Historical information

Rosalie BONINGTON (09 April 1946 - )

Rosalie Bonington was born in Ballarat and received her early education here. A Music graduate of the University of Melbourne, she also completed a Master of Arts degree in Composition at La Trobe University. She currently lives in Ballarat, and works as a composer, teacher and church organist. In addition to occasional works for larger instrumental forces, her compositional output comprises mainly vocal, choral, organ and liturgical music, and she accepts regular publisher commissions in these genres.



This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.

Physical description

'Music for a Graduation' was commissioned by the University of Ballarat (now Federation University Australia) to provide fanfare/processional music for such ceremonial occasions. The composer's brief was also to make the music reflect something of the early history of allarat and something of an academic tradition. To these latter ends the tune of Charles Thatcher's ballad of the goldfields, 'Look Out Below', and the ancient university tune, 'Gaudeamus igitur', have been incorporated into the body of the music. The discerning ear may pick out these tunes being played independently or together, in segments or longer segments, throughout the piece.