Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

Australia

Genre

:

Vocal

 

John Farrar was a renowned classical music composer who was born on November 8, 1945, in Melbourne, Australia. He was the youngest of three children and grew up in a musical family. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a singer. Farrar's parents encouraged him to pursue music from a young age, and he began playing the guitar at the age of 12. Farrar's early musical influences were rock and roll and blues music. He played in several bands during his teenage years and eventually became a session musician in the 1960s. He played guitar on several hit songs, including "Friday on My Mind" by The Easybeats and "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles. In the early 1970s, Farrar began to focus on composing music. He wrote several songs for Olivia Newton-John, including her hit single "Have You Never Been Mellow." Farrar and Newton-John became close friends and collaborators, and he went on to write many of her biggest hits, including "You're the One That I Want" and "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from the movie Grease. Farrar's success with Newton-John led to opportunities to compose music for other artists and for film and television. He wrote the theme song for the TV show "The Flying Doctors" and composed the score for the movie "Xanadu," which starred Newton-John and Gene Kelly. Despite his success in popular music, Farrar remained committed to classical music. He studied composition with Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe and continued to write classical music throughout his career. In 1995, he composed a symphony titled "The Wind in the Willows," which was performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Farrar's classical compositions were characterized by their melodic beauty and emotional depth. He was particularly skilled at writing for strings, and his works often featured lush, romantic harmonies. His music was influenced by composers such as Gustav Mahler, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. One of Farrar's most famous classical works is his "Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra," which he composed in 1989. The concerto was written for Australian guitarist John Williams and was premiered by the London Symphony Orchestra. The piece is notable for its virtuosic guitar writing and its fusion of classical and popular music styles. Farrar's other notable classical works include his "Symphony No. 1," which was premiered by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 1987, and his "String Quartet No. 1," which was premiered by the Australian String Quartet in 1992. Both works showcase Farrar's gift for melody and his ability to create rich, expressive textures. In addition to his work as a composer, Farrar was also a respected music educator. He taught composition at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne and was a mentor to many young composers. He was known for his generosity and his willingness to share his knowledge and experience with others. Farrar's contributions to classical music were recognized with several awards and honors. In 1990, he was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to music. He was also a fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and a member of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. John Farrar passed away on October 10, 2021, at the age of 75. He left behind a rich legacy of music that continues to inspire and move audiences around the world.

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