From Australia’s Jewish Past: Rosalind Philippa Phillips (Linda Phillips) – Composer, journalist, music critic and musician
Linda was born in Melbourne on 8 June 1899 to Joseph – of Russian descent – and Augusta Phillips.
She was the eldest child and had three brothers. At a very young age, Linda was already writing verse and composing music, leaving school early to enrol to study piano at the University of Melbourne’s Conservatorium of Music under Bohemian pianist Edward Goll and harmony with Dr James Steele.
She then undertook composition studies at the private Albert Street Conservatorium in East Melbourne, later known as the Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music. There, she studied under the English composer and conductor Fritz Hart, who held the radical view that women were quite able to write music! Fritz encouraged Linda’s abilities in composing chamber music as well as in songwriting. Interestingly, for over 70 years, eisteddfods have been popular places for the performance of Linda’s songs. This popularity was due to her uncanny ability to capture the essence of a text in music and for her pieces to always be comfortable for the voice. Linda, as a child, also had a passion for poetry, which led her to publish a collection of poems in 1922 – ‘’From a City Garden’’.
Linda Phillips
became a popular composer and performer on ABC radio but was more well-known as the music critic for Melbourne’s Sun News-Pictorial newspaper from 1949 to 1976. Linda was one of the four selected composers to celebrate the Victorian Jubilee Year in 1951 with a recital of her works, including chamber music, part songs, instrumental solos and songs. Dame Joan Sutherland – world-famous Australian opera diva – was most impressed with Linda’s songs and placed many of them on her active repertoire list. In 1956 the BBC in London broadcasted a selection of these songs performed by Dame Joan, with Linda as the accompanist. Other compositions were performed by well-known Australian operatic sopranos including Dame Joan Hammond and Sylvia Fisher. Linda was an invited delegate to the International Conference of Women held in Venice in 1956, representing women composers in Victoria and sponsored by the Press, Arts and Letters Sub-Committee of the National Council of Jewish Women of Victoria.
Linda also became the Chief Adjudicator for the Annual Sun Aria Contest, where she would help launch the careers of many singers including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa of New Zealand opera fame, who won the contest in 1966. The Sun Aria – now known as the Herald Sun Aria – is Australia’s oldest and most prestigious prize for emerging opera singers. It forms the aria section of the Grand National Eisteddfod of Australasia.
Linda’s works can be divided into two distinct sections – the English pastoral style, and exotica in the form of scores influenced by ancient Judaic music. She was fascinated by Middle Eastern and Jewish music, particularly Hebraic music and folk songs of the Middle East. One such work ’’Exaltation’’ is based on Chassidic air and dance. It was scored for oboe, violin, cello and piano and is alternatively melancholic and exuberant. Other works that were typical of her more traditional style include ‘’Rhapsody Sonata’’ for violin and piano, and ‘’Sea Impressions’’ for piano solo.
During Linda’s lifetime she received a number of honours, including the OBE awarded to her on 14 June 1975 for services to music. The citation read “In recognition of her long and continued services in the field of music. As an artist, composer and critic she has made a great contribution to Australia. Her assistance and encouragement to many young musicians has been outstanding.” In 1994 Linda gained VIP status at the Second Australian Composing Women’s Festival and Conference as well as receiving the Composer-of-Honour commendation from the Conservatorium School of Music at Monash University with a concert of her music in her presence.
On 6 June 1999, as part of her 100th birthday celebrations, ABC Classic FM sponsored a concert focusing on four of her instrumental scores. It was presented by legendary broadcaster Mairi Nicholson and highlighted well-respected musicians including Robert Chamberlain (piano), Isin Cakmakcioglu (violin), Rachel Atkinson (cello) and Anne Gilby (oboe). They performed to a large audience filling the ABC’s Iwaki Auditorium in Melbourne.
Linda married Maurice Kauffman in 1924 and they had one daughter. Maurice passed away in 1945, and Linda at the amazing age of 103 on 8 October 2002. Her papers were donated to Monash University and these included her vocal music, piano music and chamber music works.
The AJHS acknowledges the following references in the preparation of this story:-
Australian Music Centre; National Library of Australia; Australian Composers; Wikipedia
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As far as I know, Joseph was born in Lithuania. It may have been under Russian rule, but I’m not certain it should be called Russia. Linda’s mother was born in Australia to a Russian/Polish father (Abraham Polack) and a British mother (Rosa Cohen) who was born in London but migrated to Melbourne as a child.
Linda was my father’s first cousin, and I miss her a great deal.