Horace Poussard

Horace Remi Poussard (June 11, 1829 – September 12, 1898), was a French violinist and composer.

Poussard was born in Château-Gontier in France, the son of music teacher and conductor Charles Francois Poussard. Horace studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, graduating with the First Class prize in violin in 1849 with a performance of a Viotti Concerto (reviewed in 'La Vigie de l'Ouest', 124, 14 Sept 1849). In the 1850s he began his career as a professional violinist with concerts in Paris, Vienna, and Constantinople. He also travelled through Hungary, Greece, Wallachia, and the British Isles. In 1860 he appeared in London, along with a fellow French 'cellist, Rene Douay. In 1861 Poussard and Douay sailed to Australia, and gave their first concerts there in Melbourne. They toured the goldfields and major towns in the States of Victoria and South Australia before going to the South Island of New Zealand. During this period, their repertoire consisted mainly of more popular pieces, easily recognised by the inhabitants of the newly emerging country. To commemorate the exploration (and death) of Burke and Wills on their journey across Australia, Poussard wrote "The Dead Heroes," a musical poem of 17 stanzas incorporating well known existing tunes. The song was really well received.