07
Picture Perfect
Piano Man
Our Village Manager stories
A passion for photography gives Fiddler’s Green
Village Manager, Joseph Bailouni, the opportunity to
share his skills with residents, as a University of the
Third Age (U3A) tutor.
Photography is a hobby of mine that started when
I was a teenager and became a serious passion
when I moved to Australia from Lebanon. I took my
first photo at 16 years old. I was with a group of my
friends, grabbed my father’s camera, put in a film and
started snapping. Later I asked Dad for another film
and he almost fell on the floor. It was too expensive
he said – I could only have one a month. From that
moment, I was hooked. Photography is really good
for people who are reasonably artistic but aren’t able
to express themselves in other ways. A painter paints,
a musician plays or sings. If you don’t have those skill
sets – which I don’t – you have a tool that helps you
produce your artistic flair. It’s a way of being creative
that also freezes a moment in time.
Although it’s my passion, I’m not a professional
photographer. I’ve completed a few short courses
and learnt things myself on the internet. As part of
the U3A program I tutor a monthly photography
class, which allows me to share my passion for the
medium. Some of the people who come to my classes
are experienced photographers and when they share
their knowledge I learn something new as well. It’s
very much a two-way street.
My photography workshop is classroom based, but
we also go off on assignments together. In our next
class the students will be given the same subject to
shoot - probably a rose, and later, we’ll look at the
pictures and discuss each person’s perception of what
they saw. Everyone took the same photo, but the
variety of images that are created highlight the fact
that it’s a very individual art.
My preference for taking pictures these days is of
landscapes and travel. I love exploring new places
with my camera. It’s a way for me to express myself,
and it’s wonderful to be able to share that with
residents. If you’re thinking of joining U3A, you
shouldn’t hesitate to get involved. It’s so inspiring to
learn something new.
You may know Robert Taylor as Village Manager of
Goodwin Close – but with decades of experience as a
prolific pianist, composer and professional performer,
he’s got plenty of musical talent to share.
No two days as a Village Manager are ever the same.
My responsibilities include everything from the day-to-
day running of the village to liaising with our residents,
solving issues, working with contractors – the list
goes on. The highlight of my job is interacting with
the residents and their families. We have a real mix
of personalities, gender and ages – we even have one
resident who is 100 years old.
Before I came to Goodwin Close I was a professional
entertainer; singing, piano playing, orchestration –
you name it. My grandfather, Jack Fraser, taught me
piano. He was a famous jazz pianist from Canada who
played with the likes of Thelonious Monk. In his 80s,
he developed bad arthritis, however that didn’t deter
his passion to play and he worked on a method that
allowed people with arthritis to still play piano. It’s
actually amazing for your hands.
I’ve performed in piano bars in most of the major
hotels around the world and played in a showcase
at the Soho Theatre in London. Between 2011 and
2014, I toured with my own show – 264 of them from
Edinburgh, to London, Japan, and across Canada
and USA, then on to Sydney, Perth and Adelaide. I
finally finished up doing 23 shows at the Melbourne
International Comedy Festival before I just about
collapsed. I used to play every Friday and Saturday
night at Crown Casino and the Langham Hotel. It was a
four hour set each time and after a while I found it too
much – especially with my kids to look after.
Being a performer certainly helps when you’re in a job
that requires you to engage with many different people
every day. It’s great that I’ve found a balance between
my work life and my passion for music.
Music has a real transcendental quality – it can
transport you places. I love the idea of being able to
share my musical skills with our residents.
It’s very easy to get set in your ways and find yourself
doing the same thing, day in, day out. But when you
develop a skill – or come across something new that
you can grab onto and relate to, your whole adrenalin
level lifts. Even a small activity can change your whole
outlook. A little bit of inspiration is a powerful thing –
and I truly believe it can add years to your life.
