Peter Sculthorpe (born April 29, 1929) is a noted Australian composer from Launceston, Tasmania. He is known for his music which evoke the sounds and feeling of the Australian bushland and outback in works such as Kakadu (1988) and Earth Cry (1992).

Sculthorpe begun writing music at an early age (at seven), and decided he was to make a career in music at thirteen, with many encouraging him to enter different fields, but he felt the music he wrote was the only thing that was his own. Later, he had written a sonatina for an ABC competition, which however was rejected because it was too modern. Sculthorpe had lectured at the University of Sydney for a period also.

He is currently working on a requiem, to which he has reported that he will incorporate drumming, and other elements to give it a distinctive Australian feel.

External links

• Big Idea - Interview with Peter Sculthorpe (ABC Radio National)
• Guide to the papers of Peter Sculthorpe - held by the National Library of Australia