Guide to the Papers of Patrick Thomas

Searching...

MS 8341 et al

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Thomas, Patrick
Title
Papers of Patrick Thomas
Date Range
1917-2014
Collection Number
MS 8341 et al
Extent
4.05 metres (40 ms boxes, 3 folio boxes, 4 packets, 1 poster tube, 1 folder)
Physical Facet
MS 8341: (24 ms boxes + 2 medium folio boxes + 1 poster roll)MS Acc18.012 (2 ms boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

MS 8341 comprises 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. The collection also includes the typescript of an unpublished biographical work titled 'Behind the scenes: what the audience never knew: a conductor's reminiscences', another unpublished autobiography, 'Maestro down under: fifty years of music', an unpublished article by Thomas titled 'Orchestras in the 21st century', and a copy of his book, A conductor's musings (some thoughts in verse).As well as the Australian Broadcasting Commission and numerous theatrical companies, correspondents in MS 8341 include Aaron Copeland, 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 (24 boxes, 2 fol. boxes, 1 poster tube).

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2701712).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Patrick Thomas, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file number]'.

Provenance

The Original Consignments were acquired by the Library from Patrick Thomas in instalments received in 1989 (MS 8341, Boxes 1-15), 1992 (MS 8341, Boxes 16-17), 1995 (MS 8341, Boxes 17-20), 1998 (MS 8341, Box 20), 2000 (MS 8341, Boxes 22-23) and 2001 and 2004 (MS 8341, Box 23). Some instalments were acquired under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme and some were donated.

Interview with Patrick Thomas by Jennifer Gall, recorded 28 May 1990 as part of the Esso Performing Arts Collection. Held in the Oral History Collection of the Library at ORAL TRC 2586

Arrangement

The papers are listed in the order in which they were received, forming a generally chronological arrangement.

Biographical / Historical

Flautist, orchestral conductor and writer. Alan Patrick Thomas (MBE) has had a distinguished career as a flautist, choirmaster and conductor. He made his first appearance as a soloist in 1946 with the ABC's Brisbane Symphony Orchestra and from 1951 until 1955 he was a flautist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. From 1959 to 1963 he was founder and conductor of the Patrick Thomas Singers in Brisbane. In 1964 Thomas was appointed resident conductor of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust Opera Company and the Australian Ballet. He went on to work with the South Australian Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Opera Company, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the Wellington City Opera in New Zealand. In 1998 he was the first Australian conductor to become an honorary life member of the Fellowship of Australian Composers. As a writer, Thomas has published poetry and an autobiography, Upbeats and downbeats: a conductor's life (2010).

Item Descriptions

Class MS 8341. Original Consignment

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1944-early 1960s (File) - Box 1 (MS 8341)

Scrapbook, 1944-1945 (File) - Box 1 (MS 8341)

Three scrapbooks, Brisbane, 1959-1963 (File) - Box 2 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1964-1966 (File) - Box 3 (MS 8341)

Scrapbook of Adelaide, 1965-1966 (File) - Box 3 (MS 8341)

Correspondence, cuttings and programs, Adelaide, 1965-1968 (File) - Box 4 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1967-1970 (File) - Box 4 (MS 8341)

Correspondence, financial papers and reports relating to the Australian Opera Scholarship (1970) and the Churchill Fellowship (1972) (File) - Box 4 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1970-1973 (File) - Box 5 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1973-1974 (File) - Box 6 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1975-1976 (File) - Box 7 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1977-1978 (File) - Box 8 (MS 8341)

Cuttings and commemorative material relating to the 30th anniversary of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, 1977 (File) - Box 8 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1978-1980 (File) - Box 9 (MS 8341)

Correspondence and cuttings relating to Thomas' MBE, 1978 (File) - Box 9 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1980-1981 (File) - Box 10 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1982 (File) - Box 11 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1983-1984 (File) - Box 12 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1985-1986 (File) - Box 13 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1987-1988 (File) - Box 14 (MS 8341)

Business and personal correspondence, 1972-1988 (File) - Box 15 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1989-1990 (File) - Box 16 (MS 8341)

Presentation and Speech of Reply Sir Bernard Heinze Award, Melbourne Concert Hall, 7/09/1990, 7/09/1990 (Item NLA.MS-SAV018266) - Cassette-Box 739
1 Item, TDK AD60, Compact cassette tape

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1991 (File) - Box 17 (MS 8341)

Business and personal correspondence, 1963-1986 and 1992-1995 (File) - Box 17 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1992-1993 (File) - Box 18 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1994-1995 (File) - Box 19 (MS 8341)

Scores and published music (index included) (File) - Box 20 (MS 8341)

Autograph book of well known names, 1944-1950s (index of names included) (File) - Box 20 (MS 8341)

Newspaper clippings, 1952-1981 (File) - Box 20 (MS 8341)

Unpublished autobiography entitled 'Maestro down under' (File) - Box 20 (MS 8341)

Overture to conducting, Perth, Keys Press, 1998 (File) - Box 20 (MS 8341)

Letter from Aaron Copland, 1959 (File) - Box 21 (MS 8341)

Draft of article 'Orchestras in the 21st century'. The article was subsequently published in Musical Performance, Vol. 2, Issue 3, 2000, pp. 121-130 (File) - Box 21 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, cuttings and publicity material, 1996-2000 (File) - Box 21 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, 2000 (File) - Box 22 (MS 8341)

Papers relating to the Silver Society of Australia, 1995-1998 (File) - Box 22 (MS 8341)

Typescript of an autobiographical work entitled 'Behind the scenes (what the audience never knew): a conductor's reminiscences', September 2000 (File) - Box 22 (MS 8341)

Copies of Brisbane State High School Magazine, 1947-1949 (File) - Box 22 (MS 8341)

Programs, reviews and publicity material, 1973-1997 (6 folders) (File) - Box 22 (MS 8341)

Programs, reviews and publicity material, 1998-2000 (2 folders) (File) - Box 23 (MS 8341)

Program autographed by Hans Schmidt Isserstedt, 1970 (File) - Box 23 (MS 8341)

Copy of a review mentioning Thomas in the New York Saturday Review, 1971 (File) - Box 23 (MS 8341)

Business correspondence, 2001 (File) - Box 23 (MS 8341)

Curriculum vitae, November 2001 (File) - Box 23 (MS 8341)

Programs, reviews and publicity material, 1982-2001 (1 folder) (File) - Box 23 (MS 8341)

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 (File) - Box 23 (MS 8341)

Correspondence, radio productions and copy for presentation, c2003 (File) - Box 24 (MS 8341)

Journals with articles featuring Thomas (File) - Box 24 (MS 8341)

Original scores and published music, including the originals of sketches written for Thomas by Dr William Lovelock in 1958 (list of works included) (File) - Folio-Box 1 (MS 8341)

Display posters of works conducted throughout the world, 1970s-1990s (detailed list included) (File) - Folio-Box 2 (MS 8341)

Display posters relating to appearances as guest conductor, c1990-2000 (File) - Folio-Box 3 (MS 8341)


Top