Ellis, Catherine J.

Catherine Ellis was an ethnomusicologist, academic and researcher, specialising in indigenous Australian music and culture. Her particular interest was in the musical structure of traditional Aboriginal songs of the Central South Australia region. She undertook extensive research, recording traditional Aboriginal songs and ceremonies and came to be regarded as one of the foremost scholars of Aboriginal music in the world. She held academic positions at both the University of Adelaide (1970-84) and the University of New England (1985-95). She was also a founding member of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music at the University of Adelaide. Ellis wrote prolifically about Aboriginal music and culture, contributing articles to journals, papers to national and international conferences and chapters to a number of publications. She also published two books and worked on several other books, which were never published. Ellis was made a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia in 1991.

From the description of Papers of Catherine Ellis, [1957-1995] [manuscript]. [1957-1995] (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225829772