When a new book is published - and The Memory of Music is, surprisingly, my ninth - there's a lot of promotion involved and it quickly starts to feel like hard work. This time there are numerous launch events and talks. Because of the nature of the book, I fear I'll be asked about myself a great deal more than about my music. It would make a world of difference to see some of you there. There is going to be actual live music in at least two events. You'll have to be quick off the mark to attend tomorrow's (2 July) book launch in Robertson (there'll be room, just come to the door), with Phil Slater playing the trumpet. Brisbane's event at Riverbend Books (26 July) has flautist Janet McKay performing a work of mine. Details below.

My new book is a sort of memoir. That's to say it reads like a memoir and it has the structure of a memoir, but it's really all about music. What is music, what's it for and how does it work in our lives? I felt the only way to answer these questions was in the context of a life, and mine was the one I knew best. So I'm afraid you won't find much in the book that's salacious... Actually, no. It's full of gossip and outrageous indiscretion: go straight out and buy yourself a copy!

You can read extracts in the Sydney Morning Herald and the AMC's online magazine Resonate.

And to go with the book, I've added some relevant music to my SoundCloud. Do have a listen.

Book events

Sunday 2 July, 3pm: Launch by Tim Pye, music by Phil Slater, Community Technology Centre, Robertson NSW. Booking advised.
Wednesday 5 July, 1pm: Author talk, Stanton Library, North Sydney. Free event, no booking required. Details.
Thursday 13 July, 6:30pm: In conversation with Richard Tognetti, The Yellow House, Sydney (57-59 MacLeay Street, Potts Point). Booking essential
Saturday 15 July, 9.30 am: In conversation with Allan Stiles, Southern Highlands Writers' Festival, Bowral. Booking essential.
Wednesday 26 July, 6.30 pm: In conversation with Liam Viney, Riverbend Books, 193 Oxford St, Bulimba, Brisbane. Booking advised.N.B. This event includes a performance by Janet McKay of my piece for talking flute player, Once Upon a Time There Were Two Brothers... You can listen to it played by Sally Walker on SoundCloud.
Saturday 5, Sunday 6 August: Byron Bay Writers Festival.

At the end of May, Plexus gave the first performance of my trio Never, which includes music from my forthcoming opera Peter Pan. This month they bring it to Sydney in a program with music by Julian Yu, Sally Whitwell, Harry Sdraulig and Robert Davidson.

> Concert details and tickets

This is an interesting concert by the Australia Ensemble. A program of music for film by concert composers and for concert by composers normally associated with film. I'll be talking about Arthur Benjamin and Bernard Herrmann and their work for Hitchcock (there'll be film clips), Nino Rota and Fellini, and Shostakovich's score for Kozintsev's Hamlet. The concert also includes my own Scherzo perpetuo with the silent film, Le sculpteur express, and Felicity Wilcox's new piece inspired by Jean-Luc Godard. By the way, the book The Sound of Pictures is still available.

Comeclose and Sleepnow in October

And a reminder to keep free October 13 in Melbourne for the first performance of Comeclose and Sleepnow to words by Adrian Henri, Brian Patten and Roger McGough. Gian Slater sings and the Monash Art Ensemble is directed by Paul Grabowsky.

In case you missed it, this article for Inside Story provoked quite a lot of comment on social media.

> A full list of recent articles on my website.

Background information and further news are available at www.andrewford.net.au. You can also follow me on Twitter for semi-regular updates.