• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0949

Cox, Lesley Mary

(1918 – 2003)
  • Born 1 January, 1918, Unley South Australia Australia
  • Died 12 October, 2003
  • Occupation Educator

Summary

For service to child development, in particular as the director of the Lesley Cox School of Music, Movement and Drama, and to the community, Lesley Cox was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia on 26 January 1998.

Cox was introduced to Dalcroze Eurhythmics by Heather Gell. Dalcroze Eurhythmics was established by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950) a Swiss composer and pianist who, in the early years of the twentieth century, researched the effect of human movement on musical perception, and the impact of musical elements on movement technique. He called his approach to music education ‘Eurhythmics’. It means, literally, “good rhythm”. Cox went to Sydney to study with Gell during the 1940s and again in 1957 to complete her Licentiate. She established the Lesley Cox School of Music, Movement and Drama and published books and sound recordings on the subject.

Published resources

  • Resource Section
  • Book
    • The colours of Christmas, Cox, Lesley M; illustrations: Warren, Denise and Kirwan, Ian, 1983
    • The eurythmics of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze : music, movement, drama : its origins and its purpose, 1865-1996, Dalcroze Society of South Australia and Cox, Lesley M, [1996]
    • Recollections : a tribute to Heather Gell by those who remember ... : Dalcroze eurhythmics, broadcasts in music through movement for children, the great pageants and spectacles, her early children's television, Cox, Lesley M; Holmes, Patricia L ; Pope, Joan, 1935- (collated by) and Follett, David (illustrated by), 1995
    • Something new : for ages ten to two, Cox, Lesley M and Hill, Jan (illustrations by), 1985
    • Tops and toes : for two's to ten's, Cox, Lesley M and Warren, Denise (illustrated by), 1982
    • One square of material : 16 plays for children aged 5 to 12 years, Cox, Lesley M and Moore, Miriam (illustrated by), 1981
    • Two squares of material : 12 plays for children aged 6 to 16 years, Cox, Lesley M and Moore, Miriam (illustrated by), 1981
  • Sound recording
    • Let's get moving, Cox, Lesley M, 1980
    • Music movement and drama through the singing-game, Cox, Lesley M, 1980
  • Resource

Archival resources

  • State Library of South Australia
    • Interview with Lesley Cox [sound recording] Interviewer: Catherine Murphy
    • Interview with Lesley Cox [sound recording] Interviewer: Helen Pearce
    • Launch of the second stage of The Honoured Women Oral History Project [sound recording]

Related entries


  • Related Women
    • Gell, Heather (1896 - 1988)