Post first toured with theatre orchestras, visiting New Zealand in 1924 with one of
J.C. Williamson Ltd's musical-comedy companies. Post served in
World War II as a lieutenant, acting major, and commandant of the transshipment centre at Terowie, South Australia, an important staging point on the overland supply route to Darwin. He relinquished command in February 1945 and was placed on the Reserve List of Officers in March. After the war, Post continued as one of the ABC's main conductors. From 1947 to 1957 he was Associate Conductor with the
Sydney Symphony Orchestra, during
Sir Eugene Goossens's tenure as Chief Conductor. Post made many guest appearances with ABC orchestras across Australia. He conducted the first performance of the
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra on 25 May 1948; the soloist was the pianist
Eileen Joyce. In 1950 he went to Britain on exchange with
Charles Groves, conductor of the
British Broadcasting Corporation's Northern Orchestra (now the BBC Philharmonic). At his debut at the
Royal Albert Hall, Post became the first Australian to conduct at a
Promenade Concert; he included a piece by the Australian composer
Clive Douglas. He also conducted the
Hallé Orchestra and other British orchestras. Despite such successes, Post's career with the ABC was marred by disappointment. In 1945 he had submitted a proposal to the ABC to establish the Victorian Symphony Orchestra on a full-time basis, but he was twice overlooked for the position of principal conductor. He made no secret of his chagrin when he was not appointed director of music in 1957. Throughout his long tenure with the ABC, he never relinquished his involvement with his first love, opera. He was musical director (1947–54) of Gertrude Johnson's National Theatre Movement and principal conductor (from 1949) for its opera. In addition, Post also conducted seasons with the New South Wales National Opera in Sydney, and joint seasons of the combined opera companies in 1952. Granted leave from the ABC, he was appointed Musical Director of the
Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust (now
Opera Australia) in 1955. He conducted the trust's first opera production, Mozart’s
The Marriage of Figaro, in 1956, but resigned next year to return to the ABC as assistant director of music. Heavier administrative responsibilities did not significantly curtail the number of Post's performances. In 1963 he established the
Sydney Little Symphony Orchestra and conducted its debut series of four concerts. He also continued his long association with school concerts. The advent of television broadcasting created new audiences for him. He made television appearances with the Sydney Symphony and conducted numerous operas on television. In 1962 he travelled to Europe and the USA to investigate methods of presenting music on television. At a time when most Australian classical musicians depended on success abroad, Post built a public career in Australia. He and Sir
Bernard Heinze represented the first generation of native-born conductors to rise to prominence under the ABC. Post conducted when an Australian was required to support visiting celebrity musicians. The role suited his talents admirably. He was proud of his efforts to promote 'Australian' composers, releasing recordings of
Raymond Hanson's Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra (1948) and
Robert Hughes's
Xanadu (1954). Nor was he averse to the performance of 'new music', though his tastes could hardly be regarded as avant garde. In 1966 Post was appointed an Officer of the
Order of the British Empire (OBE). That year he succeeded Heinze as director of the
New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music. He was the first of its former students to fill the position. He eventually put considerable effort into the conservatorium's opera school, but limited his wider involvement to consolidating initiatives begun by Heinze. Increasingly dogged by ill health, Post resigned from the conservatorium in late 1971 and moved to the
Gold Coast, Queensland. He died of myocardial disease on 27 December 1972 at
Broadbeach and was cremated. At St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, on 12 May 1943 he had married Nancye Lille Tucker, a 28-year-old stenographer. His wife and their daughter Nola survived him. He had actively discouraged Nola from any sort of musical training. ==Notes==