John Bishop
Encyclopedia
Lionel Albert Jack Bishop (26 October 1903 – 14 December 1964) was an Australia
n academic, conductor and patron of the arts. Bishop played a leading role in the development of music education
in Australia and was a founder of the Adelaide Festival of Arts
.
and studied piano from the age of 12 under the tuition of the distinguished Adelaide teacher William Silver. In 1919, he won the Alexander Clark Scholarship to the Elder Conservatorium
, and in 1923, he won the South Australian Elder Scholarship to the Royal College of Music
in London
. There, Bishop studied conducting in addition to furthering his piano studies. His first appointment as a conductor came in 1928 for the Royal Wellington Choral Union and Wellington Philharmonic Orchestra in New Zealand
.
He returned to Australia in 1936 to take up a position as Director of Music at Scotch College
in Melbourne
. From 1940-1947 he was conductor of the Melbourne University Conservatorium Orchestra. His involvement with music in Victoria
led him to become the first president of the Victorian School Music Association. From 1948, with the co-operation of fellow music teacher, Ruth Alexander, he organized summer music camps
for young musicians. In 1954, he founded the National Music Camp Association and was subsequently responsible for the establishment of the Australian Youth Orchestra
in 1957.
In 1948, Bishop became a Professor of Music at the University of Adelaide
, where he reformed the curriculum and faculty, and set up a visiting lectureship program. He formed a partnership with Sir Lloyd Dumas in the late 1950s to help found a major arts event in South Australia
. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Adelaide Festival of Arts
and became its inaugural arts director in 1960. Bishop continued in this position until his death. His involvement in the arts also included his positions as Chairman of the UNESCO Committee for Music
and as Federal President of the Arts Council of Australia
.
He died suddenly in the foyer of Australia House
in London, of hypertensive cardiovascular disease
, on 14 December 1964, aged 61.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n academic, conductor and patron of the arts. Bishop played a leading role in the development of music education
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
in Australia and was a founder of the Adelaide Festival of Arts
Adelaide Festival of Arts
The Adelaide Festival of Arts is an arts festival held biennially in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Although locally considered to be one of the world's greatest celebrations of the arts, that is internationally renowned and the pre-eminent cultural event in Australia, it is actually...
.
Biography
Bishop was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and studied piano from the age of 12 under the tuition of the distinguished Adelaide teacher William Silver. In 1919, he won the Alexander Clark Scholarship to the Elder Conservatorium
Elder Conservatorium
The Elder Conservatorium of Music is Australia's senior academy of music and one of the country's most distinguished institutions for comprehensive education, professional training, and research in music...
, and in 1923, he won the South Australian Elder Scholarship to the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. There, Bishop studied conducting in addition to furthering his piano studies. His first appointment as a conductor came in 1928 for the Royal Wellington Choral Union and Wellington Philharmonic Orchestra in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
He returned to Australia in 1936 to take up a position as Director of Music at Scotch College
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. From 1940-1947 he was conductor of the Melbourne University Conservatorium Orchestra. His involvement with music in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
led him to become the first president of the Victorian School Music Association. From 1948, with the co-operation of fellow music teacher, Ruth Alexander, he organized summer music camps
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
for young musicians. In 1954, he founded the National Music Camp Association and was subsequently responsible for the establishment of the Australian Youth Orchestra
Australian Youth Orchestra
The Australian Youth Orchestra is an Australian organisation for young musicians. It operates the flagship Youth Orchestra as well as Camerata Australia, Young Australian Concert Artists and Young Symphonists. It also runs several other activities including master classes, outreach programmes and...
in 1957.
In 1948, Bishop became a Professor of Music at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, where he reformed the curriculum and faculty, and set up a visiting lectureship program. He formed a partnership with Sir Lloyd Dumas in the late 1950s to help found a major arts event in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Adelaide Festival of Arts
Adelaide Festival of Arts
The Adelaide Festival of Arts is an arts festival held biennially in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Although locally considered to be one of the world's greatest celebrations of the arts, that is internationally renowned and the pre-eminent cultural event in Australia, it is actually...
and became its inaugural arts director in 1960. Bishop continued in this position until his death. His involvement in the arts also included his positions as Chairman of the UNESCO Committee for Music
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and as Federal President of the Arts Council of Australia
Regional Arts Australia
Regional Arts Australia is the national peak body for regional arts organisations throughout Australia. Formed in 1966 as the Arts Council of Australia, it is a federation of the peak non-metropolitan community arts organisations in each of the Australian states and territories. It advocates better...
.
He died suddenly in the foyer of Australia House
Australia House
The High Commission of Australia in London is housed in Australia House, a building that also accommodates other Australian federal and state government agencies, including the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, part of King's College London....
in London, of hypertensive cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...
, on 14 December 1964, aged 61.
Further reading
- Hewlett, Awdry; Cause to rejoice: the life of John Bishop, 1 v, Rigby, 1973.
- Symons, Christopher; John Bishop: a life for music, 1 v, Hyland House, 1989.