Paul Morton
About
Double Bass
AYO: 1979-1982
AYO National Music Camp: 1981-82
Paul studied music at Queensland University, played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and taught at the Canberra School of Music before pursuing a career in finance. He’s enormously proud that one of his former students, Rob Nairn, is now professor of double bass at the Julliard School of Music and another, Tim Dunin, has a successful freelance career in Europe after having been principal bass of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
After completing an economics degree at the Australian National University in Canberra and a Master of Commerce at the University of NSW, Paul spent a decade as a corporate banker with Westpac.
He is a Sloan Fellow of Stanford University, having completed a Masters of Science at its renowned Graduate School of Business.
These studies and experiences provided the financial management skills and the entrepreneurial confidence to develop and lead his own company.
Paul founded Lannock Strata Finance in 2003 and it is now the leading strata lender in the country.
Q&A
Question: Tell us about your first AYO experiences.
Answer My first instrument at university was the piano but then I changed to double bass. I found out about AYO from my peers in the Queensland Youth Orchestra. My first National Music Camp was a buzz for the whole two weeks! Overnight, I’d gone from solitary practice in my own room in Brisbane to playing with a national network of friends. It was wonderful to be part of this community. I found I had mates all over the country so wherever I went – for example to Melbourne for the MSO or to Canberra to teach at the School of Music – I had friends who could help me get started in a new city.<br> <br> In AYO, I particularly enjoyed playing repertoire that isn’t commonly known or is seldom performed. For example, we played Bruckner 5 in my first AYO concert and Schoenberg’s <i>Pelleas and Melisande</i> a couple of years later.
Question: How did your music training prepare you for the business world?
Answer There are a number of traits I developed as a musician that I’ve applied to my business endeavours. The first is discipline; I didn’t have a prodigious natural talent in music so I had to achieve things by dint of hard work. Having experienced the rigours of practising and performing, I know that if I start a task, I’ll be able to finish it. My musical experiences have given me the confidence to tackle challenges and take on new experiences.<br> <br> Musicians have to be good project managers and self-reliant. Apart from lessons, you’re mostly on your own in practice, so I found it was my responsibility to stay motivated. Preparing for an orchestral concert is a project – there are certain standards to be met by certain dates and you have to manage yourself to make sure you reach them.<br> <br> Music performance also requires you to work with others whose perspectives or viewpoints might be different to your own. However, you have to put any differences aside to all work towards a common purpose.<br> <br> All of these skills are very useful in business.
Question: Does your current work give you scope to be creative?
Answer Absolutely – it’s not just that there’s scope for creativity, it’s a required element. Starting a business has actually been the area which has enabled me to be creative. Coming up with the idea for a business is in itself a creative act and you constantly have to generate new ideas or new solutions to business problems.
Question: What stands out about AYO musicians?
Answer Talent and passion for sure – but I’m always impressed by the attitude of AYO musicians. They have all worked tremendously hard to get where they are and they seem to be able to balance their deserved pride in their achievement with an understanding of how lucky they are to have the opportunity. It’s our job as a society to make sure these opportunities continue – I wouldn’t be where I am today without that opportunity.