He was born in New Zealand but spent the major part of his life and career in Perth, Western Australia. Frank Adams Callaway was born in Timaru, New Zealand, the youngest of four children, and went to primary school at Lake Coleridge Power Station.
Night studies at Christchurch Technical College enabled him to gain a university entrance, and studied during evenings for a Bachelor of Commerce at Otago University at Dunedin. In 1942 he was appointed Head of Music at King Edward Technical College in Dunedin, where he also enrolled as a Bachelor of Music student. In 1947 a postgraduate travelling scholarship took him to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied conducting, composition and general musicianship, and met Percy Grainger.
He was one of the most highly honoured musicians and music educators in Australian history. After leaving Christchurch West High School at 15 due to the Great Depression, he joined a firm of commercial stationers. In 1939 Callaway entered the Dunedin Teachers" Training College.
At the outbreak of World World War II a few months later he enlisted for overseas service, was rejected due to poor eyesight, but invited to join the full-time military band as a bassoonist.
He was also awarded a Carnegie Travel Grant to observe music education in the United States. He returned to King Edward Technical College as musical director in 1949.
In 1953 Callaway took up the newly created position of Reader in Music in the University of Western Australia"s faculty of education. On his arrival at his facilities had consisted of a desk, an upright piano, the Carnegie History of Music records and a small pile of music – the library.
That small pile developed into what is widely regarded as Australia"s finest music library – the Wigmore.
In 1959 Callaway became the University"s Foundation Professor of Music when it moved into the Faculty of Arts. When he retired in 1984 the School of Music had 14 full-time staff-members and a large team of part-time teachers. Callaway played the violin, viola and bassoon, and conducted the University Choral Society, His hobbies were gardening and cricket.
Member International Music Council United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (life, president 1980-1982, Executive Committee 1972-1982, Australian national commission 1958-1976, International Music award 1997), International Society Music Education (honorary president since 1988, treasurer 1972-1987, president 1968-1972, board directors since 1958), Australian Society Music Education (honorary life, founding president 1966-1971).
