Dr Robert Boughen OBE

1996

CITATION

Award of Doctor of Music honoris causa
Dr Robert Boughen OBE

Mr Chancellor, 

Robert Boughen was educated at Brisbane's Church of England Grammar School and the University of Queensland. In his early career he was a freelance performer and conductor and in the years 1951-1955 a pilot in No 23 City of Brisbane Fighter Squadron, RAAF. He began to teach the organ at the University of Queensland in 1967, and in 1977 was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study the teaching of organ music in tertiary institutions in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. During these years he became increasingly identified with the Department of Music where he was appointed tutor in 1973, lecturer in 1977 and senior lecturer in 1985, and where he remained until his retirement in 1994. This last event did not disturb his role as University Organist, in which he has acted since 1976 and in which he has instructed and entertained, among others, the audiences at hundreds of graduation ceremonies. 

Over four decades he has served the music-loving public of Brisbane and Queensland in innumerable ways: as organist, accompanist and conductor of the Queensland State and Municipal Choir, 1951-1969, organist, choirmaster, and Director of Music, St John's Cathedral from 1960, City of Brisbane Organist from 1975, member of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust, 1978-1988, the State Board of the Australian Music Examination Board and the Board of the Lyric Opera of Queensland. He has performed on radio, television and in concert over many years, during eight of which he presented weekly radio broadcasts to schools. He has acted as consultant for the rebuilding and installation of organs in the great musical venues of Brisbane, and he has brought his own particular style of elegance, courtesy and humour to musical occasions everywhere. His distinguished achievements have been acknowledged in his appointment as Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1987 and by the award of the prestigious Lambeth Doctorate of Music in 1995 by the Archbishop of Canterbury. 
Mr Chancellor, in recognition of his distinguished contributions to Music and to Music Education, I present to you Robert Boughen, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Master of Music of this University, Doctor of Music Cantuar, Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Fellow of Trinity College, London, Licientiate of the Royal School of Music, and Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music, for the conferral of the award of Doctor of Music honoris causa to which he has been admitted by the Senate of the University. 

Awards

Doctor of Music honoris causa
1996