AustLit

Horace Keats was a solo pianist, accompanist, broadcaster, conductor and composer. He was born in Mitcham, Surrey, the youngest son of Charles William and Mary Keats, and came to Australia in 1915. As a pianist, Keats was considered to be one of the finest accompanists in Australia during the period 1917-1945. He toured with the contralto Ella Caspers and baritone Peter Dawson.

Keats was involved in the early days of Australian radio, working as broadcaster and accompanist for 2FC, 2BL, 2GB and 6WF. He participated in the First Empire Broadcast on 2FC in 1927 and he was also among the first to broadcast programs featuring Australian poets, including his own settings of their poems. He was pianist for the 2FC Ltd trio and conducted the first radio orchestra.

Keats began composing in 1933 and wrote music in several genres. His largest output was for voice and piano. As a song-writer, he championed Australian poets such as Kenneth Mackenzie, Hugh McCrae, Edith Sterling Levis, Christopher Brennan, and was given exclusive rights to publish the poetry of Christopher Brennan during his lifetime by the committee of Brennan's literary executors.