Hooper Brewster-Jones

Hooper Brewster-Jones
Born	c.1855 Orroroo,Australia
Died	1949
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, teacher, music critic

Hooper Josse Brewster-Jones(1887–1949) was a musician, composer, teacher and music critic, born nearOrrorooon theBlack Rock Plain, South Australia.

His parents were William Arthur Jones (c. 1855–1947), a school master, and RebeccanéeWilliams.He attended school atArmaghandBute,where he was taught by his father, including music. In June 1896, he performed a duet with Rebie Jones and then his own composition, "The Bute March" – he celebrated his ninth birthday a few days later.He left home at age 13 to board in Adelaide.Jones studied piano at theElder Conservatorium of Musicfrom 1901.While there, he won anElder Overseas Scholarshipto study at London'sRoyal College of Musicfocussing on composition, chamber music and piano.His farewell concert in June 1905 at the Adelaide Town Hall's Banqueting-room provided, "Bach's 'Prelude and fugue', in A minor (transcribed by Liszt), Chopin's" 'Nocturne in E major', 'Etude in F major', and 'Scherzo in B minor', and three works by Liszt. "

He returned to Adelaide in 1909 to teach piano, composition and singing.He provided a recital at the town hall in November, andThe Advertiser's critic opined, "The young pianist proved quite equal to the demands of the difficult composition, and his interpretation was decidedly effective. Certainly the outburst of applause which followed was well earned, and it is not too much to say that the artist demonstrated that he is qualified to take his place amongst the first rank pianists of Australia."In the following year, in June, he married Gerta Homburg, an amateur singer and authority on Germanlieder.

During 1916, Brewster-Jones composed an opera in three acts.A correspondent fromThe Advertiserdescribed the work, "The subject is an old Irish tragedy, 'Deirdre', and he has adopted a prose libretto. The 'solo', requirements are two sopranos, tenor, baritone, and bass. No chorus is introduced."

Kate Bowan of theJournal of Music Research Onlineobserved, "[he] produced an enormous amount of music, particularly during the 1920s. Some of the music written during this decade, such as the Formula Series,a set of piano preludes, places him in the world of transnational modernism. "

His works include an operaThe Nightingale and the RosefromThe Happy Prince and Other Tales.He worked with theAustralian Broadcasting Commissionas a pianist, radio lecturer and conductor of the state's studio orchestra in the 1930s.From 1935 to 1940 he was a music critic forThe Advertiserand then for theNews.He retired in the late 1940s.

His son, Arthur Brewster-Jones, was the conductor of the Adelaide Stringster Orchestra.Hooper Brewster-Jones' last performance was the D minor Mozart piano concerto with his son's orchestra – he died of a heart attack fifteen minutes later.Upon his death, Hooper Brewster-Jones left his wife, two of three sons and a daughter.

He is the grandfather ofJohnand Rick Brewster, who are the founder members of hard rockers,the Angels.There is a plaque in his honour on theJubilee 150 Walkway.

Published works

• Tintner, Georg;Brewster-Jones, Hooper;Symphony Australia(1955),Chaconne and Fugue on a Theme by Brewster-Jones,retrieved6 December2017