Banks, Don(ald Oscar)

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Banks, Don(ald Oscar)

Banks, Don(ald Oscar), Australian composer; b. Melbourne, Oct. 25, 1923; d. Sydney, Sept. 5, 1980. He took piano lessons as a child and played in dance bands as a youth. He served in the Australian Army (1941^46). After World War II, he studied composition with Nick-son and Le Gallienne at the Melbourne Cons. (1947–49). He then went to England, where he studied composition privately in London with Seiber (1950–52), then in Florence with Dallapiccola (1952–53). He remained in England and worked as an arranger and composer of film and television music; was music director of Goldsmiths’Coll. of the Univ. of London (1965–70). In 1971 he returned to Australia and was head of composition and electronic music at the Canberra School of Music (1974–78), and then of composition at the Sydney Con-servatorium (1978–80). In 1980 he was made a member of the Order of Australia. In some of his works, he applied serial methods, modified so as not to destroy the sense of tonality; he also made effective use of electronics.

Works

ORCH.: 4 Pieces (1953; London, June 1, 1954); Episode for Chamber Orch. (1958); Elizabethan Miniatures for Lute, Viola da Gamba, and Strings (1962); Divisions (Cheltenham, July 12, 1965); Horn Concerto (1965; London, Feb. 27, 1966); Assemblies (Melbourne, Dec. 3, 1966); Violin Concerto (London, Aug. 12, 1966); Intersections for Orch. and Tape (1969; London, Jan. 1970); Meeting Place for Chamber Orch., Jazz Group, and 2 Synthesizers (London, June 15, 1970); Nexus for Jazz Quintet and Orch. (1970; Kassel, April 8, 1971); Music for Wind Band (1971); Prospects (1974); Trilogy (1977). CHAMBER: Duo for Violin and Cello (1951–52); Divertimento for Flute and String Trio (1951–52); Violin Sonata (1953); Sonata da Camera, in memory of Seiber, for 8 Instruments (1961); Equation I for 12 Players (1963), II for 12 Players (1969), and III for Chamber Group, Jazz Quartet, and Synthesizers (1972); Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1962); Sequence for Cello (1967); Prelude, Night Piece and Blues for 2 for Clarinet and Piano (1968); 4 Pieces for String Quartet (1971); Take 8 for String Quartet and Jazz Quartet (1973); String Quartet (1976); 4 x 2 for Clarinet(s) and Tape (1977). Piano: Pezzo dramático (1956); Commentary for Piano and Tape (1971). VOCAL: 5 North Country Folk Songs for Voice and String Orch. or Piano (1953–54); Psalm 70 for Voice and Chamber Orch. (1954); Settings from Roget for Voice and Jazz Quartet (1966); Tirade, triptych for Soprano, Harp, Piano, and 3 Percussionists (1968); Findings Keepings for Chorus and Percussion (1969); Limbo, cantata for 3 Singers, 8 Instruments, and 2-channel Tape (1971); Benedictus for Voices, Jazz Quartet, 5 Synthesizers, Fender Electric Piano, and Tape (1976).