DINDY VAUGHAN

1960-66 – A youth leadership course devised by Oliver Fiala, at the time a recent immigrant from Chekoslovakia, promoted strong emphasis on components of music, drama and visual arts in community interactions.

This resonated very strongly with Dindy Vaughan, a young participant, becoming a cornerstone of her subsequent working life.

Dindy had grown up in a small bush town where, post-1930s Depression, nobody had much in the way of material goods; post-World War 2, with parents passionate about art, music, and education, Dindy and family felt the gulf between their aspirations and the general consensus in the town, where such things were seen, in the main, as “not for the likes of us”.

Dindy had already realised that this prevailing attitude was why so many gifted Australians fled overseas to further their careers – there was a yawning gap between them and the general Australian community. From an early age she had resolved to change that, and the teaching of Oliver Fiala was an inspirational catalyst.

DRAMA/THEATRE, MUSIC, COMMUNITY ARTS, COMMUNITY PROJECTS

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1960-67 – as a part-time student at the University of Sydney, working as a Scanner in the High Energy Nuclear section of the Department of Physics, Dindy nevertheless embraced Oliver Fiala’s teaching to the full.

In her early years she gained recognition as;

*  choral conductor, chief conductor of Sydney University Musical Society  Choir 1966, and Founding Conductor of Flinders University Choral Society 1967
*  music theatre performer, both at University and in downtown Sydney
*  singer, regular work with ABC Radio broadcasts workshop presenter
*  recreational Therapist, volunteer at Broughton Hall Psychiatric  Centre, and employed at the Paton Asthma Centre. Of the latter, Dr Clair Isbister wrote……”her work has set the pattern that we have followed since”

1970-82 – career paths at this point were diverging, but ultimately she opted to accept an academic lectureship at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Dissatisfied, however, with the narrow focus, after some years she moved into community projects, maintaining part-time lecturing at Footscray Institute of Technology, and, later, being an Academic Assessor for Deakin University.

During these years, workshops were a major feature, resulting in much creative writing

*  generation of theatre by students at FIT, with Louisa, and With the Odds Stacked Against You, winning the Saltwater River Drama Festival in 1975 and 1976
*  women’s studies, Mountain District Women’s Co-operative, where she also established Matriculation classes, with very high success rates of students,
*  community development, writing many successful submissions and funding applications.

Her major interest in Music composition, ongoing since University days, continued, with a number of works for theatrical productions.

In 1979 she accepted a full-time position as Community Arts Officer with the City of Nunawading , where she,

*  developed Artist in Schools, and Galleries in Schools, programs
*  assisted formation of a local Disability Awareness Group
*  wrote a weekly Arts Column for the local Leader newspaper
*  developed arts and crafts classes in local community houses
*  instigated and co-ordinated special arts events (eg a huge community weaving), demonstrations and exhibitions of art and craft in public places, ethnic dance groups, and integration of intellectually disabled adults with schools and community groups
*  acted as one of the consultants for the development of Nunawading Community Theatre Complex (now Whitehorse Theatre).

In 1982, severe family illness forced a radical rethink of career.

Setting up business from her home base, Dindy developed a series of inter-related programs, Music Composition becoming a major focus (see Body of Work for Compositions and Youth Music).

Her business Gallery Without Walls developed and expanded opportunities for many musicians, visual artists and writers, activities including
. regular exhibitions of art work, frequently accompanied by music performance, both at home base, and touring to accompany other events. such as Music in the Round, and Ballarat Arts Post; also permanent exhibitions in other business premises.
. published books of poetry, ( Ocean, Salt’s Handkerchief, by Levantai, and Fighting Monsters by Judith Steele and Moira McAuliffe), essays and books on visual artists
. published music
. set up ongoing classic concerts by professional chamber performers in local communities, Burnt Bridge Classic Concerts, Sunday Afternoon at St Johns, Croydon, and Classics in the Caf at Burrinja, Upwey, all co-ordinated, directed and funded by Gallery Without Walls
. acted as Consultant for young professional musicians, such as Berkeley Ensemble
. researched and wrote on contemporary artists at behest of the Australia Council, resulting in their publication of Multiculturalism and the Arts and Perspectives on Visual Arts (see Research/Writing)
. invited to be Composer in Residence, 2012, Montsalvat, Eltham, Victoria.

Development of Music for Youth was also an important focus
. taught in schools, and from home studio
. established many music progams, including pre-school music, Burnt Bridge Junior and Senior Orchestras, and ongoing participation in Community Aid Abroad concerts; also Kids Concert Club, with regular attendance at Australia Pro Arte Concerts
. instituted regular country and interstate tours for Burnt Bridge Orchestras, performing at both Lake Bolac Eel Festivals and Lameroo P12 College, SA, and organising reciprocal tours and performances in Melbourne for country students.

Environmental issues also were a major focus
. researched, wrote and published LIAISE (regular review of local issues) and Environmental Action Resource Catalogue; contracted to proofread and provide commentary on the final draft of the Croydon Consultative Committee Report.

Setting up Focus on Water, 2004-5, Dindy worked on consultation and development with communities across Victoria, including East Gippsland, Lake Bolac, West Wimmera, Shire of Buloke, North Central, Lake Condah and Mansfield, resulting in instigation of the Lake Bolac Eel Festival, West Wimmera photography competition, a number of one-off workshops, and Dindy’s composition of a CD of music for shakuhachi (Anne Norman) and harpsichord (Peter Hagen) Up the Creek, a Finalist in the Australia Classic Music Awards 2006; subsequently also awarded a commission to compose a Choral Symphony, Discovery, for the Great South West Walk.

Oral history was always an important facet, being a major tool in researching aspects of contemporary arts; in 1993-5 Dindy recorded an extensive oral history of the Burnt Bridge area with John Rodaughan, a man of Aboriginal descent. These aural tapes are now lodged with Monash University.

From 2004-12 Dindy also undertook research and writing for Neil McLeod Fine Arts Studio, encompassing oral history of aspects of his work in PNG, and with Aboriginal people in Australia. Extensive research of his recorded material (written notes, CDs, Videos, DVDs, photographs), with cataloguing, extensive study of diaries, a wide bibliography and detailed interviews, eventuated in the production of the text of a comprehensive biography.

Current Work in Progress includes recording three CDs: Homecoming, (Flute, Clarinet, Cello, Piano), A Time and Place (String Quartet, Clarinet, Voice, Piano) and You Can’t Put Out the Flame (Piano Solos); a second Symphony is also in preparation.