Tristram Cary

(1925 — 2008)

"I aimed at rich sounds which were different from normal aural experience and could be heard when played through television speakers."

Tristram Cary, composer, electronic music pioneer, was focused on exploring sound using electronics.

In 1947, he created one of the world's first electronic music studios. He subsequently founded the electronic studio at the Royal College of Music in London. In 1968, he joined forces with Peter Zinovieff and David Cockerell to found EMS, London, and collaborated in the design of the VCS-1, one of the early voltage-controlled synthesizers. He co-produced the first concert of live computer music at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, in 1968. He became well known especially for his music for several episodes of 'Doctor Who', the much-celebrated BBC science-fiction serial, and for his music for many films, notably among them 'The Lady Killers', a comedy with Alec Guiness.

From 1974, Cary lived and worked in Adelaide, Australia. For several years, he was on the faculty of the University of Adelaide. He was the recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia and Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Classic FM Computer Composition Award.