Brass studies in Australia

Australia's harsh beginnings as a society, geographical isolation and large distances between communities have been factors largely responsible for Australia having no national school of brass playing. In the past musicians who achieved any degree of technical proficiency soon travelled overseas to further their experience and knowledge. Jazz players went to the U.S.A., and orchestral players travelled to Europe to experience at first hand the great European tradition.

This was a result of there being hardly any contact with overseas performers, and Australian orchestras were suffering from a shortage of first rate conductors who could teach an orchestra the subtleties of style and interpretation. Admittedly many great conductors have visited our shores but their visits have been too short and infrequent for any major influence. Many Australian musicians chose to remain overseas and join ensembles with established standards rather than return and experience the problems of pioneering new artistic standards.

Of course there have been Australian musicians who remained in local orchestras and through talent and hard work have developed as virtuosi in their own right, but there have never been enough of these artists to have a national effect. Australia's large internal distances also meant that the influence of these players was confined to local communities as until recently there was minimum contact between performers and ensembles in different states.