Login

Enter your username and password

Photo: Visual Arts Imaging Gallery

Born, in 1951, into a family that owned and operated a music studio, Margaret Brandman naturally became fascinated by music. From the age of four she studied accordion and piano, taking up guitar and clarinet in her teens. Her education, supported by formal studies in piano, clarinet, harmony and composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, covered many styles of music.

Following high school, Brandman was awarded a scholarship to the University of Sydney, where she studied composition with Peter Sculthorpe. In 1975 she was awarded a Bachelor of Music (Composition), having already acquired her Associate Performer degree and Teacher of Pianoforte Diploma. Between 2000 and 2002 Brandman was awarded the F.Comp.ASMC, F.Mus.Ed.ASMC and L.Perf.ASMC degrees by the Australian Society for Musicology and Composition as well as the Hon.FNMSM (UK)

Many of Brandman's compositions have received concert performances and radio broadcast. Undulations for String Orchestra, published in Germany, has been performed by the Orchestre da Chiesa in Switzerland. Saxophone Quartet was performed in 1997 at the Donne in Musica Festival in Italy while Images and When Spirits Soar were performed at the Festival of Women's Music in Sydney. In 1999 Lyric Fantasy for Piano and Strings was premiered by the Musica da Camera orchestra with soloist Colin Forbes in Canberra. Aaron McMillan recently performed and recorded the piano works Sonorities and Winter Piece. Desiree Regina's performance of Brandman's song cycle, Songs of Love and Desire, accompanied by the composer on piano, received airplay on 2MBS FM in 2003 and 2004.

Throughout her career Brandman has contributed to many prestigious national and international music journals. Her original theories on music education have been disseminated through interviews in magazines such as the Incorporated Society of Musician's ( UK) Music Journal and the online internet music magazine published by the University of New Mexico (USA).

Brandman has also gained international recognition through her pioneering of a holistic approach to music education. Her high school text book Accent on Music and her Contemporary series method books are available worldwide. Her Playing Made Easy for recorder teaching method is now published in the USA by Santorella Music with the title How to Play the Recorder. In 2005 Brandman was employed by the Australian Music Examinations Board to write the workbooks for their new Music Craft course. In 2003 Brandman was honoured as International Woman of the Year for services to music by the International Biographical Centre as well as Woman of the Year by the American Biographical Institute.

Books, scores and recordings of Brandman's work are available from the Australian Music Centre. Published works are also available from all music retailers. For USA orders, contact Piano Music International.

Biography provided by the composer — current to February 2006