Richard John Mills AO FAHA[1] (born 14 November 1949) is an Australian conductor and composer. He was the artistic director of Victorian Opera from 2013-2023, and formerly artistic director of the West Australian Opera and artistic consultant with Orchestra Victoria. He was commissioned by the Victoria State Opera to write his opera Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1996) and by Opera Australia to write the opera Batavia (2001).
Career
editMills was born and grew up in Toowoomba, Queensland, and went to Nudgee College in Brisbane. He studied in London with Edmund Rubbra at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and worked as a percussionist in England and for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Mills started conducting and composing in the 1980s.[2]
In 1988, to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) commissioned Mills to re-orchestrate Charles Williams's Majestic Fanfare, the signature tune of ABC news and television broadcasts, in a more modern, Australian idiom.
He was engaged to conduct Opera Australia's first complete production of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen in the State Theatre, Melbourne, in 2013, the bicentenary of the composer's birth.[2] On 5 June 2013, he withdrew from the Opera Australia Ring cycle.
Works
editWorks for the stage
edit- Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (1987), ballet
- Earth Poem / Sky Poem (1993), a music theatre work for Aboriginal dancers and musicians, orchestra and electronic sounds
- Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1996), opera in two acts, libretto by Peter Goldsworthy after the play by Ray Lawler
- Batavia (2001), opera in three acts, libretto by Peter Goldsworthy
- The Love of the Nightingale (2007), opera in two acts, libretto by Timberlake Wertenbaker
- Galileo (December 2023), libretto by Malcolm Angelucci[3]
Vocal and choral works
edit- Festival Folk Songs (1985) for mezzo-soprano, tenor, boy soprano, large mixed chorus, children's chorus, 2 brass choirs (optional) and orchestra
- Sappho Monologues (1991) for soprano and orchestra, texts after Sappho, edited by the composer
- Symphonic Poems (2001), setting of David Campbell and James McAuley poems for soprano, mezzo-soprano, bass, large mixed chorus, 3 brass bands
- The Little Mermaid (2005) for children's chorus, narrator, orchestra; text after Hans Christian Andersen
- Four Antiphons of the Blessed Virgin (2 September 2005, at the Ospedaletto, Venice) for tenor and organ
- Songlines of the Heart's Desire (2007), commissioned by the Ian Potter Trust, to poems by an anonymous fourth-century Chinese poet, Bengali Rabindranath Tagore, American Kenneth Patchen, French Tunisian Amina Said, and Australians John Shaw Neilson and Judith Wright.[4]
Concertos
edit- Trumpet Concerto (1982) for trumpet and orchestra (written for Bruce Lamont)
- Soundscapes for Percussion and Orchestra (1983) for percussion solo and orchestra
- Fantastic Pantomimes (1987) for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, trumpet and orchestra
- Cello Concerto (1990) for cello and orchestra (written for Raphael Wallfisch)
- Flute Concerto (1990) for flute and orchestra (written for James Galway)
- Violin Concerto (1992) for violin and orchestra
- Concerto for Violin and Viola (1993) for violin and viola solo and chamber orchestra (written for and premiered by Dene Olding and Irina Morozova)
- Double Concerto (2002) for violin and clarinet (written for Walter and Elsa Verdehr from Michigan State University)
- Double Concerto (2018) for two violins and strings (written for Melbourne Chamber Orchestra)
Orchestral
edit- Bamaga Diptych (1989)
- Tenebrae (1992)
- Pages from a secret journal
- Symphony of Nocturnes (2008)
Chamber works
edit- Sonata for Brass Quintet (1985)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1990), revised (2007)
- Four Miniatures (1992) for violin, clarinet and piano
- Here where death and life are met (no year) for high voice and piano, text by Judith Wright
- Requiem Diptych for Brass Quintet (1997)
- Songs without Words (1998) from the poems of Ern Malley for oboe and string quartet
- Jamaican Entertainment (2002) arrangements of music by Arthur Benjamin for flute, clarinet, soprano and piano, see: Two Jamaican Pieces).
- A Little Diary (2002) for clarinet and string quartet
- Woman to Man (2004) song cycle for mezzo-soprano and piano, text by Judith Wright
- String Quartet No. 2 (2007)
- String Quartet No. 3
- String Quartet No. 4, Glimpses from My Book of Dada (2010)
- Impromptu, after Schubert (2014)
- Lachrymae, Chorales… Postlude (2014) for string octet
Instrumental works
edit- Epithalamium (1985) for solo organ
- Pastoral for Solo Oboe (1993)
- Six Preludes for Solo Oboe (1991)
Educational works
editAwards and nominations
editIn 1982, he won the Albert H. Maggs Composition Award.[5]
In 1999, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).[6] He was promoted to Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Australia Day Honours for "distinguished service to the performing arts as a composer, conductor and artistic director".[7]
In 2019, he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA).[8]
APRA Awards
editThe APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Concerto for Violin and Viola by Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (conductor Richard Mills) | Most Performed Contemporary Classical Composition | Nominated | [9] |
| 2002 | Batavia by Orchestra Victoria (conductor Richard Mills) | Best Performance of an Australian Composition | Won | [10] |
| Vocal or Choral Work of the Year | Won | |||
| 2005 | Concerto for Guitar and Strings by Karin Schaupp & Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (conductor Richard Mills) | Orchestral Work of the Year | Won | [11][12] |
| 2008 | The Love of the Nightingale – Richard Mills | Best Composition by an Australian Composer | Nominated | [13][14] |
| 2009 | String Quartet No. 3 – Richard Mills | Best Performance of an Australian Composition | Nominated | [15] |
| Palm Court Suite by Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (Richard Mills) | Orchestral Work of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Tivoli Dances by Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (Richard Mills) | Won |
ARIA Music Awards
editThe ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Ariel's Music (with Queensland Symphony Orchestra & Paul Dean | Best Classical Album | Nominated | [16] |
Bernard Heinze Memorial Award
editThe Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to music in Australia.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Richard Mills | Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award | Awarded | [17][18] |
Don Banks Music Award
editThe Don Banks Music Award was established in 1984 to publicly honour a senior artist of high distinction who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia.[19] It was founded by the Australia Council in honour of Don Banks, Australian composer, performer and the first chair of its music board.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Richard Mills | Don Banks Music Award | Won |
Green Room Awards
edit- He received the Green Room Award in 2001, 2002 and 2024.[20]
Helpmann Awards
editThe Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001.[21]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Batavia – Richard Mills & Peter Goldsworthy | Best New Australian Work | Won | [22][23] |
| Batavia – Richard Mills | Best Original Score | Nominated | ||
| 2005 | The Love of the Nightingale | Best Performance in a Classical Concert | Nominated | [24][25] |
| 2007 | The Love of the Nightingale – Richard Mills & Timberlake Wertenbaker | Best New Australian Work | Nominated | [26][27][28][29] |
| The Love of the Nightingale – Richard Mills | Best Original Score | Nominated | ||
| The Love of the Nightingale – Richard Mills | Best Music Direction | Won | ||
| 2008 | Songlines for the Heart's Desire – Richard Mills | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Elektra – Richard Mills | Best Musical Direction | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Senate Meeting Summary". University of Queensland. 10 October 2002. Retrieved 23 October 2007.
- ^ a b "In for the long haul" by Matthew Westwood, The Australian (26 March 2011)
- ^ "Victorian Opera presents World Premiere of Galileo". aussietheatre.com.au. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ Musica Viva Concerts 2008 Program for Cheryl Barker, Peter Coleman-Wright and Piers Lane
- ^ "Richard Mills : Represented Artist Profile : Australian Music Centre". www.australianmusiccentre.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ "Australian Honours". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 23 October 2007.
- ^ "Dr Richard John Mills AM". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Fellows". Australian Academy of the Humanities. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- ^ "Nominations – 2000". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ "2002 Winners – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ "2005 Winners – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 16 May 2010.
- ^ "2005 Finalists – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 16 May 2010.
- ^ "2008 Winners – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "2008 Finalists – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "Winners – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ Richard Mills website Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Melbourne Recital Centre Archived 2011-11-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Don Banks Music Award: Prize". Australian Music Centre. Archived from the original on 18 August 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "The Green Room Awards: Melbourne Theatre Company among the big winners". Limelight. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Events & Programs". Live Performance Australia. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ "Australian Web Archive 2002 Helpmann Awards Nominees". Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Australian Web Archive. Archived from the original on 17 July 2003. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
- ^ "Australian Web Archive 2002 Helpmann Awards Winners". Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Australian Web Archive. Archived from the original on 17 July 2003. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
- ^ "Springtime for Helpmann – Arts – Entertainment – theage.com.au". The Age. 12 July 2005. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ "2005 Helpmann Awards winners list – Entertainment". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 August 2005. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ "Nominations for 2007 Helpmann Awards". www.australianstage.com.au. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ^ "Actors, singers, comics in the mix for Helpmann Awards". The Age. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ^ "Keating leads the way at Helpmann Awards – Breaking News – National". The Age. 6 August 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ^ "Keating! voted best musical". Brisbane Times. 7 August 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
External links
edit- Composer's home page (archive)
- Biography, Australian Music Centre
- Summer of the Seventeenth Doll synopsis, Opera~Opera
- Bruce Martin's reflections on creating the role of Francisco Pelsaert in Batavia (March 2006, Opera~Opera)
