All seasons, many parts -- the first entry.

Having spent the last couple of years exploring the world of bloggery from the perspective of the reader, I've finally decided to throw my hat in and give it a shot. This is the "hello world" post! I am a Melbourne-based musician and researcher. This blog is intended to cover a number of my personal interests. I have just finished my Ph.D. in musicology at the University of Melbourne, where my thesis looked at the development of the music courses in that university. My broad area is the history of music education in the British Empire; right now I've spent four years focussing very narrowly on Britain and Victoria (Australia) -- I'm hoping to expand that focus over time. Among my other activities, I am also a professional organist, so I will be posting tracks from my practice sessions here from time to time, excerpts from upcoming recital programmes, and samples of wedding and funeral music. There will be a donation button soon: the principle will be that the tracks are free for you to download and share, and if you like what you hear, please buy me a beer (or two). I have a strong interest in Melbourne's history, so there will be entries here exploring the sights and sounds of the place, and the odd effort at sharing my work on certain historical figures. If you're looking to visit Melbourne, I hope you will find plenty here to spur your enthusiasm for the place. While I don't buy all the marketing fluff about Melbourne's livability, it is true that this has to be one of the best places on earth. So, welcome to my blog!