Rachel Valler | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Rachel Travers |
Born | c1930 Sydney, Australia |
Occupation(s) | musician |
Instrument(s) | piano |
Formerly of | Hazelwood Trio |
Rachel Valler OAM (b. c1930[1] Sydney, Australia) is an Australian pianist. She was a member of the Hazelwood Trio.
Rachel Valler's parents, Sonia and Joseph Vallerstein, arrived in Australia from Russia in 1927. Valler was their only daughter,[2] born in Sydney.[3]
She studied piano from an early age,[4] performed with the Zionist Youth League during her teens as a solo pianist,[5] and was mentored by Ignaz Friedman until his death in 1948.[6]
As a soloist, she performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and music clubs in 1951 aged 21.[1][7][8] That same year she received her Bachelor of Arts at Sydney University,[9][10] and went onto gain a Diploma of Education from Melbourne University.[2]
She taught music and worked in the library at Ascham Girls School,[3] and won the State final of the ABC Concerto Competition in 1954.[11] Although she did not win the Commonwealth finals, she was commended for her "thoughtful, searching, sensitive playing" of Chopin.[12]
She travelled to London in the early 1950s,[3] and taught piano while studying with the Hungarian pianist Ilona Kabos.[3] While there, she was awarded the Commonwealth Medal in the Harriet Cohen International Competition for 1956.[3]
During the 1980s she was considered one of Australia's most distinguished classical musicians, alongside Donald Hazelwood and Anne Menzies. Together they performed as the Hazelwood Trio.[13]
She was also head teacher of English and Humanities, at Randwick Technical College.[14][15]
In 1995 she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to music.[16]
She is married to Walter Travers.[17]