Students from the Department of Media, Music, Communication and Cultural studies had the exciting opportunity last week to hear and learn from Josh Pyke, ARIA award-winning singer-songwriter as he took on the role of 2015 Artist in Residence.

The Artist in Residence program, which started in 2011, is supported by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Music Grants Scheme to provide a focus on the contemporary song and songwriting processes from the singer-songwriter perspective.

“The Program is a great opportunity for music students to engage with singer-songwriters, and to discuss creative and industry practices,” said Dr Diane Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Vocal Studies. “We were particularly excited this year that Josh was able to join us in mentoring our students and in discussing a range of musical creativities. APRA funding enables us to undertake this program and we’re very grateful to both Josh and APRA for their respective contributions.”

Dr Hughes explains Josh provided mentoring to music students through workshops, lectures and individual mentoring sessions on songwriting and independent artist development.

We asked Josh a number of questions in the lead-up to his commencement in the role.

Congratulations on your Artist in Residence role at Macquarie. How did it come about?
I was approached about doing it at a time when I was reflecting on how much I enjoy engaging in mentorship, so I jumped at the chance.

What made you decide to take up this role and what do you personally hope to achieve from it?
I’ve been involved in various similar projects over the years and run my own grant program (the JP Partnership), which involves a mentorship component, so it was an opportunity I was eager to take up. Mentorship and passing on experiences in an industry that can often lack structure or leadership is something I’m passionate about. I hope the students will get some insight into being a professional arts worker from someone who’s been doing it for over 10 years.

During your residency you will be conducting a lecture for songwriting students, a songwriting workshop, one-on-one mentoring sessions, and an industry panel and songwriting showcase. What do you hope to achieve for the students through each of these various forums?
Creativity is an area that is different for every person that engages in the field. People’s experiences with their creativity are subjective, but there are things I’ve learned over the years that seem to apply to all creative pursuits, and I want to share those insights with the students in each of the sessions.

As Artist in Residence, what do you want to impart to young aspiring artists?
I mainly want to impart the sense that creativity is different for everyone. It’s a subjective experience and there are no rights or wrongs, and sometimes that can seem confronting when you’re looking for guidance as to how to progress in a career. I also want to focus on the value of collaboration, and how collaborating with, and respecting creatives from different fields can be the most valuable thing an artist can do.

Who influences your music and what inspires you to write music?
I’ve always been inspired by my own experiences. Books I’ve read, conversations I’ve heard. I like to take those things and try to create songs that are personal, but also have some kind of universal relevance.

What was the best advice you were given when you were starting out in the music industry?
If you’re going to pack boxes, be the best at packing boxes. It applies to life in general. Big opportunities rarely present themselves to you out of the blue, even if they may appear to. Big chances are usually the culmination of many smaller successes. So, even if you’re doing something that doesn’t seem relevant, do it to the best of your ability and someone will notice.