How Supporting a Winter’s Journey Keeps Miriam Faine Connected to Her Family
Reminiscing on her childhood years, Miriam Faine recalls that as an eight-year-old she thought that her parents Eva and Solly Faine were attending concerts by ’Music Aviva’.
Now Miriam is following in their footsteps as a regular subscriber to Musica Viva Australia. A familiar face at our Melbourne concerts, Miriam’s beaming smile can be seen in the foyer of the Melbourne Recital Centre for our Saturday evening tour performances.
Miriam’s parents Eva and Solly were loyal subscribers to Musica Viva Australia from their arrival in Sydney from New Zealand in 1959, almost until their recent passing. Miriam estimates that Eva and Solly attended almost every Musica Viva Australia concert over 40 years, and they and their many subscriber friends formed a cross-generational community of music lovers. As Miriam explains, ’Many people I know who attend are following their parents! But we also mention it to other people who are thinking of subscribing and encourage them to do so.’
The Concert Champion donation by Miriam in memory of Eva and Solly has helped support Musica Viva Australia’s presentation of one of the main stage concerts of the 2022 season. ’It is with great pleasure that I have contributed to a performance of A Winter’s Journey in memory of my parents Eva and Solly Faine who both died in 2021. They shared a strong love for chamber music and Schubert was their favourite composer.’
Miriam has chosen to support the Melbourne performance of A Winter’s Journey on 16 July because this repertoire particularly connects her to her parents and their love of this music. ’For mum – born Eva Rothschild – Lieder in particular incarnated the childhood language and German culture that she had been denied. I suspect my parents would have loved the innovative staging of this performance!’
Each year a community of Concert Champions from around the country select a specific performance to support in their home city. The important and necessary financial support of Concert Champions enables
Musica Viva Australia to plan full national tours, confident that generous supporters have pledged a donation.
Following Eva and Solly, a subscription to Musica Viva Australia performances matters greatly to Miriam. ’A subscription is an incentive to get out and attend, and the performances introduce one to new, varied repertoire and excellent performers. I find filling in my diary with concerts at the beginning of each year an optimistic and uplifting activity.’
It seems apt, then, that the appreciation of Musica Viva Australia which Eva and Solly passed on to Miriam should be celebrated with her generous gift to support a performance of A Winter’s Journey.
Written by Susan Eldridge
If you would like to become a Concert Champion, or are interested in finding out more about this program, please contact Zoë Cobden-Jewitt, Director of Development at zcobden-jewitt@musicaviva.com.au or on (02)8394 6616.
