David Symons

David Symons is a Senior Honorary Research Fellow at the Conservatorium of Music, The University of Western Australia, where he has served since 1967. He holds an Associate Professor title and specializes in historical musicology, with a focus on Australian music and post-colonial studies. His research explores composers like John Antill, Margaret Sutherland, and the Jindyworobak movement. He has authored monographs, edited journals, and contributed to encyclopedias such as the Oxford Companion to Australian Music.

Education includes a PhD from The University of Western Australia (1980) and an MA from The University of Sydney (1966). Teaching spans music history, analysis, and Australian music studies, with over 30 supervised postgraduate students, including three PhDs receiving Distinctions.

Current projects include a book on Australia's Jindyworobak composers, analyzing works by Alfred Hill, Clive Douglas, and Peter Sculthorpe. His work bridges music analysis with cultural history, emphasizing post-colonial re-evaluations of Australian musical identity.

Research highlights include publications on Egon Wellesz, Hans Werner Henze, and contributions to Studies in Music and Musicology Australia. He has received funding support for projects like the Margaret Sutherland monograph through Study Leave and Teaching Relief Grants (1995).