Winifred Burston
Encyclopedia
Winifred Charlotte Hillier Crosse Burston (3 April 1889 – 24 June 1976) was an Australia
n pianist
and teacher.
She was born near Caboolture, Queensland
, of English-born parents, raised in Brisbane
, and taught by her mother, an accomplished pianist. She studied first in Berlin
from 1908, under Theodore Bohlmann. From there she went to the United States
, teaching at the Cincinnati Conservatory. She went back to Berlin in 1911 to study with Ferruccio Busoni
, who became a personal friend, and Egon Petri
. She gave a recital at the Aeolian Hall
, London
, in 1913. From 1919 she taught at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music
, Sydney. She encouraged the performance of new works from Europe and gave Australian premieres of such pieces as Busoni's Indian Fantasy (1914), Frederick Delius
's Piano Concerto and some of Franz Liszt
's later compositions.
From the 1930s Burston gave many recitals for the Australian Broadcasting Commission
. She promoted piano music by Australian composers and developed an especially warm relationship with Roy Agnew
, whose works she performed and whose music she introduced and taught to her pupils. She also travelled interstate as an examiner for the Australian Music Examinations Board
until shortly before her death.
Her pupils included Geoffrey Parsons
, Richard Meale
and Larry Sitsky
. Her interests extended beyond music to the arts generally, and she encouraged her students to read literature such as the works of William Faulkner
and Gertrude Stein
. While considered formidable, and having a direct, sometimes blunt manner, she was also a confidante to her pupils, who remembered her with great affection and remained in touch with her long after their study with her finished. Larry Sitsky remembered her in his Fantasia No. 2 in Memory of Winifred Burston (1980). He described her as "absolutely the right teacher. She was never dogmatic. Her ethos was that she would open doors and she would encourage you to explore. The repertoire wasn’t fixed in any way".
Winifred Burston died on 24 June 1976 in Edgecliff, New South Wales
and was cremated. A fund was established to endow a scholarship in her memory at the Canberra School of Music
.
Later there was an attempt made to set up a music scholarship fund in Winifred Burston's honour. The initiators of the fund were Larry Sitsky, Alan Jenkins and Ken Henderson, and people such as Marjorie Hesse and Dame Joan Hammond
were involved.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and teacher.
She was born near Caboolture, Queensland
Caboolture, Queensland
Caboolture is an urban centre approximately north of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. Caboolture is considered to be the northernmost urban area of the greater Brisbane metropolitan region within South East Queensland, and it marks the end of the Brisbane suburban commuter...
, of English-born parents, raised in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, and taught by her mother, an accomplished pianist. She studied first in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
from 1908, under Theodore Bohlmann. From there she went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, teaching at the Cincinnati Conservatory. She went back to Berlin in 1911 to study with Ferruccio Busoni
Ferruccio Busoni
Ferruccio Busoni was an Italian composer, pianist, editor, writer, piano and composition teacher, and conductor.-Biography:...
, who became a personal friend, and Egon Petri
Egon Petri
Egon Petri was a classical pianist.-Biography:Petri's family was Dutch and he was born a Dutch citizen, but he was born in Hanover in Germany and was brought up in Dresden. His father was a professional violinist who taught his son that instrument. Petri played in the Dresden Court Orchestra and...
. She gave a recital at the Aeolian Hall
Aeolian Hall
Aeolian Hall may refer to:*Aeolian Hall , a concert hall near Times Square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City*Aeolian Hall , England*Aeolian Hall , a historic music venue in London, Ontario...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in 1913. From 1919 she taught at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
, Sydney. She encouraged the performance of new works from Europe and gave Australian premieres of such pieces as Busoni's Indian Fantasy (1914), Frederick Delius
Frederick Delius
Frederick Theodore Albert Delius, CH was an English composer. Born in the north of England to a prosperous mercantile family of German extraction, he resisted attempts to recruit him to commerce...
's Piano Concerto and some of Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
's later compositions.
From the 1930s Burston gave many recitals for the Australian Broadcasting Commission
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
. She promoted piano music by Australian composers and developed an especially warm relationship with Roy Agnew
Roy Agnew
Roy Ewing "Robert" Agnew was an Australian composer and pianist. He has been called the most outstanding Australian composer of the early twentieth century.-Early life and education:...
, whose works she performed and whose music she introduced and taught to her pupils. She also travelled interstate as an examiner for the Australian Music Examinations Board
Australian Music Examinations Board
The Australian Music Examinations Board is a privately funded corporation which assesses music, speech, and drama in Australia. The organisation had its beginnings at the Universities of Melbourne and Adelaide in 1887; the organisation now has a Federal Office in Melbourne, and offices in each...
until shortly before her death.
Her pupils included Geoffrey Parsons
Geoffrey Parsons (pianist)
Geoffrey Penwill Parsons AO OBE was an Australian pianist, most particularly notable as an accompanist to singers and instrumentalists...
, Richard Meale
Richard Meale
Richard Graham Meale, AM, MBE was an Australian composer of instrumental works and operas.-Biography:Meale was born in Sydney and studied piano with Winifred Burston at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music, as well as clarinet, harp, music history and theory, before studying at the University of...
and Larry Sitsky
Larry Sitsky
Lazar Sitsky AM, usually referred to as Larry Sitsky, born 10 September 1934, is an Australian composer, pianist, and music educator and scholar...
. Her interests extended beyond music to the arts generally, and she encouraged her students to read literature such as the works of William Faulkner
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
and Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
. While considered formidable, and having a direct, sometimes blunt manner, she was also a confidante to her pupils, who remembered her with great affection and remained in touch with her long after their study with her finished. Larry Sitsky remembered her in his Fantasia No. 2 in Memory of Winifred Burston (1980). He described her as "absolutely the right teacher. She was never dogmatic. Her ethos was that she would open doors and she would encourage you to explore. The repertoire wasn’t fixed in any way".
Winifred Burston died on 24 June 1976 in Edgecliff, New South Wales
Edgecliff, New South Wales
Edgecliff is a small suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Edgecliff is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra. The postcode is 2027.Edgecliff is surrounded by...
and was cremated. A fund was established to endow a scholarship in her memory at the Canberra School of Music
ANU School of Music
The School of Music is a school within the Faculty of Arts of the Australian National University. It consists of four buildings, including the main School of Music building - which contains Llewellyn Hall - and the Peter Karmel Building....
.
Later there was an attempt made to set up a music scholarship fund in Winifred Burston's honour. The initiators of the fund were Larry Sitsky, Alan Jenkins and Ken Henderson, and people such as Marjorie Hesse and Dame Joan Hammond
Joan Hammond
Dame Joan Hilda Hood Hammond, DBE, CMG was an Australian operatic soprano, singing coach and champion golfer.- Early life :...
were involved.