John Albert Delany

His first music lessons were with Ellis Taylor, organist of St John's Church of England, Newcastle,[6] then studied with the Benedictine monks at Lyndhurst College, Sydney, and had music lessons from William Cordner, organist of St Mary's pro-Cathedral.

[9] There could have been no pipe organ in the brick building that served as the cathedral since the fire of 1868, but a harmonium would have been adequate for the purpose.

[1] He joined the Lyster Opera Company as conductor and chorus master in 1877, and was musical director for Nellie Melba's Sydney debut.

[7] He returned to St Mary's briefly, for the triduum (three-day festival) that accompanied the opening of the new Cathedral by Archbishop Vaughan 8–10 September 1882, when choirs from all of Sydney's Catholic churches took part.

[5] Delany served in 1897 as first director of the Sydney Institute of Music as chairman of the board of examiners.