Fifteen years since its first rodeo, Perth Symphony Orchestra is again led by three strong women with newly appointed chair Paula Rogers joining CEO Catherine Henwood and creative director Fiona Campbell at the helm of the vibrant arts company.
Today’s trio follow the founders, artist-entrepreneur Bourby L’Eclair (formerly Webster), producer Annalisa Oxenburgh and conductor Jessica Gethin, who unveiled WA’s second professional orchestra in 2011 at Matilda Bay, close to their first concert venue on the University of WA’s Riley Oval.
The West Australian returned to Matilda Bay with the latest leading ladies to reflect on their role in that legacy.
“As a former performer and trained accountant I look at it as speaking two different languages, of music and of accounts, in the boardroom,” Henwood says. “I’m completely passionate about music and the arts and the role it can play in our community.”
Campbell, an accomplished opera singer, highlights “artistic integrity, innovative programming and quality production”, typified by this year’s WA Stories Series III, featuring Professor Fiona Stanley, comedian-author Ben Elton, and cricketer Dennis Lillee.
Rogers, PSO’s first female chair, says she brings “a passion for Perth”.
“I also was CEO of Committee for Perth, and state director of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, so I have great networks in the corporate and the artistic and the not-for-profit world,” she says. “And I bring a passion for this organisation and connecting those other organisations to the amazing work we do.”
PSO has come a long way in 15 years, from a suburban base to contemporary offices in the CBD.
“After the incredible vision put forward by Bourby, it really has taken some time for the orchestra to find its niche in our musical ecology,” Henwood says.
“Today it’s a medium-sized company within the sector, it provides employment, I think last year it was 770 musician contracts, 243 events and performances. It’s a huge driver of artistic endeavour and also of economic impact in the community.”
Campbell argues PSO offers a “critical pathway for artists, and composers and arrangers and musicians, connecting with so many talented performers around the State”, building on the platform established 15 years ago.
“We have taken that and run with it, but importantly we also have worked very hard to build really important, wonderful partnerships with WA Museum, and the Perth Festival, WAAPA, just to name a few,” she says.
“We’ve started Young Artists of the Year Awards with the City of Joondalup, and we’re reaching out to interstate organisations and collaborating very, very broadly.”
Rogers says the core of the mission is to bring music to the community.
“When our musicians perform under the whale at WA Museum (Boola Bardip, Hackett Hall) to 300 people, and then a week later they are at St Hilda’s School performing to 600 people, I, as a music lover but not a musician, realise they have to deal with different equipment, and different sound and everything,” she says.
“That’s something that our company is constantly adjusting. I suppose I had previously taken that for granted, but it’s a big thing and they are so up for it and so passionate about playing in different places and engaging people that would never normally have experienced an orchestra.”
Henwood sees a “very, very bright future” in regional engagement.
“We’ve got a lot of great relationships and partnerships in the regions that are going to lead to exciting developments, creating artistic ecosystems in those regions so people don’t feel they’re missing out so much on what’s happening in Perth, that there’s actually really vibrant and innovative activities happening in their own community,” she says.
Campbell argues PSO’s success generates demand.
“We’ve now developed that wonderful reputation of being professional and innovative, and also super fun to work with,” she says.
“So that’s why we’re getting so many people approaching us when they know they need something spectacular, they’re coming to us and saying, ‘Can you help us created something special for our purpose or event?’”
Rogers praises Campbell’s work on the WA Stories initiative, putting past and present lives on stage to musical and visual accompaniment.
“We are now creating a back catalogue of music that can be shared far and wide, that I would love to see at festivals, maybe Sydney Festival, where some of our projects could be played,” she says.
“That’s a real expansion of our programming.”
Rogers also highlights PSO’s continued role in gender equality through the Women on the Podium program which trains female conductors.
“A very good friend of mine who is passionate about gender equity came to a Perth Symphony concert and Jess Gethin walked on stage and she said, ‘Well female conductors, who would have thought?’” she says.
“We aim to be part of redressing that balance for our musicians and our company.”
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