08/10/2025
🌸 Meet Valerie Awburn 🌸
In the photo below, we see Anne and Jenny giving a wonderful concert for our residents, joined by Valerie herself, watching on with pride. The afternoon was filled with beautiful, well-loved classical pieces, each played with care and passion. What makes it extra special is that Anne is Valerie’s niece – the youngest daughter of Valerie’s brother.
🎻 Valerie’s face lights up when she speaks about Anne’s musical journey. “Anne was always very clever,” she shares. Anne studied music at Melbourne University, first learning the guitar before moving to the cello. Later, she played for the Bendigo Orchestra. Valerie loved her playing so deeply that she decided to pass down her own cello to Anne – an instrument that Anne continues to play to this day.
🎼 For Valerie, the cello has been a lifelong companion. She began learning at the age of eight, after first being introduced to music through piano lessons taught by a nun. From there, her heart was drawn to the cello. Her dedication led her to complete a Bachelor of Music at the Conservatorium, and she went on to perform with what was then the Victorian Symphony Orchestra – now the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – for an extraordinary 48 years. She recalls her time under the guidance of Henry Touzeau, describing him as “a great professional teacher” whose influence helped shape her career.
🌟 When asked what she has learned most from her life with music, Valerie reflects thoughtfully: “Music brings people together.” And indeed, her life and family are living proof of that – with music binding generations, creating memories, and leaving a legacy of joy.
🎹 Though Valerie has heard some of the greatest orchestras of all time, she couldn’t possibly choose a single favourite piece. Yet, when she took to the cello herself, there was one that always stayed close to her heart: “The Swan” by Saint-Saëns. The piece, known for its tender beauty, perfectly mirrors the grace and love Valerie has carried throughout her journey with music.
💖 Valerie’s story reminds us that music is more than notes on a page – its connection, heritage, and the art of passing something beautiful from one soul to the next. 🎶
