Colin Harper (conductor)

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}

{{Use Australian English|date=May 2018}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Colin Harper

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| birth_date = c. 1933

| birth_place = Fort George, Scotland

| origin = Australia

| death_date = 2004

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| past_member_of = Queensland Pops Orchestra

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Colin Harper AM MBE ({{circa|1933}} – 2004) was a Scottish Australian conductor and the founder of the Queensland Pops Orchestra.{{Citation | last = Patrick | first = Christopher | date = 27 July 2015 | title = Queensland Pops Orchestra: the early days | periodical = Sunshine Coast Daily | url = https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/queensland-pops-orchestra-the-early-days/2735824/ }}

Harper was born in Fort George in Scotland. He joined the Army when he was 14 and later became the bandmaster of Gordon Highlander regiment. He moved to Australia in 1972 and became the music director of the Fifth Military District band in Perth. 1981 saw him move to Brisbane where in 1984 he founded the Queensland Pops Orchestra who put on series of The Best of British and Scotland the Brave concerts. Harper died in January 2004 from cancer.{{Citation | date = 25 July 1998 | title = Harping about Harper | periodical = The Courier-Mail }}{{Citation | last = Aldred | first = Debra | date = 24 January 2004 | title = Music maestro please, and don't forget the spectacle | periodical = The Courier-Mail }}

The 2000 ABC Classics album release of highlights of one of his Scotland the Brave concerts was nominated for the 2001 ARIA Award for Best Cast or Show Album.{{Citation | date = 13 September 2001 | title = List of nominations for the 2001 ARIA Awards | periodical = Australian Associated Press }}