A Magical, Musical Experience
Sophie Quick, Editor
He’s a music-industry legend, directing some of Australia’s biggest international productions, and working with household names. But it was his time at Ormond that made Chong Voon Lim AM (1978) realise a music career was even possible.
Sunday 1 December 2024
When Chong Voon Lim arrived at Ormond College in the late-70s, it was like stepping into another world, one abuzz with new possibilities.‘It was very exciting…I describe it to my friends these days as a mini-Hogwarts. Very medieval, and a lot of rituals,’ Lim laughingly recalls.
“At lunch and dinner we would be sitting at these long tables and chatting, exchanging ideas with students of other faculties ... exchanging ideas about the world.”
It was this heady atmosphere – students from music, law and engineering, all sparking creatively – that would set the young mechanical engineering student on a path he never thought possible. One that would lead to a stellar music career, working on huge projects ranging from producing and music-directing for John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue to composing original works for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.Sitting in his studio as he prepares for the final rehearsal of The Victorian State Schools Spectacular (an annual all-school extravaganza at John Cain Arena; Lim is, naturally, Musical Director), Lim reflects warmly on his time at College. And how it, rather unexpectedly, led him here.In his earliest days at Ormond, when he was still getting his bearings, Lim would regularly retreat to the green room to play piano. It was there, ‘tinkling away’, that he met David Hobson (1978). Today, Hobson is a celebrated tenor but, Lim says, ‘he was a rocker then, and he was very energetic. He played a lot of instruments.’ The pair started jamming together and soon formed a band.From there, things snowballed. Through Hobson and his wider circle, Lim met musician Willy Zygier, who was already finding success in a jazz outfit with Vince Jones.‘Willy was a working musician already,’ Lim says, ‘And … he recommended me for all the gigs he did. And so, I started doing a lot of jazz gigs. And that’s how it all started.’Soon Lim was regularly gigging with Hobson and getting inspired by the other working musicians in his orbit.‘They were all doing great things. I thought, wow, it could be me, you know?’ says Lim. ‘They opened the doors to me because I was just a part-time player.’Growing up in Malaysia in the 60s and 70s, Lim recalls, there hadn’t been much of a music industry. ‘Now there is a thriving music scene,’ he says. But in those days, you ‘learnt an instrument to teach, or to play in a hotel lobby. And I had no interest in all that. But this opened a world of possibilities for me. And so I embarked on my journey.’Lim did pass his mechanical engineering degree – with honours – though he laughingly admits he’s ‘forgotten everything’. He never had to use his back-up plan, though, as his career reached soaring heights. His achievements were recognised in 2018 when he was conferred with an Order of Australia honour.But looking back on the big successes of his career, was there a particular highlight?‘Well, I guess it must be the Sydney Olympics, 2000,’ Lim says. ‘We had an opportunity to showcase our collective talent to the world.’The event was the culmination of two years of work, all shrouded in secrecy. ‘They had huge budgets, and they allowed us a huge playground; a sandpit of creativity,’ Lim enthuses.‘If I said, “I need a choir” they’d give you a choir. If I said, “I need a huge orchestra”, they’d give you a huge orchestra … And so, it was very exciting.’Now, as he prepares for his next big event at John Cain Arena, Lim reflects on the camaraderie and the life-long friendships he formed in his university days.‘It’s a magical experience,’ Lim says. ‘You only get one chance in your life. [College] is a great experience to have.’ First Published in New & Old Magazine | Issue No. 104 December 2024
