BANKS, Don
b Melbourne, 25 October 1923
d Sydney, 1 October 1980, aged fifty-six

His father was a professional jazz musician, and Don learned five instruments including piano. In 1948, after war service in the Australian Army Medical Corps, he studied composition at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium. In 1950 he went to London to study under Seiber, won a scholarship that took him to Sahburg, then went to Florence to study with Dallapiccola and later with Nono. During the 1950s he published little, living in London as a copyist and arranger and writing for commercials and documentary films. He became chairman of the SPNM, and from 1969 to 1971 was music director at Goldsmiths' College. After leaving England he became chairman of the Australian Council for the Arts' Music Board, and head of composition and electronic music studies at the Canberra School of Music; he also formed the Composers' Guild of Australia. In 1978 he became head of the School of Composition Studies at Sydney Conservatorium.
1951 (28)
Divertimento for flute and string trio
Duo for violin and cello
1953 (30)
Sonata for violin and piano
Four Pieces for orchestra
1954 (31)
Five North Country Folk Songs for soprano or tenor, piano and string orchestra
Psalm LXX, for soprano and chamber orchestra
1955 (32)
Three North Country Folk Songs for soprano or tenor and piano
Three Studies for cello and piano
1956 (33)
Pezzo Dramatico, for piano
1958 (35)
Episode, for chamber orchestra
1961 (38)
Sonata da camera, for ensemble
1962 (39)
Trio for horn, violin and piano
1963 4 (40-1)
Equation 1, for jazz group and ensemble
1964 (41)
Three Episodes, for flute and piano
1964-5 (41-2)
Divisions, for orchestra
1965 (42)
Horn Concerto
1966 (43)
Assemblies, for orchestra
Settings from Roget, for jazz singer and ensemble
1967 (44)
Sequence, for cello
1968 (45)
Violin Concerto
Tirade, for mezzo or baritone, piano, harp and three percussion instruments
Findings Keepings, for chorus, drums and double-bass
1969 (46)
Dramatic Music, for youth orchestra
Fanfare, for orchestra
Intersections, for orchestra and tape
Equation II, for jazz group and ensemble
1970 (47)
Meeting Place, for jazz group, ensemble and electronics
1971 (48)
Three Short Songs for voice and jazz quartet
Limbo, for three solo voices, eight instruments and two-track tape
Music for wind band
Nexus, for orchestra and jazz band
Four Pieces for string quartet
1972 (49)
Walkabout, for children's voices and instruments
Equation III, for jazz group, ensemble and electronics
String Quartet
Shadows of Space, for four-track tape
1973 (50)
Prospects, for orchestra