Stuart Challender

Stuart David Challender (19 February 194713 December 1991) was an Australian conductor, known particularly for his work with The Australian Opera, Elizabethan Sydney Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Early life Challender was born in February 1947 at Hobart. His initial passion for music came from his grandmother, Thelma Driscoll, who used to sing to him as a child. In 1960, his father took him to a performance of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony conducted by Tibor Paul, from which he decided to become a conductor.

In 1964, at age 17, Challender attended the Victorian Conservatorium of Music, at the University of Melbourne. From 1966 he worked with the then Victorian Opera Company. In 1968 he graduated from the Conservatorium and was the Victorian Opera Company's music director.

Conducting career Challender began his professional conducting career in 1970. His first engagement was Kiss Me, Kate, for the Lucerne Opera. He was appointed assistant conductor at the Staatstheater Nürnberg; then came engagements in Switzerland at Zürich and Basel, where he was resident conductor at the Opera House from 1976 to 1980. In June of that year, his health visibly failing, Challender conducted his last concert in Hobart, with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

Death Challender died of an AIDS-related disease on 13 December 1991.

In his will, Challender provided for the establishment of the Stuart Challender Foundation, to aid the training and development of future Australian conductors. He bequeathed his extensive collection of scores to the Music Library at the University of Tasmania.

Discography All recordings with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Voss, opera by Richard Meale (Philips, 1987) 1812 - Danny Boy - Bolero (ABC, 1989) Symphony Under the Stars (ABC, 1989) Earth Cry - Kakadu - Mangrove, works by Peter Sculthorpe (ABC, 1989) Carl Vine: Three Symphonies (ABC, 1991) Nexus - Nocturnes (Vox Australis, 1991)

Awards ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. 1991 Sculthorpe: Orchestral Works (with Sydney Symphony Orchestra) Best Classical Album 1992 Vine: Three Symphonies (with Sydney Symphony Orchestra) Best Classical Album 1994 Ross Edwards Orchestral Works (with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Dene Olding and Porcelijn) Best Classical Album

Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Stuart Challender won three awards in that time. (wins only) 1989 Stuart Challender Australian Performer of the Year 1990 Stuart Challender Classical Performance of the Year 1991 Stuart Challender Classical Performance of the Year