G’day I’m Phyl,
Welcome to my web-site.
I call myself a ‘Cultural Maintenance Worker ‘ because I write, record and repeat material that reflects ‘past and present lived experience’ mainly, but not exclusively of this country, Australia.
It is the only country where my vote and my mindset have at least a small chance of assisting in delivering awareness of the need for social and environmental justice. The material can be freely down-loaded, hopefully by like-minded people.
Get to know me
Phyl Lobl is a singer - songwriter - teacher who has been active as a performer at Folk Festivals, mainly in Australia, since just before the first National Folk Festival 1967. She thinks of herself as a Cultural Maintenance Worker who documents the Australian Experience through folklore. As is said in the folklore world, some of her songs have 'entered the tradition', some have been recorded here and overseas, some have been used by authors to illustrate their work which makes them useful. She fought for recognition for Australian Folk music on the Music Board of the Australia Council, for this the Folk Community presented her the Graham Squance Memorial Award in 1986.
Performing has only been a part of her creative contribution. Innovative teaching was another. A music teaching kit 'NOT JUST NOISE (ORIGINAL)' was published in 1987. Since then she has refined and improved this method of instruction. Programs in other areas of primary education will, in time, be included on this site. If you use the material and want to show some appreciation you could make a donation to any organisation that assists the indigenous people of Australia.
This website could interest singers of folksongs, folklorists, music teachers, primary school teachers, Australian history teachers and teachers of Australian literature.
This website is a work in progress. Material will be added periodically.
All material on the website can be downloaded free.
Dames & Daredevils for Democracy
'A Bright Progressive Band' they were called.
DAMES & DAREDEVILS FOR DEMOCRACY is a presentation that charts the development of Women's Suffrage in Australia through ten strategies & featuring ten prominent Australian suffragists. The progress is marked by their lives, their actions, their artistic products and by the use of songs and monologues.
Researched and created by Phyl Lobl, the production shows just what 'grand dames and daredevils' they were. They took us from the Hat Box to the Ballot Box and then helped women in England and America get there too. Australia was the first country to have
both the Right to Vote and the Right to Stand for parliament. They were daring, resilient, intelligent and compassionate yet very few Australians know their names.
The show was first performed as a ‘Folk Doco’ at the National Folk Festival in Canberra 2013.Later it was performed in Kiama with assistance from a Kiama Council grant.
In a similar understanding to the saying 'It takes a village to raise a child', 'It takes a theatre company to raise a Show'. The show 'DAMES & DAREDEVILS FOR DEMOCRACY' has been raised to an ‘historical, theatrical, musical romp’ by MAGDA ARTZ theatre company based in Brisbane.
Under the stage direction of Jan Nary, music direction of Anne Bermingham, and as a production of Theatre Company Director Mervyn Langford, the D&D’s are on the move.
With many performances at Magda Artz and other venues in Brisbane as a ‘proving ground’, an enthusiastic, talented, wellrehearsed cast has been assembled and will be making the journey to Shellharbour and Sydney in October 2020.
UPDATES
The COVID 19 virus disruption means that the proposed performances of DAMES & DAREDEVILS FOR DEMOCRACY have been postponed to a date yet to be determined in 2021.
