By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG’S music industry is in mourning after Sweethearts founder and 25-year director Ross Lipson this week succumbed to cancer.
The 57-year-old music teacher steered hundreds of young women to musical adulthood through the enormously successful brass band Sweethearts at Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College.
Mr Lipson was revered by his charges and all associated with Sweethearts, and praised as a creative genius.
He died Wednesday morning after a long illness.
Sweethearts was subject of the Emmy-nominated, 13-part ABC3 series Heart and Soul. A second season is in post-production and expected to air next year following the band’s recent US tour of Motown and performances at the world’s largest music festival, Summerfest, in Milwaukee.
The band has played several times at major jazz festivals in Switzerland and Italy.
1440 productions’ Kristy Fuller, who directed the TV series, said Mr Lipson’s impact had been massive.
“We lost a legend, everyone’s in shock,” she said.
“The girls are devastated. There are 25 student years of girls whose lives he touched.
“Working with Ross and the Sweethearts has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done as a producer.
“Ross was one of those few people who were truly selfless and worked his whole life making incredible opportunities for these young women.
“In return, he was incredibly well loved and will be missed terribly.“
Illness kept Mr Lipson from the band over the past 12 months, with Steve McEwan stepping into the breach.
Mr Lipson is survived by wife Bea and children Holly and April.
