Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Australia

Birth

:

December 29, 1912 in Melbourne, Australia

Death

:

June 25, 1990 in Sydney, Australia

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Peggy Glanville-Hicks was an Australian composer who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. She was born on December 29, 1912, in Melbourne, Australia, to a family of musicians. Her father, a pianist, and her mother, a singer, were both involved in the music industry, and Peggy grew up surrounded by music. At the age of 13, Peggy began studying music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She showed great promise as a composer, and her talent was recognized by her teachers. In 1931, she won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London, where she studied composition with Ralph Vaughan Williams and conducting with Constant Lambert. After completing her studies in London, Peggy returned to Australia, where she worked as a composer and music critic. She was a prolific composer, and her works were performed by leading orchestras and ensembles around the world. Her music was characterized by its use of exotic scales and rhythms, and its incorporation of elements of traditional music from around the world. One of Peggy's most famous works is her opera, "Sappho," which was first performed in 1963. The opera tells the story of the ancient Greek poet Sappho, and explores themes of love, desire, and betrayal. The music is characterized by its use of ancient Greek scales and rhythms, and its incorporation of traditional Greek instruments such as the lyre and the aulos. Another notable work by Peggy is her ballet, "The Transposed Heads," which was first performed in 1954. The ballet is based on a story from Indian mythology, and tells the story of two friends who have their heads magically switched. The music is characterized by its use of Indian scales and rhythms, and its incorporation of traditional Indian instruments such as the sitar and the tabla. In addition to her work as a composer, Peggy was also a music critic and a champion of new music. She wrote for several publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald and The New York Herald Tribune, and was known for her insightful and passionate writing about music. Peggy's contributions to the world of classical music were recognized with several awards and honors. In 1969, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia, and in 1975, she was awarded the Australian Music Centre's Don Banks Music Award. She was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. Peggy Glanville-Hicks died on June 25, 1990, in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 77. She left behind a legacy of innovative and groundbreaking music, and her contributions to the world of classical music continue to be celebrated and studied today.

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