Sonatine

Lindsay Aked was raised in country New South Wales and received tuition as a vocalist and keyboard player from an early age. He was encouraged to develop skills in improvisation and keyboard harmony which were the basis of his later development as a composer. During the war years a number of his compositions were broadcast nationally, and on completion of his secondary schooling he was awarded a scholarship for training as a specialist music teacher in secondary schools. He completed his DipTMus at the State Conservatorium of Music and Sydney Teachers' College in 1950, his teachers including Alex Burnard, Raymond Hanson and Noel Nickson for composition. Aked's early settings of the poems of Kenneth Slessor and John Shaw Nielson achieved some public notice, and were recorded by the ABC and Brolga.

Much of Lindsay Aked's music has been written for children, including a number of song cycles which have been performed both in the classroom and in the Sydney Opera House. However, he has also composed for the Sydney Symphony and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. His first 'serious' instrumental work was Divertimento for descant recorder and keyboard, which was published in 1975, and, since then (with the encouragement and support of Helen and Howard Oberg), he has produced a number of works covering various stages of development in recorder playing. Some of these are included in current AMEB syllabuses.

Lindsay Aked's style of composition remains essentially melodic and clearly structured. He aims at producing music which is a suitable challenge to particular stages of development, but is enjoyable both for performer and listener. His music has been described as reminiscent of Elgar, Vaughan Williams and other English composers (he regards this as a compliment rather than a criticism).

*Sonatine.* Includes biographical notes on composer.

1. Moderato
2. Andantino
3. Allegro

_Score 13 pp. Part 6 pp._