Bruce Hungerford

ABOUT BRUCE HUNGERFORD

Respected musician whose career was ended prematurely at 54 when he was killed in a head-on collision with a drunk driver.

He was given a full scholarship to the University of Melbourne Conservatorium at the age of 17. He debuted with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra when he was 20.

He was interested in palaeontology, studying vertebrate palaeontology at Columbia University and at New York's Museum of Natural History.

His parents weren't sure if they should name him Bruce or Leonard. They settled on Leonard when his Scottish grandfather said he was too puny to be named after the Warrior King of Scotland. He later changed it back to Bruce.

He was initially mentored by Roy Shepherd who had been one of Alfred Cortot 's students.