Skip to main content
Menu

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Don Burrows at work

1998
Barry Walsh

oil on canvas (support: 176.5 cm x 152.0 cm)

Don Burrows AO MBE (1928-2020) is Australia’s best–known jazz musician. He began his career playing in a corner of Palings Music Store in Sydney on Friday nights and Saturday mornings, and later worked in radio bands, dance halls and nightclubs. After studying at the Sydney Conservatorium in the early 1940s, he became principal clarinettist with the ABC Sydney Studio Orchestra, and later played with the ABC Dance Band. As his career progressed he collaborated with jazz stars around the world, including Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole and Stephane Grappelli. In 1980 he became Director of Jazz Studies at the NSW Conservatorium of Music, and in 1994 he received a large government grant to facilitate a nationwide school jazz program. Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1991, Burrows was added to the list of Living National Treasures in 1989 and gleaned three honorary doctorates along with the Australian Performing Rights Association’s Ted Albert Award for his outstanding contribution to Australian music.

Purchased with funds provided by Patrick Corrigan 2000
© Barry Walsh

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Barry Walsh (age 47 in 1998)

Don Burrows (age 70 in 1998)

Supported by

Patrick Corrigan AM (13 portraits supported)

Related portraits

1. Bob Barnard, 1986 (printed 2006). All Don Burrows.
© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency