WARREN WILLS: A TRUE ARTIST NEEDS TO CREATE
THE CONDITIONS OF TOTAL FREEDOM

OCA Magazine: Please tell us the most important things about yourself and your creative work. What is your creative, life credo and motivation for your creativity?

Warren Wills: Most important thing about the work I’m doing at the moment is that music is one of the few areas of life where we can truly build bridges, bringing people together, sharing our culture, our humanity, dignity, and never before has this been more important than the time now of increasing division and conflicts. I wear two to distinct hats -; one is commercial music and the other being community music. I find myself recently increasingly drawn to the social nature of music and devoting as much work as possible to make life richer and more joyful the inside community

OCA: How did you choose your path and who is your role model in the creative field or in life?

WW: I didn’t choose my path, but in fact, at very young age, the age of four I was hypnotised, mesmerised by Chopin and thus compelled to enter the field of music and composition and Jazz and music theatre and the history of music, encouraging freedom of expression, improvisation and thus this has become an international travelling ticket for me.

OCA: What is your main achievement(s) or positive impact on the world in 2024–2025?

WW: During the past 12 months which we’ve seen ever increasing division, and the alarming rise of hate throughout the world, I have been involved in this wonderful projects which address these issues head on. The most notable impact I would say were created by -; a concert that I did at Federation Square with a cast, a multiracial multiethnic multicultural cast of 100 people which was a resounding success -; then the further work that I’ve been doing with the Chinese and Korean community -; and the work I’m also doing with a visually impaired cohort and latterly to be working with the International Womens’ Federation of Culture and Industry. These projects demonstrates once again that music transcends borders, religion, language, and politics, and genuinely can be used to unite us.

OCA: What is the main feature that makes you and your art/work unique?

WW: Without wishing to enter directly into a technical musicological brief or to do a deep dive analytical view at the DNA of my musical composition I would suggest what makes my music unique Is the coalition of all the vast experiences of my life. One part of this experience is the influence of composes my life has been heavily influenced by Chopin , Keith Jarrett, Stravinsky, minimalism, Messiaen, Bach, Oscar Peterson, French Impressionism PLUS my involvement with Judaic, flamenco, gospel, and other religious influences, plus my living in London, the Middle East, Australia and having opportunities to mix with so many ethnically diverse cultures and communities. Finally having worked extensively in Music Theatre on Weill, Kander and Ebb, Gershwin, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Josephine Baker, Ella Fitzgerald and many other. The interaction and absorption and expression of these influences creates a unique palate from which to musically create

OCA: Please tell us about the events or projects of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) and projects you have already participated in and how does ECG influence your creativity and success in your work?

WW: It has been an honour over the past five years to be involved with the ECG. This has provided opportunities for me to come to Kazakhstan and experience the culture there on two different occasions- one being in Almaty and the other being in Astana. I was delighted to be able to work on a project of BÖRTE, the long-suffering wife, feisty, opinionated, revolutionary, and somewhat of a pinup girl for women’s rights and looking forward to progressive change with women. As well as music workshops in Burabay and the development of a number of other invaluable ideas. Looking further ahead I can see numerous points of hybrid collaboration between Australia, UK and Eurasia.

OCA: How do you think the creative professions have changed and how has the role of art in the development of the world changed in the face of modern realities?

WW: We live in the most challenging times, and history may will show us in the future that post -Covid we are living through what is, in fact, the most challenging period of history due to seismic change. It is therefore incumbent on all of us in the creative arts, to be resilient and flexible and to be able to share with an open mind in order to teach to learn and encourage others to be patient and resilient also, in this current climate of ever-growing division and hate, which seem to be part of a larger global plan. This puts a great responsibility on the creative arts professions. It is a privilege to work in these professions and thus be able to foster a slightly more philosophical, detached, and positive overview of humanity. It is here in these we muscle tirelessly pursue The expression of choice of freedom of clear, thinking of critical analysis of culture, a shared culture of appreciation and music of dignity, and of humanity.

OCA: What would you wish for the members of the Guild and other creative people who are just starting their careers?

WW: I would wish to other members of the Guild and other creative people who have just started their careers that first that they are able to pursue their artistic love and passion, untethered by suppression, toward the achievement of excellence and of free artistic expression. Further, that they are not blinded or influenced by the pressures – politically, social media or other nefarious influences, which my only box them, blind them, in or compartmentalise their development, in order to achieve both artistic excellence and the freedom of expression. A true artist needs to create the conditions of total freedom , to travel through all the “sides”, and not be attached to any side except to be able to honour and serve humanity