THE MEMORY OF MUSIC

In this evocative and moving book, composer and broadcaster Andrew Ford shares the vivid musical experiences – good, bad and occasionally hilarious – that have shaped his life.

Ford's musical journey has traversed genres and continents, and his loves are broad and deep. The Memory of Music takes us from his childhood obsession with the Beatles to his passion for Beethoven, Brahms, Vaughan Williams, Stockhausen and Birtwistle, and to his work as a composer, choral conductor, concert promoter, critic, university teacher and radio presenter.

The Memory of Music is more than a wonderful memoir – it also explores too the nature and purpose of music: what it is, why it means so much to us and how it shapes our worlds. The result is a captivating work that will appeal to music lovers everywhere.

Andrew Ford is a composer, writer and broadcaster and presents The Music Show on ABC Radio National. His awards include the Paul Lowin Prize for his song cycle Learning to Howl, a Green Room Award for his opera Rembrandt's Wife, and the Geraldine Pascall Prize for critical writing. His music has been played in many parts of the world, and championed by groups such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Brodsky Quartet and the New Juilliard Ensemble.