Charmian Gadd OAM (b.1942)[1] is an Australian violinist and teacher.

Charmian Gadd
Charmian Gadd aged 11 (1953)
Charmian Gadd aged 11 (1953)
Background information
Born1942
Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
Genresclassical
Occupation(s)violinist, teacher
Instrumentviolin
Years activec1950-
SpouseRichard Goldner

Career

edit

Gadd grew up in Ourimbah, New South Wales, and learned to play violin at three years old.[2] Her family listened to Alfred Ernest Floyd's Music Lover’s Hour on ABC Radio, and performances by classical musicians.[1]

She won prizes in the City of Sydney Eisteddfod,[3][4][5] and was enrolled in the Conservatorium High School in 1954.[1] In 1962 she won the ABC Young Performers Awards for her violin playing.[6]

She moved to Sydney to study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she graduated in 1960,[7] and took further lessons in violin with Richard Goldner.[2][7]

In 1966 she moved to the United States with her former teacher Richard Goldner. They taught at Pittsburgh and Washington (state) and married in 1970, when he was 62, and returned to Australia permanently in 1981,[8] after occasionally visiting on tour.[9]

Gadd joined the staff at the Canberra School of Music in 1986 as lecturer.[10][7] She performed as part of The Macquarie Trio with pianist Kathryn Selby and cellist Michael Goldschlager,[11] who formed in 1993 and were considered one of Australia's premier chamber music groups.[12]

After Goldner died in 1991, the Richard Goldner Award was founded and Gadd is patron of the competition.[13]

She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to music in 2022.[14]

Awards

edit

1958 - ABC Young Performers Awards - Violin (finalist)[15]

1962 - ABC Young Performers Awards - Violin (won)[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Charmian Gadd reflects on a life of music". Limelight. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b Fidler, Richard (2 August 2022). "Charmian, the violin and the zipper man". ABC Radio. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Charmian Gadd again". Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate. 25 September 1953. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Ourimbah girl wins again in Eisteddfod". Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate. 21 September 1954. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  5. ^ "News and Gossip - ABC Weekly Vol. 15 No. 40 (3 October 1953) page 27". Trove. 3 October 1953. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b "YPA Winners & Finalists". ABC Young Performers Awards. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Violinist's dramatic return". Canberra Times. 10 September 1986. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  8. ^ Atkinson, Ann; Knight, Linsay; McPhee, Margaret (1996). The Dictionary of Performing Arts in Australia: Opera, dance, music. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-86373-898-9.
  9. ^ "Visit of Trio Concertante". Canberra Times. 14 July 1967. p. 13. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Arts and Entertainment MUSIC Fine solo recital from returned violinist". Canberra Times. 4 November 1986. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Powerful performance". Australian Jewish News. 2 June 1995. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Trio launches season". Australian Jewish News. 28 March 1997. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  13. ^ "THE RICHARD GOLDNER AWARD" (PDF). 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  14. ^ Robertson, Hugh (26 January 2022). "Geoffrey Lancaster, Claire Edwardes, Charmian Gadd among Australia Day Honours". Limelight. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Vol. 20 No. 18 (30 April 1958)". Trove. Retrieved 9 June 2023.