Jill Mowson

A Reflection on reaching 80 (2011)

My twin brother Jack and I were born in Nedlands on 12th August 1931 on our mother‘s 25th birthday. My father was so shocked that he forgot to wish her a Happy Birthday!

After World War 1 my father returned home from Egypt ( he was a bugler in the Light Horse Regiment) and he set up a theatre orchestra which played mood music for the silent pictures, When the “talkies” came in he had to change the format of the group to a dance band. After working two jobs for years, he retired in his early 40‘s and was anxious for Jack and me to pursue musical careers. How fortunate we were to have a teacher to supervise our practice. He then helped us form a small dance band, Jack on saxophone and clarinet, older brother Ray on drums and me on piano.

After a year or two, he entered us into the Dance Band Contest held in the Capitol Theatre and we were lucky enough to win. Some of you may remember that Jack played “Golden Wedding” which became our theme tune from then on. The demand for our trio was such that at 15 years of age Dad took us out of school because we were working five nights a week and couldn‘t do both. My father, having been through the depression felt that this was an opportunity not to be missed, so we embarked on our professional careers in music.

I did not want to leave school, however, in those days you did as your parents requested! After several years of playing for 21st parties, weddings etc, Dad decided that “you cannot play dance music forever, let‘s aim for the Symphony Orchestra”. He chose the bassoon for me and Jack continued studying the clarinet.

 There were no bassoon players in Perth at the time so Billy Moore who ran a music store in Perth started teaching me with the aid of a tutor. I was fortunate enough to win an ABC scholarship to study for two years at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide. Perth had no conservatorium or Medical School in those days so students had to travel interstate. I was 20 when I joined the Perth Symphony Orchestra now the West Australian Orchestra. Soon afterwards I met John Mowson a double bass player from Melbourne. John had been playing in the Australian Jazz Quartet in Sydney and decided to embark on a classical music career. He joined WASO and we married in 1953.

Shortly afterwards we were offered positions in the Victorian Symphony Orchestra, now the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. We had some wonderful and memorable experiences during our professional careers. We worked with many great conductors including Sir Charles McKerras, Richard Bonynge, Sir Eugene Goosens and Otto Klemperer from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. For the Opening Ceremony of the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne we combined with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra playing in the presence of Prince Phillip. At the end of that year we returned to Perth and rejoined WASO. I can remember it was in 1960 in the Capitol Theatre.

 Sir Malcolm Sargent conducted the first telecast of the orchestra in Perth, but he spent most of the performance looking to the cameras on his left! In 1965 John and I were invited to go to London with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for the Commonwealth Festival of Arts.

During our stay, the Orchestra was invited to lunch with Prince Phillip. I was tapped on the shoulder and told not to smoke until the Prince arrived. He duly turned up and it seemed as though everyone lit up a cigarette.

In 1967 we played with the MSO in Montreal for Expo, whilst my parents minded our 3 children -Penny 7, Peter 5 and Paul aged 1.

In 1969 we returned to Melbourne where John was appointed Principal Double Bass player for the MSO. I worked on a casual basis while Paul started school and how fortunate I was that the Government decided to expand the State Orchestra and new jobs became available in 1973. The Victorian State Orchestra played for the Australian Opera, the Australian Ballet and the Victorian Opera Company. I enjoyed my 18 years of playing at these performances particularly the Opera. Many composers wrote an opera at the peak of their careers, usually a culmination of their life‘s work. In my opinion some of the best music ever written comes from the Opera repertoire.

During these years I toured to Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide and played for Placido Domingo and I worked with Simone Young on her early performances as a conductor when she looked to be no more than 18. I also performed at a charity performance of Swan Lake attended by Princess Anne, who I met backstage later. I was also fortunate to be part of many performances of that wonderful partnership of Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge. I retired as a music professional in 1991 and again we returned across the Nullarbor to settle back into Perth after an absence of 23 years. I took up playing bridge immediately which was a wonderful pastime to fill the void after my active life in music. I love the game because it is so challenging and we all start off as equals. I have three great partners in Val Fleay, Ann Bussell and Cynthia Matthews and we try to support all the major WABC events. The social side of bridge is very important to me, what is the point of doing well if you don‘t have friends to share in your enjoyment!

I feel very privileged to have been in the music profession and now to have so many friends at our wonderful West Australian Bridge Club.

 (Editor’s Note. Jill has been an active member of our club for 20 years and we have appreciated the time and energy she has willingly given to support WABC events. Congratulations Jill on reaching another decade recently! John Rigg)

 Published in September 2011 Edition of Trumps Plus