{{Short description|Australian pianist}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2024}} '''Harold Stanley James Elvins''' (March 1878 – 28 January 1943) was an Australian pianist, the third and last proprietor of the school of music founded in Melbourne by George Marshall-Hall as a rival to the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music established by the University of Melbourne.
==History== Elvins was born at Campbells Creek, near Castlemaine, Victoria, second son of James and Betty Elvins, later of Parkville, Victoria,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246286919 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Herald (Melbourne) |issue=20,628 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=28 June 1943 |access-date=2 January 2024 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and educated at Wesley College.
He was among the first pupils to enrol at the conservatorium established by George Marshall-Hall, and achieved a reputation as a fine pianist and accompanist to Nellie Melba and Louise Kirkby Lunn. He became a piano teacher at the same school, and when Fritz Hart left to live in Honolulu, Elvins succeeded him as director, later purchasing the business.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11339821 |title=Sudden Death of Mr H. S. J. Elvins |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=30,214 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=29 June 1943 |access-date=2 January 2024 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
He converted the conservatorium to a limited liability company, renamed the Melba Conservatorium in recognition of Dame Nellie's long association with the school, and her considerable endowments to it.
==Recognition== Elvins was at various times: *President of the Association of Music Teachers of Victoria from its foundation in 1929 *President of the Music Council of Australia *Examiner for the Australian Music Examinations Board
== References == {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Elvins, Harold}} Category:1878 births Category:1943 deaths Category:20th-century Australian pianists Category:Australian classical pianists Category:Australian music educators Category:Musicians from Melbourne