Australian contrabassoonist, watchmaker and performers’ rights pioneer Martin Foster has died.

A longtime champion of the rights of Australia’s orchestral musicians, Foster was Principal Contrabasoonist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) between 1967 and 2002, and also served as the founder and President of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Musicians’ Association (SSOMA).

Martin Foster. Photo courtesy of Matthew Wilkie and Noriko Shimada/Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Notably, Foster led negotiations as a representative for orchestral musicians with the ABC, which  resulted in the first national agreement between the ABC and its musicians, working for the state symphony orchestras.

He was also a key player in the establishment of the representative body Symphony Orchestra Musicians’ Association (SOMA), the state orchestras’ divestment from the ABC during the 1990s and the resulting agreement between the SSO as an independent corporation and its musicians in 1996.

During his time with the SSO, he contributed to a research project comparing international and Australian orchestral industrial agreements and working practices to establish best practice benchmarks for the orchestra’s working conditions.  He was also an early advocate for noise-related injuries amongst orchestral musicians.

“Martin was a pathbreaking, visionary advocate for musicians’ working lives and conditions in Australian symphony orchestras for decades. His determination, commitment and passionate work for orchestral musicians in Australia and particularly at the Sydney Symphony Orchestra resulted in an Orchestra defined by its artistic excellence,” wrote an SSO representative in a post on the orchestra’s website.

“Martin made a contribution over and above what could have been expected as a musician. His significant volunteer advocacy work was to the benefit of not only his peers but future Australian orchestra musicians.”

Foster earned an honorary life membership from the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance for his advocacy and union work. He was also a renowned watchmaker, a journalist and a bassoon technician.

Honouring his retirement in a 2001 speech,  former Member for Clayfield Liddy Clarke said that Foster’s “legacy will serve as an inspiration for many more years”.

“[Foster was] a man who recognised that… the strength of the arts comes from the solidarity of its members… a man who showed the arts industry that fighting for your rights and being proud to do so is not just the bastion of the workers in the factories and the offices. He inspires by his vision, commands respect from his dedication and provokes all by his talent.”

“What he gave to the musicians in those early days was the hope of a brighter future for orchestral music in Australia…. the strength of SOMA is the greatest compliment to Martin and the only testimony needed to the achievements of this incredible musician.”

Foster is survived by his wife Eileen and daughter Adrienne.