Hughes, Robert Watson

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Hughes, Robert Watson

Hughes, Robert Watson, Scottish-born Australian composer; b. Leven, Fyfeshire, March 27, 1912. He emigrated to Australia in 1930 and studied with A. E. H. Nickson atthe Univ. of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (1938–40). He worked as a music librarian at the Australian Broadcasting Commission in Melbourne; was chairman of the Australian Performing Right Assn. (1977–85). In 1978 he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire. He withdrew most of his early compositions.

Works

dramatic: Opera: The Intriguers (1975). Ballet: Xanadu (1954); The Forbidden Rite (1962). ORCH.: Festival Overture (1948); Farrago, suite (1949); Serenade for Small Orch. (1952); Sym. (1952); Essay I (1953) and II (1982); Masquerade Overture (1956); Sinfonietta (1957) Synthesis (1969); Sea Spell (1973). VOCAL: 5 Indian Poems for Chorus, Woodwinds, and Percussion (1971); 2 Indian Poems for Soprano and Chamber Orch. (1979).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire