ABC RADIO DRIVE CONVERSATION
9 July 2020
75 YEARS, 75 STORIES
25 July 2020
CREATIVITY AMONGST CRISIS: NICK DINOPOULOS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF AUSTRALIAN BOYS CHOIR
The full article can be read on Fever Pitch Magazine's website
Published: 16th July, 2020 Author: Fever Pitch Magazine
Nick Dinopoulos, the Artistic Director of The Australian Boys Choir, was recently interviewed by Stella Joseph-Jarecki from Fever Pitch Magazine, for a series she is writing, focused on Creativity amongst Crisis.
In the article, Stella explores Nick's own career development, the fantastic musical staff and depth of talent teaching at the Australian Boys Choir, tips for singers or musicians who are considering how to establish their career as a choir director or educator. Insights to the portfolio of work that Nick undertakes as a freelance opera singer, recitalist, singing teacher, university lecturer, and Artistic Director of the Australian Boys Choir - phew!
They also discuss Nick's most memorable moments of the choir in their recent European tour:
"I have many great memories of my time working at the Boys Choir, but a true “wow” moment was touring to Europe in 2018 and getting to conduct the boys in a performance of the great Bach motet Jesu, meine Freude in Bach’s own church of St. Thomas’ Leipzig. If you love Bach as much as I do, walking into that building is simply overwhelming, let alone seeing your name on the door! It wasn’t just the jetlag we were feeling, and I’m positive that the significance was not lost on the singers."
The incredible talent within the teaching staff at the Institute:
"Our staff are amazing. I don’t know how else to describe them. They are passionate. They are serious and funny in equal measure. Alongside their work for us, they are emerging as some of the brightest music educators, conductors, composers, pianists, organists, singers, speech pathologists (and even lawyers!) in the country. In many cases, they are also living their very best ‘portfolio career’ life but also do very much care about the organisation and what it means. They want to see the children and young people we work with garner the utmost from their time in training."
And the resilience and mindset required for transitioning as a teacher to online education during the COVID-10 pandemic.
"But in terms of the physical delivery of rehearsals, the boys have weekly online rehearsals, community singalongs and tutorials, and mostly sing on mute in their own homes when they’re not demonstrating things individually. We’ve had to suspend our expectations and do things in smaller doses. Focus on the little things. Read the Zoom room and go with the flow. Does that sound Zen? I’m not sure, but that’s all there is to it!"
A wonderful article to inspire and delight - read the full interview at Fever Pitch Magazine.
