Musical visionaries

Lady Potter AC (left) and Lady Cowen

Report: Sophie Marcard
Photography: Greg Ford

Two eminent Australians - Lady Potter AC (HonLLD 2011) and Lady Cowen - are active supporters of the fundraising campaign for the new building for the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music.

Lady Cowen is the patron of the campaign and has generously lent her late husband’s name to the designation of the Monash University School of Music.

Lady Potter is a dynamic member of the campaign committee and has led a transformational gift from The Ian Potter Foundation.

“I am proud to be the foundation donor for this magnificent project,” said Lady Potter.

“Music is a creative endeavour, which means that the spaces in which it is learned, rehearsed and performed, matter. They can facilitate the cross pollination of ideas and inspire new levels of creativity,” she said.

“Melbourne has a formidable history as a crucible for the arts. If we are to carry that tradition forward into new generations, we must invest. Globalisation means we must produce musicians and artists that are not just the best in Australia or the Pacific, but rank amongst the finest in the world.  I am confident that, in this inspiring new space, the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music will be more than equal to the challenge.”

The iconic new building for the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music will be located at the gateway to the University’s Clayton campus. 

For Lady Cowen, the new building reflects her late husband’s love of music.

“Zelman could not imagine life without music, but he had the good fortune to live at time when music became as accessible as water, available at the turn of a tap,” said Lady Cowen. 

“As a university Vice-Chancellor, as Governor-General, and every step of his career, he did everything he could to foster and encourage music.”

Designed by celebrated international architect Moshe Safdie, the building will have a number of versatile and beautiful performance spaces including an 800-seat concert hall, a 200-seat informal Jazz Café/Club, an outdoor amphitheatre, and The Salon – a 150-seat mini auditorium which can be reconfigured depending on the type of performance.

“The building’s exterior is constructed of reinforced concrete with inlaid stone, contrasting with the concert hall enclosure, which is stainless steel articulated by concrete ribs. The gentle arches, which reach upwards, reflect the sky and clouds and the surrounding trees during the day, and at night they glitter with the surrounding lights,” said Mr Safdie.

There are also numerous rehearsal rooms – for single students through to ensembles – plus student and staff spaces.  A fully-equipped recording studio will enable the recording of local, national and international artists.

“Taking advantage of Melbourne’s gentle climate and changing seasons, the building is designed for indoor/outdoor life. The amphitheatre, jazz club terrace and entry piazza flow into the building, providing open views into it at night. The building glows in the campus, exuding a sense of extrovertness; the life within it visible to all who surround it and pass by it,” said Mr Safdie.

Complementing Monash University’s existing performing arts precinct, the new building will create a cultural hub for the growing south-eastern region of Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, developing new audiences for the University’s program of performances.

The building will support excellence in music education and research as well as public performances by local and international visiting professional artists, students, staff, schools and community groups.

Mr Albert Dadon AM, chairman of the fundraising campaign for the building and a noted musician, said that the environment is very important for music.

“While music can be played and learned anywhere, spectacular surroundings can inspire new levels of creativity.  Our environment is a sounding board, an influence, a catalyst for exciting performances and often for opening new directions,” said Mr Dadon.

“The School’s world-class facilities will draw in the community, as well as attract new talent, new students from Australia and abroad.  This is an important project for Monash, Victoria and Australia.”

Monash University would also like to sincerely thank the anonymous supporters of the new building.