W. Arundel Orchard
Encyclopedia
William Arundel Orchard OBE FRCM
(13 April 18677 April 1961) was a British
-born Australia
n organist
, pianist
, composer
, conductor and music educator.
Orchard was born in London
and educated privately. He attended the University of Durham
, graduating Bachelor of Music
(BMus) in 1893. In 1896 he left England
for Perth, Western Australia
, to take up a position as a choir
director. He later worked in Hobart
and New Zealand
, before settling in Sydney
in 1903. He was the founding conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
in 1908 and also conducted the Sydney Madrigal and Chamber Music Society from 1908 to 1915.
In 1916, Orchard began teaching at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music
, taking over as Director in 1923. The University of Durham made him Doctor of Music
(DMus) in 1928. He retired from the Conservatorium in 1934, but in 1935 established the first music degree course at the University of Tasmania
, teaching it until 1938. In 1938, he founded the Musical Association of Tasmania, becoming its first President.
Returning to Sydney, he became the Visiting Examiner for the Trinity College of Music
, and constantly travelled around Australia for the next 20 years.
Orchard was returning from a trip to England, when he died on board the Dominion Monarch. He was buried at sea, off Cape Town
, South Africa
.
; it tells the story of a suicide club. It was written by W. J. Curtis and J. I. Hunt and published in 1905.
His only serious opera was Dorian Gray, a setting of Oscar Wilde
's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray
. It had its premiere at the New South Wales State Conservatorium on 11 September 1919, but was not published.
He also wrote a violin concerto; a dramatic poem for soprano, baritone, men's chorus and orchestra; chamber music; and various songs.
Orchard published his autobiography The Distant View (1943) and Music in Australia (1952).
(FRCM) in 1931. In 1936, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
(OBE).
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
(13 April 18677 April 1961) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n organist
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, conductor and music educator.
Orchard was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and educated privately. He attended the University of Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, graduating Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
(BMus) in 1893. In 1896 he left England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, to take up a position as a choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
director. He later worked in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, before settling in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1903. He was the founding conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
in 1908 and also conducted the Sydney Madrigal and Chamber Music Society from 1908 to 1915.
In 1916, Orchard began teaching at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
, taking over as Director in 1923. The University of Durham made him Doctor of Music
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
(DMus) in 1928. He retired from the Conservatorium in 1934, but in 1935 established the first music degree course at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
, teaching it until 1938. In 1938, he founded the Musical Association of Tasmania, becoming its first President.
Returning to Sydney, he became the Visiting Examiner for the Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
, and constantly travelled around Australia for the next 20 years.
Orchard was returning from a trip to England, when he died on board the Dominion Monarch. He was buried at sea, off Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Works
His most successful stage work, The Coquette: or, A Suicidal Policy (1905), was a light opera in the style of Gilbert and SullivanGilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
; it tells the story of a suicide club. It was written by W. J. Curtis and J. I. Hunt and published in 1905.
His only serious opera was Dorian Gray, a setting of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine...
. It had its premiere at the New South Wales State Conservatorium on 11 September 1919, but was not published.
He also wrote a violin concerto; a dramatic poem for soprano, baritone, men's chorus and orchestra; chamber music; and various songs.
Orchard published his autobiography The Distant View (1943) and Music in Australia (1952).
Honours
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of MusicRoyal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
(FRCM) in 1931. In 1936, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE).