A confident, articulate and highly-intelligent young pianist and composer, Ronan Apcar is in his final undergraduate year at the Australian National University (ANU) School of Music. In our Zoom call conversation, he is animated and effusive as he talks about his own musical aspirations, while explaining how he discovered the music of talented Australian composer, Dulcie Holland, and felt compelled to bring her work to the attention of a larger public. It has clearly been both a challenging and rewarding journey for the 20-year-old, since he commenced this project as part of his university studies in July 2020.  Ultimately, his perseverance has led to a digital recording of four of her major piano works, all played by Apcar, to be released free on streaming services on 22 June.

Ronan Apcar. Photograph © Rowan Davie

Apcar is definitely a self-starter and has a strong sense of what it takes to be a musician and composer in the 21st century. Growing up in Sydney, he began teaching himself piano when he was eight, taking an interest in composition as a teenager. At age 16, he was accepted into the Sydney Conservatorium...