there were groups of Japanese people who were integrated into
the society via their practices of work and other ways.
The “White Australia Policy” didn’t allow Asians to enter Australia and also kept them
from being integrated (naturalised). The population was very small in comparison to
the full population and much of the population resided on the coast.
In the early 1900s, Japanese citizens were given exceptions and were allowed to
come over to Australia, however they weren’t allowed to bring their family at all, and
this opened up the opportunity for many sex workers from Japan to be smuggled into
Australia.
In many towns, there was clear segregation, and that meant that Japanese people
weren’t allowed to join in on many of the cultural practices of White Australia,
however they could participate in their own sports carnivals.
There was a period in which businessmen were allowed to bring their families over,
however very soon afterwards many Japanese were sent back to Japan.
Japanese were feared as a form of “British” people, as they were so extravagant and
matched the Australian standard in work and living.
Many instruments common in the practise of Japanese music included strings such
as mandolins, guitars and even violins.
Japanese music experienced by the Anglo-Saxon people was considered by them
and interesting characteristics were noted, such as the costumes and makeup.
Following the victory over China in the Sino-Soviet war, Japanese dances were
performed in the north of Australia and many of the sex workers learned to dance as
to celebrate.
Children of the Broome Japanese community learned the form of Japanese classical
dance in the 1910s.
Bon-odori became a regular practise in Broome from the late 1800s onwards, and
the white population attended these events and very much enjoyed them.
Islander groups hosted Japanese crewmen upon visitation and and sometimes
taught them dances and parts of associated songs.
Dance performance was an area of significant intercultural communication.
In Cape York, Japanese were also invited and took part in music cultures.
At the Quadrangle at USYD in 1931, there was a Carillion Recital to celebrate the
Japanese Emperor’s birthday.
In Sydney there is no surviving account of either ‘contact’ or ‘display’ musicking to
date.
All of the performances of Japanese music was either from visiting people, often
from a consulate.

5th Week 25/3/22

I was relieved to find out that there were no prerequisites for the class this week and
came out of it very thankful I had been there for it. A common issue in not being able
to find resources available to many was fixed successfully for me today!
Given a listen of resources to find in the library, there were some that made no
sense, and I had to make sense of. An encyclopedia for polyglots? Okay cool!
Actually yes, very cool. I was worried I wouldn’t find it. Anyway, I left the class
confident in my ability to search for any resource I might need from the library.
The second segment of the class that was very important for me was the need for
these resources and the use that they might hold for me when I may need them. The
range of different tools used to find information was great in this class, and left me
wondering “When on Earth might I need to know what a ‘felt cone with resonance
holes’ is?” I can safely say that at some point there will be someone dying to find that
piece of information, because perhaps it is useful in some context, I just don’t know
what that may be.
Great fun! Hopefully next week is a blast too!
6th Week (Written a week late) 5/4/22
So not quite a blast, as I stated above. However, I did find interest in the Australian
Ballet. Also, quite a specific topic and area of our culture, but very rich in artistic skill
and excellent execution of ideas.
David Larkin and Chantel Nguyen demonstrated just how proficient the coordinators
of the Australian Ballet over the years have been, particular the abilities of Sir Robert
Helpmann and John Lanchbery. The adaptation of the Merry Widow into a Ballet was
extraordinary to me, the elaboration of the music and the story without the use of
voice and instead using dance just blew me away. Yet more proof that Australia has
more history I am yet to discover.
I wish I could have been there in person to partake in it more, however I wasn’t so I
came out of the class with a more limited understanding than I wished to have. More
time will need to be spent in order to understand the music and the excellence more,
however it gives me great hope that there is history in Australia that will be useful for
my interests.

Notes
When adapting Operas into Ballet, the orchestration instrumentally and physically
must be altered wisely in order to be effective in its storytelling ability.
Australian Ballet is now the most prestigious ballet in the Southern Hemisphere,
however in the 60s - when it was founded - it was far from that title.
Sir Robert Helpmann was instrumental in its development and the performances that
Australian Ballet displayed.
The dance types in Lehar’s music were many and varied.
John Lanchery’s arrangements of music used in the Australian Ballet were a key
component in the successful and excellently crafted nature of these performances.