JANE RUTTER, FLUTIST AUSTRALIA DAY AMBASSADOR SPEECH 2019

Flutist Jane Rutter’s 2019 Australia Day Ambassador Speech

There is considerable controversy around Australia Day, and I have empathy with those who are upset by the date, its title and the dark side of what it represents. Nonetheless, having been asked for a number of years  as a flutist to participate as an Australia Day Ambassador, I felt honoured to accept. With an 8 am start – early for a flutist – I found myself taking some artistic license in the live version which is on this link:
 Jane Rutter Australia Day Ambassadors Live Performance Speech 2019

Welcome Everyone VIPs and Dignitaries. I’d like to show my respect and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we are meeting, The Gumbaynggirr people. I pay my respects to Elders past and present. Thank you for inviting me to Nambucca Heads to spend this special day known as Australia Day with you all. Regardless of political views, I invite you to make this a day of celebration: a day of joy, gratitude and reflection.  The Theme for Australia Day 2019 is EVERYONE, EVERY STORY. I often say to my music students ‘There is only one person in the world who has your exact story, and that is you. Tell me your story through the sound of your instrument…’ We all have something to offer and today is perhaps a day to reflect upon what indeed each of us can offer…

I’m one of more than three hundred Australia Day Ambassadors adding our voices to today’s celebration. I am very proud to be part of this national program. Right now Australia Day Ambassadors are participating in community celebrations right across the nation.

I am an Australia Day Ambassador because:
I’m a well known flutist in fact I have been described as ‘Australia’s First Lady of the Flute’; I have released 23 solo albums (many of which have reached No1 status); I am a Professor, Composer, TV Presenter and sometime Activist. (When I have the time I love to campaign against disposable plastics in our environment particularly the ocean-you may like to check out my Youtube playlist in which I interview famous and not so famous people about this issue. A solution I came up with many years ago is a no-brainer-that we all forego one piece of disposable plastic per day. It’s so easy to do and could mean the difference between literally millions of pieces of plastic going into the ocean on a daily basis.)

Jane Rutter Anti-Plastics in the Ocean Youtube Complete Playlist

What does conductor Richard Bonynge think about PLASTICS in the oceans?

What does flutist Jane Rutter think about PLASTICS in the oceans?

What does writer comedian John Doyle (aka Roy Slaven) think about PLASTICS in the oceans?

What does 3 year old Olivia think about PLASTICS in the oceans

What does pianist Simon Tedeschi think about PLASTICS in the oceans?
What does activist Nell Schofield think about PLASTICS in the ocean?

What does Surfer Leonardo Tognetti think of PLASTICS in the ocean?… DISGUSTING!

I love to work with young people, and to present my music to many different people in many different venues. I believe that creativity is the birthright of everyone. I also believe in freedom of expression and equality for all. In my world no one is left out. I love to include everyone. To quote Bette Midler “I love people they’re my species!”.

I’m proud to be an Aussie, and SO proud that I was recently knighted by France. When I think of France and what she represents in terms of politics, equality, freedom of expression, etiquette, the rights of man, culture and the arts, I could not be more honoured.

As an Artefact, the Flute is the oldest instrument know to man, dating back 40,000 years. The Didgeridoo dates back the same number of years. Anthropologists believe that early man used the flute as a tool of communication when spoken language was not lacking in sophistication. On every continent in nearly every country there is to be found a flute deity and a different type of flute… and so the flute is all-encompassing, an instrument which unites the world: all races, opinions, continents, demographics and psychographics. As a musician it’s a marvellous convergence for me to be an Australian flutist who plays in the French Style (In which the instrument is a voice) AND to come from a continent in which our First Nation people have lived for over 60,000 years singing the land and playing their wonderful musical instruments. Together and apart the Flute & Didgeridoo have a powerful connection for me. 

I was brought up in a culture of the social inclusion.I had a fantastic, almost entirely public education, with brilliant teachers like Richard Gill, Peter Seymour, Victor McMahon, Don Burrows, Margaret Crawford , Michael Scott, Robert Pikler, Lois Simpson and more. I attend the Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School, (prior to that, Cremorne Girls High School and Loreto Convent Kirribilli).

My mother, Anne, is an English woman who came to Australia shortly after World War II, during which she experienced various horrors, including being bombed. A gifted English, History and language teacher, my mother taught many migrants English as their second language. Mum would often invite her students (from many nations) home for a meal. Thus as a child my brother and I experienced the joys of multiculturalism from an early age.

My father, Barry, came from a working class family in the Bega Valley. Of Dutch origin, Dad became a successful businessman and early computer programmer who in 1970s spent time working for Aboriginal rights in the Northern Territory. Like Mum, Dad’s strong sense of equality between the sexes and people of all races indicated his generosity. A man who loved to cook, who loved to share any good fortune- be it fruit from his fruit trees or freshly shucked oysters when ever people dropped round, or making scones or waffles for me and my school friends. Dad had an old waffle iron that he had bought from an Auction house. It was so ancient he would wear his rubber gumboots whilst using it to avoid the possibility of electric shock!

  My maternal grandfather, John Noble Shipton, ran away to sea from Freemantle at the age of 14. He joined the Light Horse Brigade to flight in the Dardanelles campaign at Gallipoli and was decorated in World War I. World War II saw him decorated a second time, this time as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Naval Reserve. When my grandfather’s ship was bombed during the London Blitz, he saved the ship and most of his crew, for which he was awarded the highly coveted Lloyds Medal for Bravery. (I recently discovered an autobiographical novel my grandfather wrote, in which every chapter is dedicated to song.This is poignant for me, because I have also dedicated my life to the notion of song through the medium of the flute.)

Both my parents spent their lives sharing their love of knowledge, and of people. They encouraged me in my every endeavour, and instilled in me a strong sense of belief in myself. They showed me how to love and care for the bush, how be in nature. How to be happy alone, and with people. Entirely lacking in prejudice, mum and dad were intelligent and worked hard to pay for their own higher education. Both my parents were friendly: genuinely interested-they included everyone, were always empathetic.

In his brilliant Australia day address, Hugh Mackay proposed an Australia of compassion and kindness-it’s the kind of Australia that I was lucky enough to grow up in, and the kind of Australia that I would like to see continue developing in our future. I’ve come from a privileged background-not particularly from a financial context-but from a context of camaraderie, love of knowledge, equality, and creative freedom. Lucky me, as most of my life has been centred on my great love, music… and my best storytelling is through the narrative and songs of my flute.

I went to France as an 18-year-old. There I was awarded a French government scholarship and spent three years under the brilliant tutelage of Jean-Pierre Rampal and Alain Marion, luminaries of the flute.

My French flute teachers had their own version of song lines-conveying joy and wonder at being alive through their music. A sense of keeping the great Life-Force alive through sound and song. My flute sound is thanks to my French flute teachers, who were also lovers of life: men of great generosity, who would also convey social inclusion-merely by their playing and the song of their flutes. Through their teaching, I was taught to metaphorically embrace and include the audience in all my concerts.I know that when I’m happiest it’s because I’m being the best I can be: Either playing my music and sharing its joys, or helping other people. To me this is being in a place of devotion.

Take time to think about what makes you happy… when you’re down, perhaps saying g’day to somebody will cheer you up as well?  Perhaps not taking on small problems, but rather problems that are worthy of one’s life is a good ideal…We are all on the same journey in this life. We all love... We all have various problems, issues, obstacles. We all have things which bring joy: family, friends, community, sharing, nature, culture.

Despite us coming from different places, there’s always something that unites us – being Australian and our love for the country we call home.

As Hugh Mackay said: The eleven ships in the First Fleet contained about 40 different nationalities. Those ships arrived in a land of hundreds of Indigenous nations. So in a way even before white man, Australia was already a multi-cultural society.

I’m lucky enough o have lived overseas several times and to have experienced first hand many different cultures. It is my belief that with our brilliant history of multiculturalism, and our brilliant resources, if we look to the future with increasing tolerance, kindness and respect, Australia can be an ongoing Treasure Vase for the World.

Australians share many great things. We value freedom, we believe if you work hard you can achieve your dreams, we stick together in tough times and believe in a fair go. And we are proud to celebrate that on Australia Day.  And a special thing about today is we are free to celebrate Australia and being Australian in all sorts of ways. (Around the country there are Australians catching up with friends and families, attending community events, multicultural parades, Indigenous festivals, listening to or playing music, or just enjoying some downtime.)

 Today is the day when we acknowledge the immense cultural legacy of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our nation’s story begins with their history and continues in the present and future. I’d also like to take time to acknowledge all the hard work that our volunteers do across the country. Australia Day assists in the expression of our true sense of community and this is made possible especially through the hard work of many people within the community.

In closing and looking forward: No matter how different our lifestyles are, I hope today will fill us all-with a sense of belonging and affection for this great country. I’d like to welcome our brand new citizens and wish them the very best as new Australians.  I’d to express the desire that every Australian child receive a fantastic education that includes much music. (Music-like sport creates leadership in all.) I’d like every Australian child to be instilled with a spiritual connection to the land, a sense of place and respect for elders past and present; to have an education that helps to stay connected in all sorts of ways not just on the internet. I’d like our children to be taught that thoughts are often just a point of view. That who we truly are is the living manifestation of that which inspires us. I hope we can continue the quest for an integration and equality not previously known.

 In spite of the many problems of the world, it is still a miracle to walk upon the face of the earth, and even more of a miracle to be born, to live in, or to be a citizen of this truly astounding, beautiful country of ours, Australia.

  I would like to thank the Nambucca Shire Council for inviting me here today.

  Happy Australia Day everyone, enjoy everything on offer and my best wishes for the coming year. (I would now like to perform for you my arrangement of a Peter Allen song-day which seems totally appropriate for today… enjoy! (Piccolo rendition of I Still Call Australia Home)

Jane Rutter Flute Main Youtube Channel