Dulcie Holland
Dulcie Holland (1913–2000) was an Australian composer and music educator, known both for a wide body of concert works and for theory textbooks that shaped generations of students.
Born in Sydney, she trained at the New South Wales Conservatorium and later won a composition scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London, returning home when war broke out after only a year.
Her catalogue spans orchestral, chamber, vocal and educational music. The four-movement Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano is heard on Viva Sax! (TP132); a cradle song sits among Australian lullabies on Repose (MCD 142); and her art song contributes to the programme on Homegrown (MCD 664).
In later years she turned increasingly to textbooks, holding that making new converts to music mattered more than adding to the existing repertoire. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1977.
Compositions by Dulcie Holland appear on
Homegrown
Themes of nature, motherhood, and a profound spiritual connection to place pervade Homegrown — art song by Australian women composers, performed by soprano Rebecca Cassidy and pianist Alex Raineri.
Repose
Beautiful lullabies and cradle songs by Australian composers from 1890–1999. Soprano Linda Thompson and pianist Deviani Segal present world premiere recordings drawn from a century of Australian cradle song.