Honoured for a career in music
For a musician who in her own words has a “certain anonymity” in Australia, an Order of Australia Medal yesterday was a huge honour.
Lisa Gerrard of Drouin West may have a Golden Globe to her extensive credits, but this week she is celebrating recognition for a music career spanning more than four decades.
The singer, songwriter and composer was awarded an OAM for “service to the performing arts through music.”
Speaking to The Gazette from Germany, where she is on tour with international film score composer Hans Zimmer, Lisa says she is “amazed and so honoured” to be awarded an OAM.
“I have never really been recognised in my own country. I like that I have a certain anonymity in Australia,” she says.
Lisa says “music has always been there” in her life and she’d enjoyed a wonderful career in music.
“You don’t do it because you’ll be wealthy or successful, you do it because music is who you are.”
Lisa admits she was “living on the smell of an oily rag” when her career shot to star status in the early 1980s when the band she co-founded with Brendan Perry, Dead Can Dance, relocated from Melbourne to London.
Since then she has released four albums and collaborated on 16 albums.
Lisa has contributed to more than 40 movie scores including Balibo (2009), Gladiator (2000) and Black Hawk Down (2001).
Recognition for her talent has included a Golden Globe in 2001 for best original score in Gladiator; ARIA for best original soundtrack for Balibo in 2009; and, APRA Screen Music Award for best original soundtrack for Balibo in 2009.
Lisa says her greatest luxury is being able to write music for herself.
“When I work with other people I have to fulfil their visions and create what they want to achieve,” she says.
Lisa’s “first instrument” is her voice, for which her talent has been used in many movies, but she also plays the yangqin.
Internationally, Lisa has had a long working relationship with Hans Zimmer.
“I’ve had some wonderful experiences and I’ve loved working with Hans.
But, she also loves the opportunity to work with Australian pianist Paul Grabowsky, who she describes as a “powerhouse of talent.”
While her repertoire of movies is extensive, she says Whale Rider was one of her favourites.
Lisa wrote the musical score for Whale Rider, which she describes as a “very touching, wonderful story.”
Lisa moved to her Drouin West property almost 20 years ago, from Moondarra, to enable her daughters to attend school at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School.
Her patch of rural paradise survived Black Saturday and while she spends significant periods overseas for work, Lisa loves her time at home.
Lisa says while many people would say she owns a hobby farm, she says it is her patch of land “with lots of animals that are my pets.”
But it also is home to her studio and seven acres of garden that she hopes one day can be opened to the public – the perfect setting she says for yoga and teaching young people music.
“That’s my dream…but I want to make it happen. I want to run singing workshops there.
“I really want to create something for kids in the area for music. A lot of people start playing music but give up because there aren’t enough opportunities,” she says.
With a lot of her time spent overseas, Lisa says she enjoyed being home in Drouin West for the COVID years.
“It was nice to spend time at home and not feel that guilt that I wasn’t working.
While having to take advantage of the opportunities for work overseas, Australia will be always home.
“The girls are in Australia and my mum. Home is where your people are,” she says.