David Page (musician) facts for kids

Roy David Page (1961 – 28 April 2016) was an amazing Australian artist. His friends knew him as Dubboo. He was a talented composer, though he liked to call himself a "songman." David was the music director for the famous Bangarra Dance Theatre.

David Page came from the Nunukul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh people in south-east Queensland. His brothers, Stephen Page and Russell Page, were also important figures at Bangarra. Stephen was a choreographer, and Russell was a dancer. David was also a gifted actor and singer.

Early Life and Learning

David Page was born in Brisbane in 1961. He was the eighth of twelve children in his family. He grew up in a place called Mount Gravatt. His father was of Aboriginal and Chinese heritage. His mother had Maori, Spanish, Irish, and Aboriginal roots.

Starting a Music Career

When David was a teenager, he began a singing career. He was known as "Little Davey Page." He was the first Australian singer to sign with Atlantic Records. In 1975, he released a song called Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen. He even appeared on popular TV shows like Countdown and The Paul Hogan Show.

Studying Music

Later, David went to the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music. This was part of the Elder Conservatorium of Music at Adelaide University. There, he studied many things, including the saxophone, singing, and how to compose music. It was during this time that his friends started calling him "Dubboo."

His Amazing Career

David Page worked at NAISDA Dance College. He was a music producer there. He also helped out as a bus driver and janitor.

Working with Bangarra Dance Theatre

In 1991, David joined the Bangarra Dance Theatre. He became their main composer. His brothers, Stephen and Russell, were already there. Together, they helped make Bangarra a "global phenomenon." This means the dance company became famous all over the world.

David composed the music for 27 of Bangarra's dance shows. In 2011, he became an Artist-in-Residence. This meant he had a special role within the company. His last music piece was for a show called Nyapanyapa. It was first performed in June 2016. David often said he was a "songman" rather than a composer. He explained, "I dream it and I'm good at producing it."

Stage and Screen Work

David Page also performed in his own one-man show. It was about his life story and was called Page 8. His brother Stephen directed it. The show was first performed in 1994 at the Belvoir St Theatre. It then toured to Edinburgh and London. He brought it back in 2014 for Bangarra's 25th anniversary.

He also acted in plays. In 2013, he was in Mother Courage and her children for the Queensland Theatre Company. In 2014, he performed in Black Diggers for the Queensland Theatre Company and the Sydney Festival.

David appeared in TV shows like Prisoner and Black Comedy. He had small roles in movies too. He was a busker in Oscar and Lucinda (1997). He also appeared as a dancer in Bran Nue Dae (2009). In 2005, he played a DJ named Kenny in the film Green Bush.

Other Music Projects

David Page worked with Steve Francis on music for big events. They created music for the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. They also worked on the Sydney Olympic Arts Festival in 2000. In 2002, they collaborated on the Sydney Dreaming Festival.

He composed music for The Australian Ballet. These works included Alchemy in 1997 and Amalgamate (with Elena Kats-Chernin) in 2007. David also wrote music for TV shows like Heartland, Songlines, and Living Black. His music was also featured in films such as Kanyini (2006), Hush (2007), and Jacob (2009).

In 2015, David composed the music for his brother Stephen's first film as a director, called Spear.

His Passing

David Page passed away on April 28, 2016, when he was 55 years old. His family chose not to share the cause of his death. A special memorial was held at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Many artists, like Wesley Enoch, Christine Anu, Ursula Yovich, and Dan Sultan, shared tributes. He was later buried in a private family ceremony.

To honor David, Bangarra created a show called Dubboo – life of a songman. It was performed in Sydney in 2018 and 2019. Guest artists like Archie Roach and Ursula Yovich took part. A film with the same name was released in 2021. It included parts of this performance and old documentary footage.

Awards and Nominations

David Page was recognized for his amazing work with several awards.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are big awards for Australian music.

The Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards celebrated achievements by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Green Room Awards

David Page won the Green Room Award in 2006 for his play Page 8. He won for Best New Australian Play.

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards celebrate live entertainment and performing arts in Australia.

Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards

The Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards recognize great achievements in performing arts.