SPOTLIGHT ON... Dr June Nixon, Australia’s best-known organist, choir trainer and composer

You have had a long career in church music, winning great distinction both as organist and choir director, and now you are primarily known world-wide as a composer. Take us back to the beginning – when and how did your commitment to music begin?

I grew up in a small country town, beginning piano lessons aged four. When I was 14, I moved to a country secondary school where I sang in the local cathedral choir. It was there that I first become obsessed with the organ and choirs. I trained as a teacher, then taught in schools for three years before studying piano and organ at Melbourne University.

But why did you train as a teacher instead of pursuing full-time music study?

I finished school at 16, and university at that time wasn’t an option. Instead, I signed a bond with the Education Department which involved two years’ teacher training, followed by three years’ class teaching. I soon realised I was in the wrong place, and I used every possible moment to find an organ and to try to teach myself. Fortunately, the “powers that be” took pity on me and awarded an extension of my studentship to study piano at Melbourne University for another three years. As soon as I moved to Melbourne, in addition to piano studies I began private organ lessons at a church which had a choir of men and boys. As I progressed, was given opportunities for performance and accompanying. After three years of piano studies, I switched to organ B.Mus, somehow fitting this around my three years of the teaching bond.

In 1968 you won the Australian National Organ Competition, so you were clearly ambitious (and brilliant) as an organist – did you consider becoming a full-time concert organist at that time in your life?

No, I was too interested in choirs. Besides, by then I was married!

I believe you undertook post-graduate study in London?

Yes, I was awarded two postgraduate scholarships to study abroad, and I chose London.

And over the years the UK has marked your career with many honours: AM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1998, the FRSCM, and the John Brooke prize for the RCO’s Choir Training Diploma. You were the first woman to receive the latter; have there been other ‘firsts’ for you as a woman in church music?

I guess that would be the Lambeth Doctorate, as previous recipients were mostly cathedral organists, who at that time were inevitably men.

Of course - the Archbishop of Canterbury awarding the Lambeth Doctorate to any musician is still rare, and especially to a woman! Tell us more about it.

It was for my contribution to church music in Australia as Organist and Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne, and teacher, composer and organ recitalist for over 25 years.

Your appointment as Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne, was over 50 years ago. Was it unusual in Australia for a woman, especially such a young woman, to be appointed to such a high-status role in church music at that time in Australia?

I believe it really caused quite a stir at the time. Fortunately, I was mostly unaware of it, being totally focused on making the Cathedral music the best it could be.

What were the biggest challenges as you began that appointment, especially as a young woman running an all-male choir?

I have been asked if any men left the choir because wouldn’t sing for a woman - well, I certainly hope so, as I wouldn’t have wanted those kinds of people in the choir!

Undoubtedly, my biggest challenge was to produce six or seven choral services weekly, with choir men who were voluntary – a situation I’ve not heard of anywhere else! However, a lovely camaraderie developed amongst the choir men, which is so essential to group music performance.

I see that you retired from the Cathedral in 2013. It was a different musical world by then!

Yes, it’s so good now to see women in distinguished positions in cathedral music, employed on their merit rather than rejected for their gender.

Many SWO members, like me, will have performed your superb anthems, carols, canticles and organ music, enjoying their delightful combination of musical integrity, originality and audience appeal. What prompted you to start composing?

It was the introduction of the Australian Prayer Book in 1975, when I was obliged to compose settings for cathedral choir. Other things followed as the need arose.

But your output is enormous! Have your compositions always been prompted by need, or have they increasingly been commissions?

Both, but these days I tend to avoid deadlines!

Do you have any favourites among your many compositions … and are there any of your pieces that you wish were more widely known and performed?

Not really; maybe some I wish weren’t!

Many of our members are composers, too, and often finding it hard to be published. As your music is so widely published, do you have any tips to share with them about finding publishers?

Two tips:

1. Research publishers to be sure they’re publishing the kind of music you’re writing and will publicise it.

2. Have it computer set before you send it.

If approached by a young woman as enthusiastic about church music as you were at their age, what advice would you give them?

Set your sights high, work very hard, be available, but always have a ‘Plan B’.

Dr Nixon, it has been a delight to hear about your distinguished career; thank you!