Hugh Moran

Hugh Moran, singer, keyboard player, instrumentalist and entertainer.

Hugh delivering the "INVICTUS" poem to Prince Harry and corporate sponsors at the Invictus Games launch.

Hugh (far left), and Prince Harry (far right) at the Invictus Games launch.

INVICTUS has been recited by people as varied as Oscar Wilde and James Bond (Daniel Craig). It was Nelson Mandela's favourite poem, helping him through many dark moments of his 27 year imprisonment on Robben Island.

Prince Harry speaking after Hugh’s performance.. (Hugh is standing to the left of Prince Harry).

(From the left) Rob, Leyla and Hugh

Hugh Moran usually plays one of his synthesizers (as pictured) at gigs, though sometimes he brings an electric concert piano.

The piano, with graded hammer-weighted keys is a more satisfying instrument to play, and is preferable to the synthesizer, particularly for "Singalongs".

Synthesizers however have remarkable versatility, and of course, portability.

Hugh Moran singing, with guitar ( Martin OMCPA1).

Often Hugh uses a "Requinto" guitar (short scale Mexican/South American guitar, which plays a fourth above concert pitch), at other times 6 or 12 string guitars, or Resonator guitar.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco during an interactive concert at Northern Beaches Christian School 2010 for Musica Viva.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco during one of many interactive concerts at schools for their Musica Viva Tour of Western Australia.

From the left: Peter Jacob (Percussion), Andrew De Teliga (strings), Mark Cain (Winds) and Hugh Moran (Keyboards).

Hugh Moran behind the keyboard for a "Birthdays" gig at the Centre of Ageing, Bondi Junction.

Hugh Moran playing an "Autoharp".

This instrument is actually a zither, but with chord bars added. It was invented possibly in Germany or the United States (debatable) in the 19th Century, but has been popularized through the folk music revival of the 1960s. It has an enchanting, harp like sound.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco during one of many interactive concerts at schools for a Musica Viva Tour of Western Australia.

From the left: Peter Jacob (Percussion), Andrew De Teliga (strings), Hugh Moran (Keyboards), and Mark Cain (Winds).

Hugh Moran with Sirocco during one of many interactive concerts at schools for a Musica Viva Tour of Western Australia.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco in Castletown, WA. during one of many interactive concerts at schools for a Musica Viva Tour of Western Australia.

From the left: Peter Jacob (Percussion), Andrew De Teliga (strings), Mark Cain (Winds) and Hugh Moran (Keyboards).

Hugh Moran with Sirocco in Castletown, WA. during one of many interactive concerts at schools for a Musica Viva Tour of Western Australia.

From the left: Andrew De Teliga (strings), Hugh Moran (Keyboards), Mark Cain (Winds) and Peter Jacob (Percussion).

Hugh Moran with Sirocco in Castletown, WA. during one of many interactive concerts at schools for a Musica Viva Tour of Western Australia.

Hugh Moran playing a "Shruti Box". (Literally "Music Box").

This is an Indian instrument, used for providing a drone beneath other music layers. It derives from the Indian Harmonium, which itself derives from the European Harmonium.

Similar in sound to an accordion, the sound is produced by air vibrating small reeds (as in a harmonica).

It is commonly used by Indian concert and wedding bands.

The name means "That which is heard" in Sanskrit.

Nowadays, electronic Shruti boxes are called "Shruti petti" (in Tamil and Telugu) and "Sur petti" in Hindi.

Concert at the Centre Of Ageing, Bondi Junction.

Entertaining at Montefiore Day Centre with an Armenian dance troupe.

"Singalong" set-up for patrons at Montefiore Day Centre, Hunter's Hill. It is always most enjoyable playing for the elderly, and bringing them the warmth of old memories through old melodies.

Aboard MV True North for NYE gig. Luxury super yachts in the background were from the USA.

Rob Maxwell Jones (winds and vocals) warms up for New Years Eve aboard MV True North.

View from "MV True North" from my keyboard, New Years Eve (afternoon). The MV True North operates out of Broome W.A. and visits Sydney each Christmas. Their cruises are simply superlative.

New Year's Eve gig on the magnificent "MV True North", which sails from its home port of Broome to Sydney, every year to enjoy NYE on the Harbour. There is no better boat cruising the Kimberley Coast and New Guinea, and without exception, guests say it was the best holiday they have ever had. I have played aboard this wonderful luxurious cruise ship every year for 24 years and the staff and quality of experience they provide are without peer.

Hugh and John Williamson, Springbrook 2016

Tom Cole was Australia’s genuine Crocodile Dundee. Author of “Hell West & Crooked” and other books, and friend of the famous Ted Egan. Hugh sang at his funeral.

Richard Clapton, with Margie Hume and Hugh Moran at Great Mackerel Beach.

Rob Maxwell Jones (far left) and talent show contestant at the annual Great Mackerel Beach New Year's Eve Beach Party, held annually on the northern end of the beach for the whole community to enjoy.

The Promised band (duo) played for the Mackerel Beach community's New Year's Eve beach party for many years.

Hugh Moran entertains the village school children, Perumalmalai, Tamil Nadu, South India

Hugh Moran entertains children at Perumalmalai Montessori School, assisted with translations by Zen Master Ama Sami SJ

Hugh Moran entertaining children at Perumalmalai village school, Tamil Nadu, India 2012

Hugh Moran playing an Indian Harmonium.

This is an Indian instrument, used for providing a drone beneath other music layers, and also melody lines.

It derives from the European Harmonium and was developed by Indian musicians after hearing the European Harmonium used by missionaries on the Sub-Continent. It has since become an essential, and portable part of the typical Indian band.

It is similar in sound to an accordion, the sound is produced by air vibrating small reeds (such as in the harmonica).

Hugh Moran with Sirocco on schools tour in WA.

The band used many different instruments, and constantly involved the children in joining us playing them.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco on a Musica Viva tour of schools across Western Australia. He is demonstrating "sampling" with an iPad to a very amused boy.

Our schoolboy volunteer, and all his classmates were laughing when we sampled his voice, and replayed it at wildly different pitches from a virtual keyboard. It helped show them how modern pop music is often created and produced with electronic wizardry.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco on schools tour in WA.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco on tour in WA. demonstrating the use of "sampling" using an iPad

Hugh Moran with Sirocco on schools tour in WA.

Hugh Moran with Sirocco on Lord Howe Island

Hugh Moran with Sirocco. Lord Howe Island concert at Ned's Beach.

The band also performed for the local school during the week on the island, and at many informal jam sessions with Nick Rigby, Lord Howe Island's highly talented musical Governor, both at Government House and at Pinetrees. Bill O'Toole, himself a master of wind instruments, played duets on bagpipes with Nick, both in a parade at Ned's Beach, and during jams at Government House.

Neville Wran,seated  amongst the audience, spoke at the concert in tribute to the island's 25th anniversary of being declared a World Heritage Site.

Hugh Moran (seated on truck, far right) performing with Sirocco on Lord Howe island. Other members of the band are: Peter Jacob (standing far left) on percussion, Bill O'Toole (standing on truck in blue shirt, centre) on winds and Andrew De Teliga (with guitar) on strings. Children in front are from the Lord Howe Island School, after singing the school and Island songs.

Peter Jacob, percussionist in Sirocco, leading the volunteers.

Pete, or PJ as he is known, is a stellar musician of great wit. He has played with everyone from the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to local musicians throughout Asia. Countless children in schools across Australia will remember him for encouraging them to join Sirocco in performance before their peers, using ethnic instruments from his extraordinary collection. Sirocco helped open the world of sound and the joy of making music possible, to every person.

Sirocco's founding member and fabulous strings player, Andrew de Teliga, playing the Oud, one of many exotic instruments played by Andrew in his concerts around the world.

"Oud" comes from the Arabic word for 'wood', "l'oud" which is, of course, of what it is made. The crusaders brought this fretless, bent necked instrument back to Europe with them, added frets, and turned it into the "Lute". Slight change in language, but significant change to the way the instrument is played.

Sirocco winds player, the superlative Dr Chai Chang Ning.

One of the world's most accomplished Chinese musicians.

Sirocco was arguably Australia's finest world-music group. The band played all over the world in its 30 year life, and for tens and tens of thousands of children in schools all over Australia on behalf of Musica Viva.

Peter Jacob, percussionist in Sirocco, leading the volunteers at a school concert in Sydney's Northern Beaches, 2010

Typical school hall concert set-up before the audience arrives

Hugh's first band, "Orion", Canberra 1973.

From left; Hugh Moran (piano, vocals), Ben Loudon (Bass), Sonny Costin (Drums), Bruce Packard (guitar and vocals), Ross Barker (Saxophone and flute) and Mirek Kocandrle (R.I.P.) (Trumpet).

"Hugh's Hot Rocks" performed most Thursday nights at their residency at the Jamison Inn, Macquarie, Canberra in the early 1970s. They were a zany, rough & ready rock n roll band with lots of humour and self deprecating party tricks incorporated into the act.

The band had a number of fine musicians pass through its ranks. This photo shows, from top left: Terry Webber (drums), Hugh Moran (Piano and vocals), Bruce Packard (Bass and vocals), front left...Peter McDonald (guitar) and front right, Hugh (number 2) Packard (guitar and vocals).

Other excellent guitarists of note included: John Van Buuren, Mick and Steve Choke, and Bernie Sadowski.

Early days at the Jamison Inn, Canberra.

From left: Bernie Sadowski (guitar), Hugh Hotrock (lead vocals in this moment), and Bruce Packard (Bass). Obscured behind Hugh is Terry Webber on drums.

My dear friend Bruce Packard on mandolin, the man responsible for creating my music career. He as well, has had a notable musical career, particularly in bluegrass music (and comedy performance with his band), and all while holding a high-powered day job!

You can be introduced to his incomparable bluegrass comedy band "Coolgrass" at coolgrass.net

We've sung and played together since 1972, around Australia, in India and Nepal, in London, Greece, and the USA. And for a few years I also played in Canberra's top showband, SAGA with his younger brother Hugh. Yes! two Hughs in a 4 piece band!

Saga, outside the Canberra Times building, the subject of our #1 hit "The Cover of the Canberra Times" in 1977.

From left: Graham Patrick, Jeff Gallimore, Hugh Packard and Hugh Moran.

Note the flared trousers, a fashion never likely to return!

Saga at a celebration party for achieving #1 on the 2CC Top Forty in 1977.

From left: John Shea, (our fine Road Manager), Graham Patrick, Hugh Moran, John B. Fairfax (Chairman of the Canberra Times), Jenny Smith (Canberra Times), Jeff Gallimore and Hugh Packard.

Saga playing before an audience of 15,000 this night at Manuka Oval, Canberra, about 1977. There was a cold dew forming on the keyboard. Saga was Canberra's top band at the time.