Ahem, David (Anthony)

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Ahem, David (Anthony)

Ahem, David (Anthony), Australian composer; b. Sydney, Nov. 2, 1947; d. there, Jan. 30, 1988. After training with Butterley and Meale, he took courses with Stockhausen in Cologne and with Cardew in London, exploring the outer regions of the art of hypermusical speculations. Returning to Sydney, he became active in avant-garde circles; introduced scores by contemporary Australian, American, and other composers with his own ensemble AZ Music during the 1960s and 1970s. Thereafter, he was estranged from the Australian music scene. His early works are rigidly serial, but after 1965 he began employing random theatrical effects. Among his compositions were orch. pieces, chamber music, and electronic scores.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire