From Australia’s Jewish Past: Sadie Van-Aalst – Music was her Forte
Sadie was born in London in 1901 and was the eldest daughter and the third of six children of poor Russian immigrants.
She had always shown a love of music, and in 1915, she was awarded a scholarship to the Trinity College of Music in London. She was often invited to play in cinemas, which she loved, in London and then in Dublin. She had special themes for villains, chases, romance, ghost or suspense scenes. Sadie also led a small orchestra that played with her in the cinemas. She often received glowing publicity in newspapers and magazines of the period for both her and her orchestra.
Sadie married Joseph Van-Aalst, an Englishman and a pianist, in 1923, and they performed together both in concerts and for the cinemas in Dublin.
When talking films began, the kind of regular employment for musicians ceased, although sometimes there was music played at intervals in the cinemas. Sadie moved on and went to play classical music with a trio in one of the large Dublin hotels.
Together with their two daughters, Sadie and Joseph made their way to Sydney in 1948. Sadie began playing with the JC Williamson Orchestra at the Theatre Royal for opera, ballet, operetta and musical comedy. When the Sydney Symphony Orchestra played for opera and ballet, they recruited extra musicians, with Sadie being one. In 1967 the Elizabethan Sydney Orchestra was established and Sadie became a member and continued to play with them until her retirement in 1977. All through these years, there were rehearsals and performances six nights a week plus a matinee each week.
After Joseph passed away in 1956, Sadie went on tour with the Elizbeth Sydney Orchestra. Despite her retirement, she could not give up her music. She began playing as a freelance musician and for productions by amateur societies. Her grandson, Robin Gador, one of three grandchildren, played the guitar, and both were part of the orchestra for the musical ‘’They’re Playing Our Song’’. It certainly was a unique event – eighty-year-old grandmother and grandson both playing in the same orchestra. In 1985, well into her eighties, she was in the orchestra for the musical ‘Carousel’. She was well remembered by the company and continued to receive complimentary tickets for concerts and operas. Saidie passed away on 12 July 1995 aged 94 years.
The AJHS acknowledges the following references in the preparation of this story.
Beginning with Esther – Jewish Women in New South Wales from 1788 – Lysbeth Cohen
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