Helen Gifford was born in Melbourne , Australia , of Scots and Cornish heritage . She attended Tintern Junior School and Melbourne Girls Grammar , and then the University of Melbourne Conservatorium on a Commonwealth Scholarship . She studied with Roy Shepherd and Dorian Le Gallienne , graduating with a Bachelor of Music in 1958 . She won the Dorian Le Gallienne Award in 1965 , a Senior Composer 's Fellowship in 1973 , and served as composer-in-residence with the Australian Opera beginning in 1974 . In the 1960s and early '70s , her music showed the influence of travel to India and Indonesia . At the Australia Day Honours in 1996 she was appointed to the Medal of the Order of Australia , with a citation , " In recognition of service to music as a composer . " At the APRA Music Awards of 2016 she won the Art Music Award category , Distinguished Services to Australian Music
APRA Music Awards of 2016
APRA Music Awards of 2016
Helen Gifford