Reception to Celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Musica Viva

CEO Mary Jo Capps, Queensland Branch President Michelle Wade, Your Honours, friends and supporters. Good evening and welcome to you all.

Kaye and I are very pleased to be hosting at Government House this evening such a distinguished group of informed friends sharing an abiding love of great music.

The idea to host this reception, to honour Musica Viva’s 70^th anniversary, overtured during a discussion at the twenty-fifteen Season Launch last August. It was a proposal we at Government House embraced with alacrity! And what a wonderful concept Musica Viva has been.

And we mark tonight another anniversary: the Goldner String Quartet, who take their name from Musica Viva’s founding father Richard Goldner, is twenty-years young this year.

Such longevity – 2 decades – is commendable in what is an evanescent age.  

I can assure you it is just as hard for the grandparents, as it is for the granddaughters, to comprehend Zayn’s tragic split from One Direction earlier this year, after only five years!

I imagine you are thinking someone wrote that for me! No, this Governor is of the age: he even wears loom bands; our grandson Alexander made that for me last weekend!

Musica Viva is not so constrained as One Direction. It aims to bring a somewhat different genre of music to wider Australian audiences – and we are very grateful for that, and from a number of directions!

In hosting you all tonight we acknowledge that Musica Viva as an organisation does not exist in isolation. It is very much a living, robust organ built of equally robust and dedicated individuals. All of you – current and former National and State staff and board members, performers, supporters, music afficionados – are vital to its composition and past and prospective successes.

Kaye and I particularly acknowledge those long term Queensland donors and supporters present here tonight.

Your enduring backing and support for the culture of classical music is wonderful. It ensures our people continue to benefit from the inspirational concerts, masterclasses and workshops, and vocational development Musica Viva so wonderfully provides. May that continue for at least another 70 years!

We very much look forward shortly to hearing from the Goldner String Quartet. Queenslanders “in the know” are very proud of them.

Their first violinist Dene Olding is the son of classic music doyens and famed Queenslanders Pamela Page and Max Olding, both present tonight. Dene, coincidentally, was partly educated at my own alma mater Churchie.  

I am very proud to associate myself with him in that respect: I wish I could claim comparable musicianship.

The Quartet is superb – the audience from last night’s concert at the Conservatorium – the only Australian offering during this year’s International Concert Series – will I am sure agree.

Seventy years on, Musica Viva remains a stunning phenomenon; and true to its name, enlivening.

Thank you all for supporting this wonderful emanation of talented and inspired Australians – and here tonight, with a desirable concentration of Queenslanders!