This webpage has been set up for Richard Pollett’s family, friends and colleagues, and music and arts organizations, to convey important information.
Richard Pollett
Recent news
Connie Liu won the Richard Pollett Award at the 23rd Kendall National Violin Competition.
Theonie Wang won the 2024 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced just prior to AYO Young Symphonists concert on 5th October 2024 at the Snow Concert Hall, Canberra Grammar School.
10th Anniversary Commemorative Concert
This event, held in Customs House Brisbane on 17th October 2021, marked the tenth anniversary of Richard's death, paying tribute to his life and legacy through a special concert performance and announcement of the winner of the 2021 Richard Pollett Memorial Award [Programme|Video recording].
Richard Pollett Memorial Award (AYO)
The Richard Pollett Memorial Award was established by our family and close friends in association with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) to honour Richard’s memory. Award(s) are made annually to provide support and encouragement to young violinists who display outstanding personal and musical attributes. We kindly request donations.
Further details can be found here (AYO website).
[For concert organisers: A5 Concert Programme Insert]
Special article (20 October 2021) Looking Back at a Decade of the Richard Pollett Memorial Award.
Richard Pollett Prize (UQ)
The Richard Pollett Prize was established in 2016. Students enrolled at The University of Queensland in the Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music (Honours) or a dual program that includes the Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music (Honours) are eligible to apply. It is awarded to the most outstanding performance played on an orchestral stringed instrument with a bow.
Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO)
Queensland Youth Orchestras (QYO) has established the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship, to be awarded each year to the incoming Concertmaster of the Queensland Youth Symphony (QYS). Recipients are as follows:
Richard Pollett Award (Kendall National Violin Competition)
The Kendall National Violin Competition established a prize Richard’s memory (anonymous donation). From its inception in 2012, to 2018, an award of $600 was made for best performance of a sonata. From 2021 an award of $2,000 is made to the second prize winner in (age-based) Category A. The value of the prize was increased to $3,000 from 2024. Winners are as follows:
Obituary
An obituary appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane) on Saturday 17 December 2011 [Obituary].
Funeral
A service celebrating Richard’s life and legacy was held at Centenary Memorial Gardens on Thursday 6 October 2011 [Service booklet (full)|Eulogy only].
Resting place
Richard’s ashes were laid to rest at Centenary Memorial Gardens (353 Wacol Station Road Sumner, Brisbane) on Thursday 13 February 2014 (the first image gives the approximate location within the gardens)
Courier-Mail Guest Book
The Courier-Mail (Brisbane) Guest Book has been kept online by a dear friend. We welcome messages of remembrance, which can be added in the right-hand pane at this site.
Instrument bequest
From the November 2011 issue of the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) newsletter: "ANAM has recently been made the beneficiary of an 1849 Pressenda violin, which has been provided on loan by Janet Holmes à Court. This instrument, to be made available to an outstanding violinist for their year at the Academy, is to be named the Richard Pollett Violin, in his memory. Mrs Holmes à Court said "I am pleased to be able to recognise Richard’s memory by attaching his name to the rich history of this instrument. I trust that this will provide some added significance for those musicians into whose hands it is entrusted"."
Elena Kats-Chernin composed a work titled For Richard for string orchestra, which premiered at the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) concert on Friday 28 October 2011 at 7:30pm in the Brisbane Powerhouse [Richard was to play the Australian premiere of Elena’s "Selenite City" (Concerto for Violin and Piano) at that concert].
Elena writes "For Richard is a piece for strings that I wrote in the days following the tragic passing of this talented young violinist. While I never met him, I have had the pleasure of working with his mother, the violist Patricia Pollett, and had often heard about his development and progress as a young man and musician. When the QSO told me a few months ago that Richard would be one of the soloists in my double concerto Selenite City I was especially pleased. Richard and I exchanged emails about the project on the day before his accident. For Richard is a response to the great loss and while it is a commemoration, it also celebrates the brilliant young musician that he was. At the core of the piece is a melody derived from the name "Richard Pollett" that centres around D major/minor."
Andrew Ford composed a work titled Cradle Song for violin and piano dedicated to Richard’s memory. It was premiered on 24 August 2012 in the Ian Hanger Recital Hall (Griffith University, South Bank, Brisbane) by Michele Walsh (violin) and Stephen Emmerson (piano). Cradle Song also appears as the 2nd movement of Andrew Ford’s 3rd String Quartet, which was premiered on 18 July 2013 by the Brodsky Quartet at the Brisbane Powerhouse (Visy Theatre) as part of the Queensland Festival of Music. The Shanghai Quartet performed Cradle Song at the Melbourne Festival on 21 October 2013. Tall Poppies released Close your eyes and I’ll close mine, an album of lullabies performed by Anna McMichael (violin) and Tamara Anna Cislowska (piano), which includes Cradle Song.
Colin Spiers composed a work titled Garden of Souls for string chamber orchestra dedicated to Richard’s memory. It was premiered on 19 August 2012 in Christ Church Cathedral Newcastle by Christ Church Camerata conducted by Johannes Fritzsch.
Paul Dean composed a work titled Moments of Transformation for string quartet in memory of Richard, and dedicated to Patricia and Philip. The work was premiered on 26 October 2014 in Montsalvat Barn Gallery by the Flinders Quartet, who commissioned the work, with follow-up performances in the Melbourne Recital Centre on 27 October 2014 and the Sydney Opera House on 29 October 2014. Reviews: [Albert's Wars, The Age, SoundsLikeSydney]
Paul writes "I dedicate the work to my dear friends Patricia and Philip Pollett in memory of their son Richard. I was very fortunate to know Richard for several years before his tragic death in 2011. He was an immensely gifted violinist and musician, and his memory burns strong in my mind and in the minds of all who knew him. This quartet, Moments of Transformation, does not contain a program as such, but represents a series of feelings and emotions expressed through music that I feel when thinking of him and his amazing parents. How fitting that the first violin part, written as if I could hear it being played by Richard in my head, is played at these first performances by a fellow ANAM alumnus in the brilliant Shanne Chen."
ABF
A tribute appeared in the November 2011 issue of Australian Bridge Federation Newsletter (Richard was a gifted bridge player who twice represented Queensland in the Australian National Championships).
Recordings
Some of Richard’s performances can be found here.
Photographs
At this site and elsewhere you will find some wonderful photographs of Richard that were used during the last years of his life for publicity. They were taken by the incomparable Rob Heyman. Rob has left his personal tribute here.
Other online tributes
Thanks
We appreciate your kindness and thank you for your support and expressions of sympathy.
Philip and Patricia Pollett
[Last updated: 17:14 AEST on 7th March 2024]
[Links last checked: 20th September 2021]
Trial verdict
Following the verdict in the District Court of Queensland on Monday 6 May 2013, there was considerable Press coverage and community activity (please refer to the archive below).
Philip's Victim Impact Statement. Had a guilty verdict been returned, this would have been read out in court. It is provided here to help others.
New legislation
On 7 June 2013 the Queensland Legislative Assembly agreed to a motion that the Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee inquire and report on issues concerned with improving the interaction of cyclists with other road users. Submissions closed on 26 July 2013. Included here is our submission [pdf]. There was a Public Hearing on 21st August 2013. Mr Howard Hobbs MP, Chair of Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee, tabled his Report on the Inquiry into Cycling Issues: a new direction for cycling in Queensland on 29 November 2013 [Queensland Government response]. Transport Minister Scott Emerson accepted the recommendation of the Committee, saying that minimum safe passing distances would take effect in 2014 for a two-year trial period [Brisbane Times article 29 Nov 2013|Brisbane Times article 30 Jan 2014]. These new rules took effect on 7 April 2014 [Brisbane Times article 20 Mar 2014] and were adopted on 7 April 2016 after the two-year trial period [ABC News article 7 Apr 2016]. As of April 2021, every jurisdiction in Australia has similar legislation.
Please refer to the Amy Gillett Foundation website for the latest news on minimum safe passing distance legislation around Australia.
5 March 2025: Connie Liu won the Richard Pollett Award at the 23rd Kendall National Violin Competition.
5 October 2024: Theonie Wang won the 2024 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced just prior to AYO Young Symphonists concert on 5th October 2024 at the Snow Concert Hall, Canberra Grammar School.
25 May 2024: Lily Song was announced as the 2024 recipient of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO) at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
23 May 2024: Daniel Casey was announced as the 2024 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
15 September 2023: Daniel Shao won the 2023 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at an event in Old Government House Brisbane [AYO website article].
20 May 2023: In Yi Chae and Miriam Niessl were announced as the 2023 recipients of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was presented at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
5 May 2023: Lili Stephens was announced as the 2023 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
5 March 2023: Jessica Ma won the Richard Pollett Award (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2022 Kendall National Violin Competition. This was announced at the Category-A final on 5th March 2023.
30 September 2022: Julia Hill won the 2022 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at an AYO Chamber Players Concert in Old Government House Brisbane on 30th September 2022 [AYO website article].
27 August 2022: In Yi Chae and Miriam Niessl were announced as the 2022 recipients of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was presented at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
19 May 2022: Lili Stephens and Erna Lai were announced as the 2022 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
17 October 2021: Robert Smith won the 2021 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at the 10th Anniversary Commemorative Concert, Customs House Brisbane.
17 October 2021: An event held in Customs House Brisbane marked the tenth anniversary of Richard's death, paying tribute to his life and legacy through a special concert performance and announcement of the winner of the 2021 Richard Pollett Memorial Award [Programme|Video recording].
7 October 2021: An article titled "10 years after cycling tragedy, this westside Brisbane road is still a death trap" appeared in Westside News.
18 September 2021: In Yi Chae and Miriam Niessl were announced as the 2021 recipients of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
19 May 2021: Isabelle Watson was announced as the 2021 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
21 September 2020: In Yi Chae was announced as the 2020 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
12 April 2019: Daniel Chiou was announced as the 2019 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
23 March 2019: Liam Freisberg was announced as the 2019 recipient of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
3 October 2018: Daniel Chiou was announced as the 2018 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
15 September 2018: Johnny Van Gend won the Sonata Prize (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2018 Kendall National Violin Competition.
16 July 2018: Thibaud Pavlovic-Hobba won the 2017 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
9 May 2018: New road rules concerning minimum safe passing distance came into effect throughout New South Wales.
17 March 2018: Leanne McGowan was announced as the 2018 recipient of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
4 December 2017: New road rules concerning minimum safe passing distance came into effect throughout the ACT after a two-year trial period, with a review of the relevant laws underway.
1 October 2017: Phoebe Masel was announced as the 2017 winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
17 September 2017: Riley Skevington won the Sonata Prize (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2017 Kendall National Violin Competition.
16 February 2017: Kyla Matsuura-Miller won the 2016 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at a ceremony in the Sydney Town Hall on 16 February 2017 [AYO website article].
18 September 2016: Kyla Matsuura-Miller won the Sonata Prize (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2016 Kendall National Violin Competition.
11 September 2016: Phoebe Masel was announced as the inaugural winner of the Richard Pollett Prize (UQ).
29 July 2016: The Richard Pollett Prize (UQ) established (see above).
7 April 2016: New road rules concerning minimum safe passing distance came into effect throughout Queensland after a two-year trial period.
29 March 2016: Kentaro Koido was announced as the 2016 recipient of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
14 February 2016: Rollin Zhao won the 2015 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) [AYO website article].
13 September 2015: Tiffany Cheng won the Sonata Prize (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2015 Kendall National Violin Competition.
23 July 2015: An article titled "Ghost bikes: Memorials carry a strong message" appeared in Executive Style.
29 March 2015: Annabelle Swainston is the 2015 recipient of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
29 October 2014: Premier follow-up performance of Moments of Transformation in the Sydney Opera House (see above). Review: [SoundsLikeSydney].
27 October 2014: Premier follow-up performance of Moments of Transformation in the Melbourne Recital Centre (see above). Review: [The Age]
26 October 2014: The Flinders Quartet premiered Paul Dean's 1st String Quartet titled Moments of Transformation in Montsalvat Barn Gallery (see above). Review: [Albert's Wars]
14 September 2014: Josephine Chung won the Sonata Prize (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2014 Kendall National Violin Competition.
18 July 2014: Zoe Freisberg won the 2014 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) [AYO website article].
28 May 2014: Scott Emerson, Minister for Transport and Main Roads in the Queensland State Parliament, tabled the Government’s final response to the Report on the Inquiry into Cycling Issues: a new direction for cycling in Queensland.
7 April 2014: New road rules concerning minimum safe passing distance came into effect throughout Queensland for a two-year trial period.
29 March 2014: Annabelle Swainston is the 2014 recipient of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
20 March 2014: Scott Emerson, Minister for Transport and Main Roads in the Queensland State Parliament, announced that from 7 April 2014 new rules concerning minimum safe passing distance would come into effect throughout Queensland for a two-year trial period.
20 March 2014: Dr Bruce Flegg, (then) local member for Moggil in the Queensland State Parliament, issued a press release titled New rules will save cyclists’ lives.
13 February 2014: Richard’s ashes were laid to rest at Centenary Memorial Gardens (Brisbane) [Location|Plaque|Photo1|Photo2].
1 December 2013: Tall Poppies released Close your eyes and I’ll close mine, an album of lullabies performed by Anna McMichael (violin) and Tamara Anna Cislowska (piano), which includes Andrew Ford’s work Cradle Song for violin and piano (dedicated to Richard’s memory).
29 November 2013: Mr Howard Hobbs MP, Member for Warrego and Chair of Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee, tabled his Report on the Inquiry into Cycling Issues: a new direction for cycling in Queensland.
17 November 2013: The Queensland Symphony Orchestra strings dedicated a performance of Bejamin Britten’s Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge to Richard’s memory, QSO Studio South Bank, Brisbane.
13 November 2013: Scott Emerson, Minister for Transport and Main Roads in the Queensland State Parliament, responded formally to the e-petition concerning Minimum safe passing distance, which was tabled in Queensland State Parliament on 29 October 2013.
29 October 2013: The e-petition concerning Minimum safe passing distance was tabled in Queensland State Parliament.
27 October 2013: Safe Cycling Australia organized a Ride to Parliament House to coincide with the tabling in Queensland State Parliament on Tuesday 29 October of the e-petition concerning Minimum safe passing distance [Photo 1| Photo 2].
21 October 2013: The Shanghai Quartet performed Cradle Song, a work written by Andrew Ford in Richard’s memory (see above), at the Melbourne Festival.
21 September 2013: Grace Clifford won the Sonata Prize (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2013 Kendall National Violin Competition.
21 August 2013: Philip spoke to our submission to the Queensland State Parliament Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee at a public hearing in the Parliamentary Annexe.
3 August 2013: Liisa Pallandi won the 2013 Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at a ceremony in the Sydney Opera House [AYO website article].
18 July 2013: The Brodsky Quartet premiered Andrew Ford’s 3rd String Quartet (the 2nd movement ‘Cradle Song’ is dedicated to Richard’s memory) at the Brisbane Powerhouse (Visy Theatre) as part of the Queensland Festival of Music [UQ News article].
24 June 2013: An article titled "Missing cyclist found as another mourned" appeared in the Brisbane Times.
12 June 2013: An article titled "Should cyclists be registered?" appeared in Crikey.
9 June 2013: An article titled "Grieving parents of crash victim cyclist Richard Pollett call for bike ‘safe zone’" appeared in The Australian, the Herald Sun (Melbourne), and the Sunday Mail (Brisbane).
7 June 2013: The Queensland Legislative Assembly agreed to a motion that the Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee inquire and report on issues concerned with improving the interaction of cyclists with other road users. Submissions closed on 26 July 2013.
7 June 2013: An article titled "Government to review rules for overtaking cyclists" appeared in the Brisbane Times.
7 June 2013: An article titled "Proposed new laws could give cyclists breathing space" appeared in the Daily Mercury (Mackay), and The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton).
24 May 2013: An article titled "Cyclists one third of emergency room cases" appeared in the Brisbane Times.
23 May 2013: Dr Bruce Flegg, (then) local member for Moggil in the Queensland State Parliament, made a speech to Parliament concerning cycle safety that drew attention to the e-petition concerning Minimum safe passing distance [transcript].
22 May 2013: An article titled "Cyclists call for distance" appeared in the Westside News (Brisbane).
22 May 2013: An article titled "Family hopes tragedy will pull strings for change in law to protect cyclists on roads" appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Northern Daily LEADER, The Border Mail, the Illawarra Mercury, WA Today, and the Brisbane Times.
21 May 2013: Tracey Gaudry, Chief Executive Officer of the Amy Gillett Foundation, was interviewed by Adam Spencer on ABC 702 (Sydney).
20 May 2013: An article (with video footage) titled "One metre between life and death" appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Canberra Times, and WA Today.
20 May 2013: An e-petition was created by Hanna Thomas to support the introduction of minimum safe passing distance law in Australia.
20 May 2013: An article titled "Ghost ride seeks new road rules" appeared in The Canberra Times.
18 May 2013: An article titled "Richard Pollett will never be forgotten by Brisbane’s cycling community" appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane).
17 May 2013: Three cyclists’ views of the "Ride for Richard" were posted on YouTube [Video 1|Video 2|Video 3].
17 May 2013: An article (with video footage) titled "‘Ghost bike’ a haunting symbol of cycling danger" appeared in the Brisbane Times and The Canberra Times.
17 May 2013: The Brisbane CBD Bicycle User Group held a "Ride for Richard" at 7:30am [Photo].
16 May 2013: An article titled "BQ saddened by verdict" appeared in Bicycle Queensland News.
15 May 2013: The Brisbane CBD Bicycle User Group issued a Media Release titled "`A Metre Matters’ Awareness Ride - Moggill Road, Kenmore 17 May 2013".
15 May 2013: Articles titled "Father’s heartfelt plea to drivers" and "Petition calls for overtaking buffer" appeared in the Westside News (Brisbane).
13 May 2013: An article titled "Cyclists see a gap in road safety law" appeared in the Gold Coast Bulletin.
11 May 2013: An article titled "Human face of a so-called war" appeared in the Gold Coast Bulletin.
9 May 2013: An e-petition concerning Minimum safe passing distance, sponsored by (then) local MP Dr Bruce Flegg, was posted. It was tabled in Queensland State Parliament on 29 October 2013 (Queensland residents, citizens, and electors were eligible to sign). A Ride to Parliament House on Sunday 27 October 2013 was organized by Safe Cycling Australia to coincide with the tabling of the petition.
8 May 2013: An article titled "Are cyclists ‘mere obstacles’ to motorists?" appeared in Crikey.
7 May 2013: "Cyclists demand 1m rule" 4BC News Talk.
6 May 2013: An article titled "As US Awaits Jodi Arias Verdict, Australian Jury Finds Truck Driver ‘‘Not Guilty’’ in Death of Another Aspiring Young Man" appeared in Trucking Industry News.
6 May 2013: The Amy Gillett Foundation issued a News Release titled "Truck driver found not guilty over death of cyclist Richard Pollett".
6 May 2013: Brisbane CBD Bicycle User Group issued a Media Release titled "One metre rule needed after truck driver found not guilty of killing cyclist".
6 May 2013: An article titled "Truckie not guilty over cyclist’s death" appeared in the Brisbane Times.
6 May 2013: An article titled "Cement truck driver Luke Stevens found not guilty over death of cyclist Richard Pollett" appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane).
3 May 2013: An article titled "Jury in trial of a cement truck driver accused of killing cyclist Richard Pollett has retired to consider its verdict" appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane).
1 May 2013: As part of the Wesley Music Centre (Canberra) Wednesday Lunchtime Live series, Jack Chenoweth (violin) with Meriel Owen (piano) gave a concert titled "In Memory of Richard Pollett", performing works by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, Andrew Ford and J.S. Bach. Jack played the Biber Passacaglia and the Bach D minor Partita, works which Richard played while Jack and Richard were together at the Australian National Academy of Music, and Cradle Song, a work written by Andrew Ford in Richard’s memory (see above). Audio: [Tribute]
29 April 2013: An article titled "Queensland truckie charged with cyclist’s death" appeared in the Brisbane Times.
29 April 2013: An article titled "Luke Stevens pleads not guilty to death of cyclist Richard Pollett, 25, on Moggill Rd, Kenmore in 2011" appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane).
29 April 2013: An article titled "Truckie on trial over cyclist’s death" appeared in the Brisbane Times.
29 April 2013: An article titled "Qld Truckie on trial over cyclist’s death" appeared in news.com.au, the Daily Telegraph (Sydney), Perth Now, and Adelaide Now.
29 April 2013: An article titled "Violinist remembered at Wesley" appeared in Canberra CityNews.
24 March 2013: Ann Patrick was the inaugural recipient of the Richard Pollett Memorial Scholarship (QYO). This was announced at a ceremony in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
18 January 2013 and 19 January 2013: Andrew Ford’s work Cradle Song for violin and piano (dedicated to Richard’s memory) was performed by Anna McMichael (violin) and Tamara Anna Cislowska (piano) at Mona Foma (MONA - Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart).
13 January 2013: Elena Kats-Chernin performed her piano-four-hands version of For Richard with Tamara Anna Cislowska at the Music by the Sea Festival (Sandgate Town Hall).
13 October 2012: Andrew Ford’s work Cradle Song for violin and piano (dedicated to Richard’s memory) was performed by Anna McMichael (violin) and Tamara Anna Cislowska (piano) at the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival.
8 September 2012: James Dong won the Sonata Prize (established through anonymous donation in Richard’s memory) at the 2012 Kendall National Violin Competition.
24 August 2012: Andrew Ford’s work Cradle Song for violin and piano, dedicated to Richard’s memory, was premiered in the Ian Hanger Recital Hall (Griffith University, South Bank, Brisbane) by Michele Walsh (violin) and Stephen Emmerson (piano).
19 August 2012: Colin Spiers’ work Garden of Souls, dedicated to Richard’s memory, was premiered in Christ Church Cathedral Newcastle by Christ Church Camerata conducted by Johannes Fritzsch.
26 July 2012: Glenn Christensen, Concert Master of the Australian Youth Orchestra, won the inaugural Richard Pollett Memorial Award. This was announced at a ceremony at Customs House in Brisbane [AYO website article].
20 July 2012: Richard’s Master of Philosophy degree was accepted on his parent’s behalf by Dr Simon Perry (Richard’s Thesis Advisor) at the UQ Graduation Ceremony on 20 July 2012. The degree was conferred posthumously on 30 April 2012.
1 May 2012: An article appeared in the April 2012 Edition of Stringendo, a magazine published by the Australian Strings Association (AUSTA).
30 April 2012: The Degree of Master of Philosophy within the University of Queensland was conferred posthumously on Richard.
16 April 2012: An article appeared in the May 2012 Edition of Strings Magazine.
4 March 2012: Elena Kats-Chernin’s For Richard (see above) was performed by the ARCO Chamber Orchestra at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith at 3:00pm. It was heard live on Sunday Live (ABC Classic FM).
2 March 2012: A performance of George Crumb’s Music for a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III) by Liam Viney and Anna Grinberg (pianos), and Claire Edwards and Vanessa Tomlinson (percussion), was dedicted to Richard’s memory (8:30pm, Ian Hanger Recital Hall, Griffith University, South Bank, Brisbane).
6 February 2012: An article titled "Richard Pollett Scholarship" appeared in the January to March 2012 QYO Newsletter "Tutti".
1 February 2012: The Courier-Mail Guest Book was made permanent by a dear friend.
5 January 2012: An article titled "Canonising a roadside shrine" appeared in Ambit Gambit.
17 December 2011: An obituary appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane) [Obituary].
6 December 2011: Articles titled "Richard Pollett’s musical legacy to live on" and "Monument a tribute to road death spectre" appeared in the Westside News (Brisbane).
4 December 2011: The Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) celebrated Richard’s life and legacy with a memorial concert in the South Melbourne Town Hall at 2:00pm on Sunday 4 December.
1 December 2011: Dr Bruce Flegg, (then) local member for Moggil in the Queensland State Parliament, made a speech to Parliament concerning Richard’s accident and the Richard Pollett Memorial Award [transcript].
20 November 2011: A news article appeared in the December 2011 Issue of The Strad (magazine).
17 November 2011: There was a concert in Richard’s memory at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana. It was streamed live on their website: www.conservatorio.ch
13 November 2011: Paul Wright (Richard’s violin teacher at the Australian National Academy of Music) played the 2nd movement of Barber’s violin concerto in Richard’s memory at the inaugural concert of the Perth Symphony Orchestra.
6 November 2011: For Richard was performed by the University of Queensland Chamber Orchestra at their debut concert on Sunday 6 November 2011 at 11.30am in the Long Room of Customs House in Brisbane.
5 November 2011: The Redland Sinfonia (Brisbane) dedicated a concert to Richard’s memory.
28 October 2011: Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) concert on Friday 28 October at 7:30pm in the Brisbane Powerhouse was dedicated to Richard’s memory [poster]. Richard was to play the Australian premiere of Elena Kats-Chernin’s "Selenite City" (Concerto for Violin and Piano) at the concert. It was played by violinist Lachlan O’Donnell, a friend of Richard, and a musician whose playing Richard greatly admired. Elena’s new work For Richard was premiered at the concert.
27 October 2011: An article appeared in What’s on at Qld Con!
26 October 2011: An article titled "Music from the heart - concert tribute to young violinist" appeared in UQ news.
24 October 2011: An article titled "Violinist Richard Pollett killed during visit to hometown Brisbane to play with Queensland Symphony Orchestra" appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane).
23 October 2011: The Queensland Youth Symphony (QYS) National Youth Concerto Competition (NYCC) finals concert on Sunday 23rd October at 3:00pm was dedicated to Richard’s memory.
18 October 2011: An article appeared in Musica Viva’s E-newsletter "KnowtheScore".
16 October 2011: Professor Paul Greenfield AO, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland, paid tribute to Richard at the UQ Symphony Orchestra concert, 2:00pm Sunday 16th October in the Concert Hall of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)
14 October 2011: The Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra dedicated a concert to Richard’s memory.
8 October 2011: Richard’s prize-winning performance of the Barber Violin Concerto at the 2010 YPA Strings Final in Adelaide was broadcast on ABC Classic FM at 14:45 Eastern Daylight Time.
6 October 2011: Griffith Chamber Players dedicated a performance of Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll to Richard’s memory (at the QCM).
6 October 2011: A service celebrating Richard’s life and legacy was held at Centenary Memorial Gardens (Brisbane).
5 October 2011: Staff of Kenmore Cycles placed a white painted bike at the scene of Richard’s accident as a memorial (this is a worldwide tradition to honour cyclists who have lost their lives on the road, both as a memorial to them and to serve as a reminder to motorists of the vulnerability of cyclists) [photo].
4 October 2011: Funeral notices appeared in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane), The Age (Melbourne), The Sydney Morning Herald and The Advertiser (Adelaide).
29 September 2011: The Sydney Camerata dedicated a performance of Strauss Metamorphosen to Richard’s memory [YouTube|Review (SoundsLikeSydney)]
27 September 2011: Richard was killed just after 1:00pm while riding his bicycle on Kenmore Road just east of the entrance to Blacon Street. His cycle and body became entangled with the wheels of a cement truck. Richard died instantly. He sustained the most appalling injuries, and his body had to be identified using dental records.
