St Joseph's Nudgee College

April 23, 2009

Australian composer and conductor Richard Mills, a St Joseph's Nudgee College Old Boy, returned to the College on Tuesday to speak with elective music students in Years 10, 11 and 12.

Based in Melbourne, Richard (NC 1962-1966) was in Brisbane for a performance of his latest composition "The Passion According to St Mark". The piece had its world premiere in Perth recently and was performed at St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane on Friday April 17.

Richard spoke with the students about being a composer, how to pursue a career in music and how Nudgee College has changed since he was a student. 

"There was no music program at Nudgee College when I was here," he said.

"I used to go into the Queensland Conservatorium every Monday night for practise. Things are a lot better today though and people are more supportive."

Today Richard works as Artistic Director of the West Australian Opera and is an Artistic Consultant with Orchestra Victoria. He also works as a freelance artist throughout Australia and overseas and has a large repertoire of standard works, as well as a reputation for conducting contemporary opera and his own compositions.

Richard told the students that Nudgee College had given him a stubbornness that has helped him in his performing career and advised them to consider carefully if such a career was for them.

"A performing career is a tough life. It is a very competitive industry because your work is constantly being reviewed and commented on. Simply wanting to have a musical career is not enough. You must be driven to do it and must want it more than anything else. If you don’t have an inner drive to make it, you won't."

During the session, Richard played some of his work and gave the boys an insight into how he composes a piece by working with them to compose a short tune. 

"Music alters the way we perceive time. When I begin composing a new piece I start with a motif and develop and manipulate from there."

Richard also told the students that everybody’s biggest gift in life was that they can make themselves what they want to be and encouraged the boys to seize opportunities put in front of them.

"I believe that the way to be a great conductor is to be a good conductor for a very long time. Any of you can do it and that’s your greatest gift – possibility. Seize that opportunity to do whatever you want to do."

The timing of Richard's visit coincides with final preparations for Nudgee College’s fourth annual music tour that departs for regional Queensland on Sunday.

This year's tour, which runs from April 26-May 2, will see twelve students travel to Roma, Blackall, Longreach, Emerald, and Biloela. They will make 11 performances during the Tour, including being broadcast on the Longreach School of Distance Education.

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