NOTABLE MUSICIANS OF EARLY IPSWICH: A Century of Local Music Making 1855 – 1955
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NOTABLE MUSICIANS OF EARLY IPSWICH:
A Century of Local Music Making 1855 – 1955
The cultural development of a community is the collective outcome of the skill and passion of a large number of individuals. Within the performing arts, in particular music, the legacy of soloists, conductors and teachers of the past is somewhat intangible, even if reviews and memorabilia exist. Queensland’s musical heritage is diverse and impressive, but recordings of its earliest performers are non-existent and photographs are rare. In particular, Ipswich in Queensland has a proud musical history, but the stories of its pioneering artists lie beyond the realm of living memory.
This book endeavours to fill these gaps by documenting and celebrating the careers of 37 musicians who contributed significantly to the Ipswich community across a full century of activity. Supported by little more than their own initiative and the encouragement of colleagues and audiences, this selective group of successful Ipswich-based musicians deserves wider acknowledgement. Alongside those few who still remain a part of local memory, this anthology of brief biographies also includes many other talented but lesser-known musicians who played their part in creating the reputation of Ipswich as a major musical centre. This is the first comprehensive survey of music in Ipswich during its formative years, with a focus on its most notable musicians.

What an absolute delight to meet the 37 ‘Notable Musicians of Early Ipswich’ between the covers of Peter Roennfeldt’s latest and most excellent book. Peter has produced a rich and valuable resource filled with enlightening and perceptive scholarship which honours the contributions of the men and women who worked tirelessly to bring music and entertainment into the lives and hearts of the people of Ipswich and beyond. Historians, students, musicians, choristers, conductors and indeed all those interested in the characters and stories of our past will delight in this interwoven tapestry of tales whose cultural threads are still clearly visible today. ‘Notable Musicians of Early Ipswich’ is a must-read anthology which will prove to be a valuable and highly reliable reference source for many as the years pass.
– Arthur Frame AM,
former President Ipswich Regional Branch, National Trust of Australia (Queensland)
Peter Roennfeldt, who spent his formative years in Ipswich, honours our city as he successfully fulfils his ‘deeply felt need to acknowledge the musical heritage of Ipswich’. Always the teacher (one who touches the future), Peter’s colourful, detailed and engaging narrative of musical excellence commences with his first music teacher before canvassing the rich and proud history of music in Ipswich. Often seen as the poor sibling of Brisbane, this book shows, yet again, the importance of Ipswich’s contribution to Queensland’s cultural landscape. It is a consequential ‘must read’ for all lovers of music and Ipswich.
– Rev, the Hon, Dr Pat Comben AM,
former Queensland Minister for Education