Josephine
Vains

Cellist • Chamber musician • Educator
A woman wearing a dark blouse with neck-length brown hair holding a cello, against a grey backgroundA woman wearing a dark blouse with neck-length brown hair holding a cello, against a grey background
Josephine Vains is a cellist, chamber musician and educator active across modern and historical fields. Performing around Australia and internationally to acclaim, she thrives on collaboration and exploring the emotional relationship between musician and audience.
As an educator at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and the University of Melbourne, Josephine’s teaching focuses on each unique individual, to foster confidence, flair and stylistic curiosity.
About

Areas of Expertise

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Performing

Josephine is an Australian cellist and avid chamber musician with a performance career that encompasses modern and historical cello. An adventurous spirit has taken her to some far-flung concert venues - from an 1000 year old cave in the heart of China to mountain-top Bach in the French Alps.

She is a founding member of Firebird Trio, also performing to acclaim with Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Accademia Arcadia, Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra, Ludovico’s Band, Genesis Baroque and more.

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Educator

Passionate about education, Josephine is currently training the next generation of musicians at Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, University of Melbourne. She is a regular tutor for Melbourne and Australian Youth Orchestra, Mt. Buller Chamber Music, Clunes Music, Melbourne Young Con Artists Academy, Pettman National Junior Academy (NZ) and for iartschool (China).

Josephine is thrilled to be presenting at the 2022 National Australian String Teachers Association Conference in July, with one of her favourite subjects, on creating ‘speaking’ musical performance using Rhetoric.

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Mentor

Josephine regularly mentors early and mid-career cello teachers, helping to illuminate their natural pedagogical strengths and guiding them to develop more rigour and inspiration in their own teaching. She also mentors her own students as they navigate their way through secondary and tertiary study, and beyond into the professional world.

Events

3pm, 13 JANUARY 2024

Gryphon Baryton Trio in Ballarat

Ballarat Mechanics Institute, 117 Sturt Street Ballarat
A true season highlight to partner with these astounding musicians, Laura Vaughan (baryton) and Tim WIllis (viola) in a program of pure Haydn. This performance features Prince Esterhazy's favourite instrument, the baryton (think like a viola da gamba with a rich resonant sound cloud)
11AM & 2PM, 15 JANUARY, 2024

Clunes with Massimo Scattolin and Erica Kennedy

CLUNES TOWN HALL, 98 BAILEY ST CLUNES
A joyous connection between three musical friends. It's always a thrill to perform alongside Italian guitarist Massimo Scattolin and violin legend Erica Kennedy. Original compositions by Massimo alongside arrangements of Ennio Morricone.
7.30PM, 8 FEBRUARY 2024

Beethoven and Rachmaninov with Berta Brozgul

BRUNSWICK UNITING CHURCH, 212 SYDNEY RD BRUNSWICK
Ripe with alliterative possibility, playing Beethoven in Brunswick with Berta Brozgul will be a real highlight of the Summer. Pairing Beethoven's final D major Sonata with the monumental Rachmaninov Cello Sonata. $35/$20/$25
8PM, 22 FEBRUARY 2024

Gryphon Baryton Trio in Brunswick

TEMPO RUBATO, 34 BREESE ST BRUNSWICK
Another chance to hear the mellifluous tones of the baryton alongside the pairing of viola and cello. As part of the Brunswick Beethoven Festival, I'm really excited about this performance of four Haydn baryton trios with Katie Yap and Laura Vaughan. Bar open from 7pm. Tickets $35/$20/$25
8PM, 24 February 2024

Firebird Trio at 3MBS Marathon

MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE, STURT ST SOUTHBANK
Always a pleasure to perform at this festival with my trio. With violinist Curt Thompson and pianist Benjamin Martin performing Schubert's late great Bflat trio, in the final performance of the day 'Transcendence', with the Australian Wind Quintet. Tickets $50/$40
3PM, 25 FEBRUARY 2024

Brahms and Faure Sonatas with John O'Donnell

All Saints Anglican Church, 2 Chapel St East St Kilda
A rare chance to experience Brahms' G major Violin Sonata performed on cello! (in an arrangement by Brahms himself in the cello-friendly key of D major). I'm delighted to be exploring this repertoire alongside the Gabriel Faure Sonata No.2 with esteemed colleague John O'Donnell. $24/$20/student free. Cash at the door or via trybooking
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Projects

Mondays at 8pm in October 2022

Tempo Rubato Residency

Tempo Rubato
A musical gathering across four Monday evenings with Josephine’s nearest and dearest musical collaborators
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July 2022

AUSTA National Conference presentation

Melbourne
Presentation topic is ‘Speaking through music’ - finding the rhetoric in persuasive musical performance.
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