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Richard Letts

Richard Letts

Dr Richard Letts AM is the founder and Director of The Music Trust, founder and former Executive Director of the Music Council of Australia (now Music Australia) and Past President of the International Music Council. He has held senior positions in music and culture in Australia and the United States, advocated for music and music education, conducted research, written policy documents, edited four periodicals, published four books and hundreds of articles.

This Musical World: The Flexible Brain

It is disturbing to see people marching in cities to protest lockdowns impacting their freedom, when, ironically, their behaviour points to a lack of free or flexible thinking. They wish to be outwardly unshackled, but inwardly, they are not. Because such actions demonstrate an inability to empathise, to imagine oneself in the situation of others and crystalise how one’s actions might impact those people.

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Australian Honours List, Australia Day 2020

In recognition of a special contribution to the national well-being, Australian Honours are awarded to Australian citizens selected by the office of the Governor General. Following are the awards made on Australia Day 2020 for contributions to music, with a few also of those awarded more broadly in the arts.

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Freedman Classical and Jazz Fellows Report

These fellowships, run by the Music Trust, have become among Australia’s most prestigious. The winners spend their prize money on special projects and afterward report what happened. You can read the reports.

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David Pledger’s cultural revolution

George Brandis’s most remarkable achievement as Arts Minister was to unite virtually the entire arts sector in support of the Australia Council – and in condemnation of his diversion of a large portion of its funding to his own direct

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A Comprehensive National Policy for Music

A NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY A DEFINITION OF ‘CULTURE’ IS NECESSARY AN ETHICAL BASIS IN HUMAN AND CULTURAL RIGHTS THE ENABLING ROLE OF GOVERNMENT WITH REGARD TO CULTURE DISCUSSION PAPER PRIORITIES ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE General discussion ‘Excellence’ in arts policy FOSTER ARTISTIC

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SWOT Analysis of Classical Music – 2017

INTRODUCTION CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN CLASSICAL MUSIC BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS TERTIARY AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN CLASSICAL MUSIC BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS COMPOSITION BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS PERFORMANCE BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS RECORDING BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS MEDIA BASIC FACTS SWOT

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National Opera Review: propping up the 19C

Article 1 The National Opera Review has reported. If, as they say, Ministers only set up reviews to produce the recommendations they want, George Brandis is probably well enough satisfied. Brandis established this review in 2014 when he was still

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