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Peter Dodds McCormick Peter Dodds McCormick i(A13807 works by)
Also writes as: Amicus
Born: Established: 1834 Glasgow,
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Scotland,
c
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United Kingdom (UK),
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Western Europe, Europe, ; Died: Ceased: 30 Oct 1916 Waverley, Bondi area, Sydney Eastern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,
Gender: Male
Arrived in Australia: 1855
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BiographyHistory

Writer and composer of the Australian national anthem Advance Australia Fair, Peter Dodds McCormick settled in Sydney in 1855. He was a schoolteacher and song-writer, conducting very large choirs, such as 15,000 children at the laying of the foundation stone of Queen Victoria's statue. Described as 'ultra-Scottish and ultra-patriotic', he was active in the Presbyterian Church and was precentor of the General Assemby of the Presbyterian Church of New South Wales. He published about thirty patriotic and Scottish songs.

Advance Australia Fair was first sung at the St Andrew's Day concert of the Highland Society in 1878. As 'Amicus' he later had the music and verses published by W. H. Paling, and it was sung by a choir of 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth. In a letter to a friend McCormick later described how he came to write the song: he had attended a concert where national anthems were sung and was 'very aggravated that there was not one note for Australia'.

Source : Australian Dictionary of Biography (vol.10).

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • For information about this author's works for children not included in AustLit, see Australian Children's Books by Marcie Muir and Kerry White (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1992-2004).
Last amended 13 Jun 2006 17:02:58
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