[2] After studying under such eminent musicians as Dr. Henry Gauntlett and Sir William Sterndale Bennett, Summers graduated Mus.
at the University of Oxford in 1863, and after holding the post of organist at Weston-super-Mare and at Notting Hill, London, he emigrated to Melbourne in 1865 and for fourteen years was choirmaster and organist at St. Peter's, Eastern Hill, Melbourne, one of the oldest and leading Anglican churches in Victoria.
[2] In 1876 he was appointed Government Inspector of Music for State Schools; acts as Musical Examiner for the Tasmanian Council of Education; also the Education Department of Victoria, and assisted Professor Ives (late of Glasgow) as examiner at the University of Adelaide.
was conferred on Summers by the Archbishop of Canterbury, as a social mark of recognition of his anthems and other high-class sacred music.
[1] Summers went to court to try and obtain payment for the twenty seven pieces he wrote but was unsuccessful, although he did win the public performing rights.