Judy Hall (pianist)

Evelyn Margaret Mary "Judy" Hall Order of Australia (born 2 July 1922) is an Australian pianist and musician. She has taught as a piano teacher in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia since 1946, producing students of international fame.
== Early Life & Education ==
Hall was born in the town of Trafalgar, Victoria, Australia. She was one of four children to parents Danielle Baillie and Mary Larsen. Her first musical exposure was by that of her father who was a professional cornet player and bandmaster. Her exposure to music was further developed as her family purchased a radio in the 1930s, serving as a source of discovering classical music. 
Throughout her career, Hall has travelled internationally in aid of her professional development visiting 26 different countries. She has both presented and attended a number of lectures, workshops and written articles on piano technique. Hall attended Trafalgar State School and Warragul High School. At a young age, she would sit at her father's piano and play by ear, with the support of her father teaching her the foundations of music, albeit informally. From an early age, her ability at the piano became apparent, She was awarded a scholarship granting her six months of tuition. At the age of twelve, she began to have formal music lessons. Her early piano teachers were numerous and poor quality, stating that "I made a pledge... that I would never let another child experience such wasted years." At the age of fifteen, Hall left the Warragul High School, continuing her education at the St. Joseph's convent in Trafalgar, where she studied bookkeeping, typing and music.
Portrait of Edward Goll to Hall on the occasion of her wedding "To dear Evelyn, all the best in future. Affectionately, Edward Goll - April 1944"
As Hall's musical abilities advanced, she sought to improve her piano technique. Edward Goll had taught Hall's past teacher Margaret Smallacombe, and it is through this connection that she became his pupil at the age of 19. Goll, a renowned Czech-Australian concert pianist, was a great influence on Hall musically. From the age of 19 she would have to find a means to travel from Trafalgar to Melbourne for lessons from Goll. She continued lessons with him for three years until her marriage in 1944.
== Career ==
==== Musical Teaching & Service ====
In 1946, Hall began giving piano lessons. Her successes as a teacher were found in her attention to establishing a formidable technical foundation early in a student's development. Her teaching ability was proven in the multitude of her students who passed examinations and competed in eisteddfods, with seventy-six major awards and scholarships granted.A newspaper article outlining a number of Hall's students who passed examinations at the Australian Music Examinations Board.
A newspaper article outlining a number of Hall's students who passed examinations at the Australian Music Examinations Board.A newspaper article showing a pupil of Hall's participation in a Prizewinners' concert.
A newspaper article showing a pupil of Hall's participation in a Prizewinners' concert.Hall's student, Paul Rickard-Ford, is noted as a previous winner of the "Travelling Scholarship."
Hall's student, Paul Rickard-Ford, is noted as a previous winner of the "Travelling Scholarship." Of her students, thirty-two have received the Associate in Music, Australia and four the Licentiate in Music, Australia (LMusA) issued by the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).
In 1979, Italian pianist Professor Lidia Baldecchi-Arcuri gave a series of five lectures in Sydney on the importance of the foundations of musical education. These lectures were succeeded by a further twelve visits to Australia and subsequent visits by Hall to Baldecchi-Arcuri's home in Genoa, Italy. Hall gained a new insight into piano technique and a proper way of interpreting a musical score. In an interview, Hall stated "I thought: 'that's the best thing that ever happened in my life'," when asked about her relations with Baldecchi-Arcuri.
Succeeding her studies with Baldecchi-Arcuri, Hall sought to write her own book on the fundamentals of piano technique. The book, entitled "The First Three Years," documented piano technique at an anatomical level. Such techniques included relaxation of the shoulders and whole body, wrist, hand and finger positions, the fingers' individual strengths and deficiencies, and how to overcome them.
Over her career, Hall has done a number of community performances as a pianist including for the Country Women's Association, local fire brigades, football clubs, private recitals and playing with her chamber group 'Judy and Friends' at local nursing homes. She often accompanied at local eisteddfods and sponsored sections including a movement from a piano concerto and a complete piano sonata
At the age of 60, Hall began learning to play the cello. In the succeeding years, she played as a cellist in chamber music groups, as part of local orchestras and in accompanying the Latrobe Valley Operatic Society.
Hall pictured with the Gippsland Symphony Orchestra at her Melbourne Town Hall performance in 2019.
==== Performances ====
On the 14th of November 1996, at age 74, Hall performed Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 (Beethoven) with the Latrobe Orchestra at the Latrobe Regional Gallery in Morwell.
In 2012, a concert was hosted on the occasion of Hall's 90th birthday at the Moe, Victoria RSL featuring herself, many of her past students and family. The concert lasted four and a half hours.
On the 10th of April 2015, Hall again performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, however, this time the first movement was omitted. The performance took place at the Wesley of Warragul.A promotional brochure for Hall's 2015 performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3
A promotional brochure for Hall's 2015 performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3
In 2018, at age 96, Hall performed the 2nd movement, Larghetto from Frédéric Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 (Chopin) a number of times. On April 29th she performed it in Sale, Victoria, in May she performed it in Warragul and November 18th she fulfilled her childhood dream of performing in the Melbourne Town Hall.
On the 8th of February 2019, Hall performed at a Gala Concert hosted by the Melbourne Recital Centre in celebration of their 10th anniversary. She performed alongside her previous students Timothy Young and Alexander Waite in an arrangement of Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 for two pianos and six hands.
Hall began to gain public acclaim due to her continuing ability to teach, perform and have a desire to learn new technique and repertoire in her mid-late 90s.
== Awards ==
On the 11th of June 1996, Hall was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to music education in the Latrobe Valley during the previous 50 years.
In 2011, Hall was the recipient of the Distinguished Teachers Award by the Victorian Music Teachers' Association (VMTA).Hall's certificate from the Victorian Music Teachers' Association for "Distinguished Teacher's Award."
Hall's certificate from the Victorian Music Teachers' Association for "Distinguished Teacher's Award."
In 2019, Hall was recognised by the VMTA with Life Membership of the Victoria Music Teachers' Association.
==Notable Students==
Dr Paul Rickard-Ford - Senior Lecturer of Piano and Faculty Member at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Timothy Young - Head of Piano at the Australian National Academy of Music and a founding member of Ensemble Liaison.
Dr Pamela Burnard - Professor of Arts, Creativities and Educations at the University of Cambridge.
Paul Fitzsimon - Chorus Master at Opera Australia.
Vanessa Scammell - Conductor for Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet.
Alexander Waite - Licentiate in Music Australia.
Category:1922 births
Category:Australian pianists
Category:Australian musicians