MS 8341 Papers of Patrick Thomas
Summary
Creator: Thomas, Patrick Alan
Title: Papers of Patrick Thomas
Date range: 1944-2001
Reference number: MS 8341
Extent: 3.22m (23 boxes) + 3 folios
Administrative Information
Access
Available for reference
Provenance
The papers were acquired by the Library from Patrick Thomas in
instalments received in 1989 (boxes 1-15), 1992 (boxes 16-17), 1995 (boxes
17-20), 1998 (box 20), 2000 (boxes 22-23) and 2001 and 2004 (box 23). Some
instalments were acquired under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme and
some were donated.
The papers comprise personal and professional correspondence, original
music scores and published musical works, contracts, itineraries, concert
programs and posters, newspaper cuttings, reviews, publicity material, an
autograph book, newsletters, biographical material and photographs. Also
included are typescripts of two unpublished autobiographical works entitled
Maestro down under and Behind the scenes (what the audience
never knew): a conductors reminiscences.
As well as the Australian Broadcasting Commission and numerous
theatrical and musical companies, correspondents include Colin Brumby, Lyle
Cresswell, John Curro, Don Banks, Sir Bernard Heinze, Henry Krips, Charles
Lisner, William Lovelock, Ezra Rachlin, John Reid, David Stanhope, Peter
Tahourdin and Larry Sitsky.
Arrangement
The papers are listed in the order in which they were received, forming
a generally chronological arrangement.
Related Material
Interview with Patrick Thomas by Jennifer Gall, recorded 28 May 1990 as
part of the Esso Performing Arts Collection. Held in the Oral History Section
of the Library at ORAL TRC 2586
1932 Born in Brisbane, Queensland on 1 June
1944 First broadcast for the ABC as a flautist
1946 First concert appearance as a soloist with the ABCs Brisbane
Symphony Orchestra
1951-1955 Flautist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
1955-1963 Accountant/auditor, The Australian Estate Co. Ltd.
1958 Married Helen Elder
1958-1960 Organist and choirmaster, Ann Street Presbyterian Church,
Brisbane
1959-1963 Founded and conducted the Patrick Thomas Singers, Brisbane
1964 Resident Conductor, Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust Opera
Company and the Australian Ballet
1965-1972 Assistant Conductor, South Australian Symphony Orchestra
1967 Musical Director, New Zealand Opera Company
1968 Chief Conductor, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
1970 Overseas Study Scholarship
1972 Churchill Fellowship
1973-1977 Chief Conductor, Queensland Symphony Orchestra
1978 Awarded MBE
1978-1986 ABC Conductor-in-Residence
1986 Musical Director, ABC Sinfonia and freelance conductor
1988 Senior Program Officer (Music), Performing Arts Board of the
Australia Council
1988-1991 Artistic Director, Wellington City Opera, NZ
1990 Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award
1991 Australian Creative Artists Fellowship
1995-1997 Board Director, member of the Program Committee and the
Recording Production Committee, radio station 2MBS, Sydney
1998 Honorary Life Membership, Fellowship of Australian Composers
Box
1 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1944-early
1960s
1 Scrapbook, 1944-1945
2 Three scrapbooks, Brisbane,1959-1963
3 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1964-1966
3 Scrapbook of Adelaide, 1965-1966
4 Correspondence, cuttings and programs, Adelaide, 1965-1968
4 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1967-1970
4 Correspondence, financial papers and reports relating to the
Australian Opera Scholarship (1970) and the Churchill Fellowship (1972)
5 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1970-1973
6 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1973-1974
7 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1975-1976
8 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1977-1978
8 Cuttings and commemorative material relating to the 30th anniversary
of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, 1977
9 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1978-1980
9 Correspondence and cuttings relating to Thomas MBE, 1978
10 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1980-1981
11 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1982
12 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1983-1984
13 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1985-1986
14 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1987-1988
15 Business and personal correspondence, 1972-1988
16 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1989-1990
17 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1991
17 Business and personal correspondence, 1963-1986 and 1992-1995
18 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1992-1993
19 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1994-1995
20 Scores and published music (index included)
20 Autograph book of well known names, 1944-1950s (index of names
included)
20 Newspaper clippings, 1952-1981
20 Unpublished autobiography entitled 'Maestro down under'
20 Overture to conducting, Perth, Keys Press, 1998
21 Letter from Aaron Copland, 1959
21 Draft of article 'Orchestras in the 21st century'. The article was
subsequently published in Musical Performance, Vol. 2, Issue 3, 2000, pp.
121-130
21 Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material,
1996-2000
22 Business correspondence, 2000
22 Papers relating to the Silver Society of Australia, 1995-1998
22 Typescript of an autobiographical work entitled Behind the
scenes (what the audience never knew): a conductors reminiscences,
September 2000
22 Copies of Brisbane State High School Magazine, 1947-1949
22 Programs, reviews and publicity material, 1973-1997 (6 folders)
23 Programs, reviews and publicity material, 1998-2000 (2 folders)
23 Program autographed by Hans Schmidt Isserstedt, 1970
23 Copy of a review mentioning Thomas in the New York Saturday
Review, 1971
23 Business correspondence, 2001
23 Curriculum vitae, November 2001
23 Programs, reviews and publicity material, 1982-2001 (1 folder)
23 Australian Broadcasting Commission Annual Reports (1970-1985), a copy
of the Senate Standing Committee on Education and the Arts Report on Employment
of Musicians by the Australian Broadcasting Commission (1977) and copies of
Fine Music (2001), all of which contain references to Thomas
24 Correspondence, radio productions and copy for presentation,
c2003
24 Journals with articles featuring Thomas
Folios
Box
1 Original scores and published music, including the originals of
sketches written for Thomas by Dr William Lovelock in 1958 (list of works
included)
2 Display posters of works conducted throughout the world, 1970s-1990s
(detailed list included)
3 Display posters relating to appearances as guest conductor,
c1990-2000
November 1996, Last updated March 2002 |