STAYING IN TOUCH
AFTER a lengthy career in classical music radio, John Crawford isn’t exactly having a quiet retirement.
Working as the production manager for the Australian Festival of Chamber Music isn’t exactly an easy role.
But 67- year- old Crawford, who worked at the ABC for 33 years as a producer and pre- senter, said it was one he had thoroughly enjoyed doing for the last three years.
“I just thought it would be too severe a break to just go cold turkey so I rang AFCM executive director Justin Ankus and asked if there was any work going,” he said.
“It was a way of keeping involved with music and musicians.”
During his time at the public broadcaster, Crawford presented on ABC Classic FM and specialist programs in Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney and later went on to be the live music director.
Crawford said he first became interested in radio as a music student at Latrobe University, when a lecturer asked him to help out with a community radio station.
“I just fell in love with radio there and then,” he said.
It was as an ABC presenter that Crawford first attended the AFCM and he’s been there every year since. “In the Australian festival circuit it’s quite unique, bringing musicians from all over the world to play pieces that don’t always get played in concerts,” he said.
Crawford flew into Townsville about two weeks ago from Sydney and said it was a great time of year to come to North Queensland.
A keen diver, he plans to check out the underwater sights off Magnetic Island in the lead- up to the festival.
“I’ve done the SS Yongala 10 times now and last year we went to Orpheus and Pelorus and dived there,” he said.
“When you get closer to the festival there’s not too much spare time though.
“I might work a series of 17hour days and they start early and finish late.
“I do the Orpheus Island concert and that involves lugging gear up to Lucinda and going across on the barge to set up on the beach before the ferry arrives with all the customers at 3pm.”
The Australian Festival of Chamber Music will run at various locations in and around Townsville from July 27 to August 5.