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The Moorabool News – 1 February, 2022 Page 5
Musician hits high note By Lachlan Ellis Australia Day was a special day for a Bacchus Marsh man, awarded with an Order of Australia Medal, for his 30 years of service to music. Andrew Houston is a Life Member of the Western Region Concert Band, joining the Band in 1992, becoming Manager in 1995, and Musical Director in 2000. In 2004 he co-founded SingWest (formerly the Western Region Concert Choir), and has serviced as Musical Director of SingWest since 2011. He said he was shocked and humbled to receive the prestigious Order of Australia Medal. “I wasn’t expecting it…it hasn’t changed anything really, it was probably a shock given the last couple of years where things have been so interrupted with COVID. But we’re still working very hard,” he told the Moorabool News. “I joined the Western Region Concert Band as a player when I was at Melbourne Uni, and I was a member of the Australian Army’s Reserve Band as well. They had a few problems with conductors, I was a bit reluctant to take that up, but long story short, I started conducting there in 2000 and I’ve been there ever since. “It’s great, there’s a really good volunteer group there, great committee…of course, you can’t work in isolation, it’s a real team effort. So to get this honour’s great, but there’s a really good team behind it.” Mr Houston said a passion for community music, and the fun and rewarding nature of his work, was what had kept him going for three decades. “I have my own music that I play in the Melbourne blues scene, but I’m also passionate about getting volunteers to do community music. It’s music at all sorts of levels…I can play professionally, and also work with the amateur and volunteer circuit, and try and get some really good results out of the volunteers,” he said. “It’s great fun…I’ve had volunteers working with Leo Sayer, Christine Anu, James Morrison, Glenn Shorrock, and a whole range of people. Just to see the joy they get out of that, and the opportunities that creates…it’s very rewarding. I wouldn’t have been there as long if it wasn’t fun as well.” An unexpected benefit of winning an OAM has been getting back in contact with people, Mr Houston added. “I’ve gotten a lot of positive messages on all the socials, and the phone’s been going non-stop, emails too. What’s really nice about it is there’s people I haven’t connected with for many years getting in touch,” he said. “COVID’s been really good at keeping people ‘anti-socially distant’ I suppose, so to hear from people and touch base has been probably the nicest part of getting the award.” Mr Houston expects to receive the physical award in April or May at Government House – but with the uncertainty around the pandemic, admits he’s unsure of a specific date. He was one of just 732 Australians to receive an award in the General Division of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2022.
Moorabool’s newly crowned Order of Australia Medal recipient Andrew Houston. Photo – Lachlan Ellis
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