Peter Sculthorpe

Peter Sculthorpe
AO OBE
Peter Sculthorpe AO OBE
Background information
Birth name	Peter Joshua Sculthorpe
Born	29 April 1929; Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Died	8 August 2014 (aged 85); Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Opera, classical
Occupation(s)	Composer

Peter Joshua Sculthorpe AO OBE (29 April 1929 – 8 August 2014) was an Australian composer. Much of his music resulted from an interest in the music of countries neighbouring Australia as well as from the impulse to bring together aspects of Aboriginal Australian music with that of the heritage of the West. He was known primarily for his orchestral and chamber music, such as Kakadu (1988) and Earth Cry (1986), which evoke the sounds and feeling of the Australian bushland and outback. He also wrote 18 string quartets, using unusual timbral effects, works for piano, and two operas. He stated that he wanted his music to make people feel better and happier for having listened to it. He typically avoided the dense, atonal techniques of many of his contemporary composers. His work was often characterised by its distinctive use of percussion. As one of the compositional pioneers of a distinctively Australian sound, Sculthorpe and his music have been likened to the role played by Aaron Copland in America's musical coming of age.