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Harold Blair
Harold Blair AM (13 September 1924 – 21 May 1976) was a Wulli Wulli man, an Australian tenor and Aboriginal activist. He has been called the "last great Australian tenor of the concert hall era".
Blair was born at the Barambah Aboriginal Reserve at Cherbourg, 5 kilometres (3 mi) from Murgon in Queensland, on 13 September 1924. His mother was Esther Quinn, a teenage Aboriginal woman. His surname, Blair, came from the family that had "adopted" his mother. He and his mother then went to the Salvation Army Purga Mission near Ipswich.[citation needed] His mother was sent into domestic service, leaving Harold, then aged two, at the mission, where he received an elementary education. Blair left school at age 16, gaining employment as a farm labourer.[citation needed]
At the age of 17, he was working as a tractor driver at the Fairymead Sugar Mill. Communist trade union organiser Harry Green of Ipswich heard him singing and encouraged him to make it his career. In 1944 he joined professional artists raising money for charitable and patriotic causes. In March 1945 he entered a radio talent quest in Brisbane and attracted a record number of listeners' votes. The Queensland state government offered sponsorship for his further musical training, but was not taken up. Soprano Marjorie Lawrence heard him sing and praised his potential for representing Aboriginal culture to the public. And an unnamed medical practitioner was a major sponsor. A group of trade unionists, academics and musicians, including the composer Margaret Sutherland, formed a trust to sponsor his career.
The fund was managed by a Brisbane committee, under secretary Harry Green, president Professor J. V. Duhig, and whose members included Martin Healy (secretary of the Queensland T. and L. Council) and Dr Dalley-Scarlett. He boarded at John and Gwen Lloyd's (Gwenoldyn Kent Hughes) house in Melbourne while he attended the Melba Conservatorium.
He entered the Melba Conservatorium in Melbourne in 1945 and earned a Diploma of Music with honours in 1949. In 1950, Blair was invited to study in the United States by the noted African-American singer Todd Duncan. Blair studied at the Juilliard School, New York. While in New York he sang in a church in Harlem.
In 1951, the Australian Broadcasting Commission offered Blair a three-year singing contract, commencing with an extensive tour to celebrate 50 years of Federation. At least one critic disapproved of the ABC's lionizing an unproven performer, but Henri Penn, his accompanist throughout the tour, was generally praised. His repertoire consisted largely of European classical pieces in their original tongue — German lieder, Italian opera, and French art songs, as well as works in English by Handel and Southern spirituals. He also introduced traditional Aboriginal songs — "Nananala Kututja" ("O God, Stay With Us Always", arranged by Rev R. M. Trudinger), "Maranoa Lullaby" and "Jabbin Jabbin" (arranged by Dr. H. O. Lethbridge, of Narrandera and Arthur S. Loam of Wagga), and other traditional songs, but admitted he most enjoyed singing "Aba Daba Honeymoon" with his wife Dorothy.
He cancelled his 41st concert in the series, at City Hall, Brisbane, due to a heavy cold but, though suffering laryngitis, gave a good concert at Maryborough three weeks later. He then returned to Brisbane, but was not in good voice. and gave up public appearances, at least temporarily, to concentrate on studying.
Having broken the contract, he was prohibited from singing professionally for three years. Discouraged, Blair sought other work including working for a hardware store. He expressed an interest in education and was taken on as a teacher at Ringwood Technical School. He later became a teacher at the Conservatorium in Melbourne, and served on the Aboriginal Arts Board.
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Harold Blair
Harold Blair AM (13 September 1924 – 21 May 1976) was a Wulli Wulli man, an Australian tenor and Aboriginal activist. He has been called the "last great Australian tenor of the concert hall era".
Blair was born at the Barambah Aboriginal Reserve at Cherbourg, 5 kilometres (3 mi) from Murgon in Queensland, on 13 September 1924. His mother was Esther Quinn, a teenage Aboriginal woman. His surname, Blair, came from the family that had "adopted" his mother. He and his mother then went to the Salvation Army Purga Mission near Ipswich.[citation needed] His mother was sent into domestic service, leaving Harold, then aged two, at the mission, where he received an elementary education. Blair left school at age 16, gaining employment as a farm labourer.[citation needed]
At the age of 17, he was working as a tractor driver at the Fairymead Sugar Mill. Communist trade union organiser Harry Green of Ipswich heard him singing and encouraged him to make it his career. In 1944 he joined professional artists raising money for charitable and patriotic causes. In March 1945 he entered a radio talent quest in Brisbane and attracted a record number of listeners' votes. The Queensland state government offered sponsorship for his further musical training, but was not taken up. Soprano Marjorie Lawrence heard him sing and praised his potential for representing Aboriginal culture to the public. And an unnamed medical practitioner was a major sponsor. A group of trade unionists, academics and musicians, including the composer Margaret Sutherland, formed a trust to sponsor his career.
The fund was managed by a Brisbane committee, under secretary Harry Green, president Professor J. V. Duhig, and whose members included Martin Healy (secretary of the Queensland T. and L. Council) and Dr Dalley-Scarlett. He boarded at John and Gwen Lloyd's (Gwenoldyn Kent Hughes) house in Melbourne while he attended the Melba Conservatorium.
He entered the Melba Conservatorium in Melbourne in 1945 and earned a Diploma of Music with honours in 1949. In 1950, Blair was invited to study in the United States by the noted African-American singer Todd Duncan. Blair studied at the Juilliard School, New York. While in New York he sang in a church in Harlem.
In 1951, the Australian Broadcasting Commission offered Blair a three-year singing contract, commencing with an extensive tour to celebrate 50 years of Federation. At least one critic disapproved of the ABC's lionizing an unproven performer, but Henri Penn, his accompanist throughout the tour, was generally praised. His repertoire consisted largely of European classical pieces in their original tongue — German lieder, Italian opera, and French art songs, as well as works in English by Handel and Southern spirituals. He also introduced traditional Aboriginal songs — "Nananala Kututja" ("O God, Stay With Us Always", arranged by Rev R. M. Trudinger), "Maranoa Lullaby" and "Jabbin Jabbin" (arranged by Dr. H. O. Lethbridge, of Narrandera and Arthur S. Loam of Wagga), and other traditional songs, but admitted he most enjoyed singing "Aba Daba Honeymoon" with his wife Dorothy.
He cancelled his 41st concert in the series, at City Hall, Brisbane, due to a heavy cold but, though suffering laryngitis, gave a good concert at Maryborough three weeks later. He then returned to Brisbane, but was not in good voice. and gave up public appearances, at least temporarily, to concentrate on studying.
Having broken the contract, he was prohibited from singing professionally for three years. Discouraged, Blair sought other work including working for a hardware store. He expressed an interest in education and was taken on as a teacher at Ringwood Technical School. He later became a teacher at the Conservatorium in Melbourne, and served on the Aboriginal Arts Board.