Tristram Cary - obituary

Stephen Whittington has written a Tristram Cary obituary for The Advertiser

Tristram Cary (1925-2008)

Tristram Cary was universally recognised as one of the founders of electronic music and a source of inspiration for subsequent generations of musicians working in what has become one of the most important fields of contemporary music. His influence on music was global.

Although Cary's background was in classical music, the technology that he pioneered has permeated most styles of music-making today, from pop to techno to experimental. From the late 60s on the instrument that he co-designed, the VCS3 synthesiser, became an icon of the emerging art of electronic music and was widely used both by avant-garde classical composers and rock artists including Brian Eno, The Who, Pink Floyd and King Crimson. In 1974, Cary emigrated to Adelaide where he directed the Electronic Music Studio at the Elder Conservatorium, University of Adelaide, turning it into the leading facility of its kind in Australia. Cary is best known as a composer for his music for film and television, most notably for the BBC series 'Dr Who'. He created the music for the first appearances of the Daleks (1963 and 1966), and these soundtracks are now regarded as classics of their kind. Cary also wrote film music for Ealing comedies ('The Ladykillers'), Hammer horror films ('Blood from the Mummy's Tomb'), and Disney ('The Prince and the Pauper'.) In addition Cary composed a considerable amount of concert music both with and without electronics.

Cary was awarded an OAM for his services to music (1991), an Adelaide Critics Circle Lifetime Achievement Award (2005), and a Doctor of Music by the University of Adelaide (2001.)