TYCHO! Beyond the Baton

Description

Trailer

Synopsis

“TYCHO! Beyond the Baton” reaffirms the genius of Tommy Tycho, the importance of his archives as a source of rich unpublished material, and the significance of his impact on the cultural landscape of Australia. It was Tommy who gave Australia a magnificent arrangement of the National Anthem, which is the version heard today at major events where Australia is represented. “TYCHO!” highlights the challenges Tommy overcame along the journey that culminated in his grand musical career in Australia.

During Tommy’s formative years, the challenges included the loss of his father when he was nine, after which he assumed a lifelong responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of his beloved family, and surviving life-threatening conditions, especially for Jews, under the Nazi occupation of Budapest during World War II.

In the early 1950s, he was banned from working by the Australian Musicians’ Union, and he suffered from a serious health condition in the early 1980s. The story moves forward with Tommy’s narration, curated from interviews he gave over many decades, complemented by authoritative commentary from Dr. Samuel Cottell and Vicky Tycho, Tommy’s daughter.

The narrative is further enhanced by comments from a variety of well-known musical artists who were mentored by Tommy. The underscore was curated from Tommy’s original compositions, and the film contains a rich tapestry of rare photos, archival audio, and film material that establish the texture of Tycho’s life and work.

Director

Stephan Wellink

A writer, producer, and director, Stephan’s award-winning documentaries have screened at film festivals, on free-to-air television, and on subscription streaming services in many parts of the world.

During the last nine years, Stephan has produced the feature documentaries Rod Taylor: Pulling No Punches (2016), Jerry Lewis: The Man Behind the Clown (2016), Sam Spiegel: Conquering Hollywood (2018), Pushing the Boundaries: The Mavis Bramston Show (2022), and The Sculpture (2023).

Stephan is the co-author, with Brendan Morris, of The Natural (2025), a biography about the extraordinary sporting life of Richard “Dick” Thornett. The book was released by Fair Play Publishing in early 2025, and Stephan is currently adapting it into a screenplay.