Elizabeth Margaret Beath, née Eardley, (born 19 November 1932) is an Australian composer, pianist, and music educator.

Life and career

Betty Beath was born in

Bundaberg Bundaberg is a city in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia, and is the tenth largest city in the state. Bundaberg's regional area has a population of 70,921, and is a major centre of the Wide Bay–Burnett geographical region. The Bun ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, and began piano lessons at the age of three. She was twice a finalist in the ABC Concerto competition when in her teens. In 1950, she was awarded a

University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...

Music Scholarship, which took her to study under the composer and pianist Frank Hutchens at the

Sydney Conservatorium of Music The Sydney Conservatorium of Music (formerly the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music and known by the moniker "The Con") is a heritage-listed music school in Macquarie Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the old ...

and also at the

Queensland Conservatorium Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (formerly the Queensland Conservatorium of Music) is a selective, audition based music school located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and is part of Griffith University. History The Conservatori ...

, with Max Olding and Janet Delpratt. After completing her education, Beath settled in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

and took positions as an accompanist and later teacher at Queensland Conservatorium and was Head of Music at St. Margaret's Girls' School, Brisbane. She is an Examiner with the

Australian Music Examinations Board The Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) is a federated, privately funded corporation which provides a program of examinations for music, speech and drama in Australia. The organisation had its beginnings at the Universities of Melbourne ...

. Beath received a Southeast Asian Fellowship from the

Australia Council The Australia Council for the Arts, commonly known as the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announced in 1967 as the Austra ...

in 1974 to conduct research in

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

and

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

. She is married to author/illustrator, David Cox. She represented women composers of Australia at the 3rd International Congress on Women in Music, held in Mexico City in 1984. She has also been an executive member of the International League of Women Composers. The

State Library of Queensland The State Library of Queensland is the main reference and research library provided to the people of the State of Queensland, Australia, by the state government. Its legislative basis is provided by the Queensland Libraries Act 1988. It contai ...

has in its collection a digital story and oral history of Betty Beath. In this extensive interview she speaks with Laurel Dingle about her life as a music composer, performer and teacher, from her earliest memories to the present day. (1950-2014).

Works

Beath sometimes incorporates world music themes into her compositions, including music from

and

. Selected works include:

Orchestral

* Asmaradana (1994), for Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. First performance Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta,18/6/1994. * Journeys - an indonesian triptych (1994), Commissioned by the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra. * Dreams and visions (1996), Commissioned by the

Queensland Symphony Orchestra Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra in the state of Queensland. The orchestra is based in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's building in South Bank. The Orchestra is funded by private corporations, the ...

. * Woman's song: Allegro Vivace for Strings,(1999). Published by Wirripang. * Lament for Kosovo: Adagio for Strings, (1999). Published by Wirripang. * Lagu lagu manis (1994)

Soloist with orchestra

* In this garden (1973). * Riddles (1974) a cycle of four songs for Voice and Orchestra. 1. The Cry 2. In An English Garden 3. In Spanish Mountains 4. In the Carnarvon Ranges. * From a Quiet Place, 3 Pieces for viola and piano (1997) * Mikri Thalassa for 2 mandolins, mandola and guitar * Adagio for Strings: Lament for Kosovo * Towards the Psalms, settings of texts from the novel Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels * Merindu Bali, programmed * River Songs for soprano with ensemble * Abigail and the Bushranger with David Cox * Abigail and the Rainmaker for treble choir with piano * Lagu lagu Manis II for chamber orchestra * Heart song for solo cello * Poverello: St. Francis of Assisi, a Saint for Our Times

Recordings

Music of Betty Beath is recorded and issued on CD, including: * 'Music of Betty Beath' 2010 Wirripang, Wirr024 * 'Betty Beath, Journeys of the Mind' 2/10/2011, Beath-Cox Art Enterprises CD BC02 * 'Music in Bali and Java, Betty Beath & David Cox', 1/9/2011, Beath-Cox Art Enterprises CD BC01 * 'Splendour of the Past, Music of Australian Composers', 27/1/1991. JAD CD 1025 * 'River Songs' 29 February 1992. JAD CD1026 * 'Poetic Nostalgia' 7/7/1992. JAD CD1029 *''Still Life'' (25 October 2003). Tall Poppies, TP162 * 'Music From Six Continents, 1995 Series.' Vienna Modern Masters VMM3031 * 'New Music for Orchestra...Music From Six Continents, 1996 Series. Vienna Modern Masters VMM3036 * 'Symphony, Music of Australian Composers', 15/3/1993. JAD CD1037 * 'New Music for Orchestra...Music From Six Continents, 1997 Series. Vienna Modern Masters VMM3039 * 'In This Garden', 18/1/94. JAD CD1044 * 'Music from Six Continents, 2001 Series.' Vienna Modern Masters VMM 3052 * 'Music From Six Continents, 2001 Series.' Vienna Modern Masters VMM 3053 * 'Music for a Candlelight Dinner', 26/2/1996. JAD CD1058 * 'Procession for Elizabeth, Music of Australian Composers' 17/9/1998. JAD CD1079 * 'Shade of Summer, Music of Australian Composers', 28/10/1992. JAD CD1032 * 'Music From The Fellowship of Australian Composers', 9/3/1993. JAD CD1036 * 'Water Colours, Music of the Australian Composers', 5/10/1993. JAD CD1041 * 'Tales from Nowhere, Music of the Australian Composers', 8/2/1994. JAD CD1046 * 'Music for a Festive Occasion, Music of Australian Composers', 15/3/1994. JAD CD1048 * 'Best of Jade Classics, Music of the Australian Composers', 5/10/1995. JAD CD1056 * 'American Dream, Music of American and Australian Composers', 11/1/2001. JAD CD1090 * 'The Original Music For A Champagne Breakfast, Australian Composers', 4/6/1999. JAD CD1085 * 'Winter Solstice, Music of Australian Composers', 18/1/2006. JAD CD1108 * 'Reflections Through A Stained Glass Window', 29/8/2006. JAD CD1110 * 'Sonata Piccola, Music of Australian Composers's, 31/10/2006. JAD CD1111 * 'Forever Sunset,' Celebrating the 100th disc in the Jade Series of Australian Composers. 16/10/2007. JAD CD1116 * 'Un-ruffled, Australian Viola, French Horn, Double Bass & Bassoon Music', 2004. Fellowship of Australian Composers FAC CD3

References

External links

Betty Beath Digital Story and Oral History 2014

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beath, Betty 1932 births Living people 20th-century classical composers Australian music educators Australian women classical composers People from Bundaberg Musicians from Queensland 21st-century classical composers Australian classical composers Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University alumni Women music educators 20th-century women composers 21st-century women composers