Anne Boyd is a well-respected composer and educator who headed up the music faculty at the University of Sydney, one of Australia's oldest institutions of higher learning. In Australia, colleges and universities have traditionally been financed by the federal government, and a call for tighter educational budgets has been tied to the cause of economic rationalism -- the notion that since the arts and humanities aren't "practical" or directly lead to traditional jobs in the private sector, they should be at the bottom of the list of educational priorities. When rationalists decided to cut the budget of the University of Sydney's music department, the University's teacher's union planned to formally protest the decision, and Boyd was among the first to oppose the union's actions, calling them "undignified." Over the course of a year, after seeing her department's budget slashed by 70,000 dollars, her teaching schedule boosted from six to 20 hours a week, and the failure of private institutions to step forward to support one of the nation's best respected music schools, Boyd made a surprising transformation from a political conservative to an active instigator of protests against further budget cuts that would "dumb down" higher education and eliminate arts education. However, as Boyd began to rally support for the University's school of music, their budget was further slashed, forcing her to resign the post that meant so much to her. Documentary filmmakers Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson were on hand to capture this tumultuous year in Anne Boyd's life on film, and Facing the Music is the feature-length documentary that was their result. Produced for Australian television, the film earned enthusiastic reviews in its screenings at several film festivals, including the 2001 Sydney Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
is neutral about it.
Filmmakers Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson (the husband and wife team responsible for
Rats in the Ranks) movingly capture a power struggle and a personal crisis at the University of Sydney in Facing the Music. Their film tracks a school year in the life of composer and music history professor Anne Boyd. Boyd is a fascinating and complex figure. Early on in the film, at a union meeting, she speaks against a proposed strike in response to budget cuts. She says the teachers will be sending the wrong message to students by striking on the first day of classes, and compares teaching to the clergy, opining that it's a calling, not just a job. The head of the music department, Boyd takes on a huge workload, and works to instill her passion for music into her students. She makes an inept attempt to find funding for her department from private sources. Boyd is not always likeable, but she's always interesting. At one point, Boyd lashes out at an unfortunate composition student, bringing her to tears by momentarily suggesting that the student give up music. Her faith in the university system is shaken by further cuts, and she undergoes a dramatic change of heart, taking a leading role in a later strike, and writing a scathing letter to the school's chancellor. The filmmakers powerfully capture Boyd's conversion, as she redirects her rhetorical fire to save her department and her sanity. Her trials are intercut with wonderful performances by the school's talented students, and one highlight of the film is a scene in which Boyd watches one of her own compositions being performed. Facing the Music garnered worldwide acclaim, and, more importantly, inspired a private donor to negotiate a major donation to the university to salvage the music department. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide