Jody Harrison created this website and edits and adds to it every day.
The internet is not a reliable source, so every effort has been made to only represent sourced material and all corrections are welcome.
This website represents a lifetime of hoarding and sorting physical archival material which now needs to be digitised. It expands upon years of research started by my grandfather William, continued by my Aunty Jill and is ongoing, with the particular assistance of cousin Julie (daughter of Ramon) and all of you.
This website is dedicated to my parents Jack and Marcia. I am the last child of this union and although I never succeeded in a career of music, I attempt to honour them through my strongest skills – hoarding, organisation and my passion for history.
Jody Harrison is the daughter of Jack Harrison and Marcia Chayter.
Born in 1963, she grew up in City Beach and attended City Beach Primary School and St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School.
In 1967, Jody’s parents met William Boissevain through Iwan Iwanoff and commissioned Wim to paint her portrait.
From 1969 Jody studied the piano learning from Patricia Gladstones and later in 1978 with Michael Cole achieving Grade 7 in both piano and the oboe in 1980.
Jody studied ballet with Diana Waldron from 1969 until 1974.
From the age of 12 Jody learnt the oboe, initially from her brother Jay and then from Lawrence Frankel, Joel Marangella and Thomas Indermühle.
Jody was a member of the W.A. Arts Orchestra from 1980 until 1988 and augmented with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
Joy performed in the1983 Australian Youth Orchestra season in Perth and was Principal Oboe for their 1985 Adelaide season.
Jody was a W.A. finalist in the 1984 Young Performers Award performing solo cor anglais with the WASO. conducted by Albert Rosen in the Perth Concert Hall in front of 1800 people. Accompanying her in the WASO was her father Jack, brother Jay and oboe teacher Joel Marangella. Elisa Wilson was a vocal finalist and arrived wearing an almost identical frock of floaty pale blue chiffon. The whole experience from beginning to end was terrifying and Jody never needed to perform a concerto again.
Jody Graduated from the University of W.A. with a Bachelor of Music Honours in 1984. She was accompanied by Graeme Gilling for her final recital who invited her back in 1985 to perform in his Masters recital.
In 1985 she was awarded Australian Music Board and Western Australian Arts Council grants to undertake post graduate performance studies at the Zürich Conservatorium of Music with oboist Thomas Indermühle where she studied towards a Soloist Diploma from 1986 – 1987 and attended a Summer School in Provence, France.
On returning to Perth, she continued performing with the W.A. Arts Orchestra and in 1988 completed the first year of a Bachelor of Arts (Arts Management) at Edith Cowan University which she deferred due to a move to Melbourne.
In 1989 Jody worked for Melbourne Radio 3LO and then in December was appointed as Assistant Orchestra Manager with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and with whom she also augmented on oboe and cor anglais.
As an Orchestra Manager with Melbourne Symphony, Jody was lucky enough to meet Elton John who had previously toured with the orchestra, was privileged to manage one of the last concerts conducted by Stuart Challender and managed the Frank Sinatra concert in Melbourne in 1991.
In 1991 she returned to Perth to work in the management of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, occasionally augmenting on oboe and cor anglais.
1993
In 1993 Jody had her first child – Samantha and in 1997 another daughter, Jacqueline.
Jody produced and created many concerts, including the inaugural Symphony at Sandalford with Kate Ceberano and many outdoor concerts in venues such as Kings Park.
In 2003 Jody curated an exhibition celebrating the history of the WASO, their 75th Anniversary and the publication of her mother Marcia Harrison‘s book.
In November 2004 , after 13 years, WASO made Jody’s position redundant.
In February 2005 Jody created and became Director of her own company Solo to Symphony and was an agent for jazz and classical musicians until 2013, including Libby Hammer and Hip Mo’ Toast.
This was the last photograph of Jody’s mother Marcia, who passed away unexpectedly on April 9th 2005.
In 2006, aged 43, Jody had her third child, so she was pretty busy.
As Director of Solo to Symphony, she successfully applied for several grants, including being awarded an Australia Council Grant for the Blackwood Project. Blackwood was premiered 2011 Perth International Arts Festival. It was commissioned for Iain Grandage (composer), Kevin Gillam (poet/lyricist) and performers Sara Macliver (soprano), Allan Meyer (clarinet) & Graeme Gilling (piano) and the art of Brendon Darby.
From 2009 until 2012 Jody was employed by U.W.A. as Manager, Festival Baroque Australia.
From 2011 until 2013 she was Online Editor of Scoop magazine.
Jody has three children:
Samantha
Jacqueline
Max
She is a passionate genealogist and historian and a proud promoter of music in Western Australia.
Jody’s featured photo was taken by Nik Babic https://artshootmedia.com/about