May Howlett

May Howlett (born 1931) is an Australian composer and actress.^[1][2] She earned a bachelor's degree in music in 1954, from Melbourne University.^[2] In 1955 she earned a Diploma of Education.^[2] In 1971 she was given her first commission, which was a commission for a cantata for the first concert of the Canberra New Music Society.^[3][3] She was then offered the first composition scholarship at the Canberra School of Music.^[2] In 1973 she toured with Young Opera for the Arts Council of New South Wales.^[2] Subsequently she appeared in an ABC TV opera production of Malcolm Williamson's Violins of St. Jacques, and became involved in acting.^[2] For approximately the next twenty years she acted, appearing in six films, various television shows and series, and on the stage.^[3] She also took her original one-woman show to Carnegie Hall.^[2] In 1981 she toured with Barry Humphries as his associate pianist.^[2] In 1987 she began composing again, and also became a production coordinator and assistant director with the New South Wales Department of Education.^[3] In 1989, she created the State Drama Camp and the State Drama Festival.^[2][3] In 1996 she and Audley Green received an artist-in-residency to complete a work-in-progress for harpsichord, viola and cello.^[2] In 2006, she earned a master's degree in music from Macquarie University; her thesis was titled The Production of a Contemporary Chamber Opera, and was accompanied by a revised score, with piano reduction and workshop recording, of her chamber opera, The Boy Who Wasn't There.^[2]

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