Jeanell Carrigan - Reverie (2020)

The painting on the front cover is a work called “Daydream” which was painted in 1895 by Australian artist Jane Sutherland. Jane Sutherland (1853-1928) was part of the Heidelberg school.

Jane Sutherland was also the aunt of Margaret Sutherland who has rightly earned the title “The Matriarch” of Australian composition. It is therefore completely appropriate that the artistry of this wonderful Australian woman painter should grace the recording which highlights the wonderful musical artistry of these four Australian women composers of piano music. Iris de Cairos-Rego, Una Bourne, Kitty Parker and Marjorie Hesse all had a great deal in common. Firstly, they were all born in Australia between 1880 and 1911. Iris de Cairos-Rego was born in Sydney in 1894, Una Bourne in Mudgee in 1882, Kitty Parker in 1886 in Parknook, Cressy, Tasmania and Marjorie Hesse in Brisbane in 1911.

All four women were dubbed as child prodigies due to their prodigious musical talent showing itself very early in life. As well as these factors all the women trained initially as pianists and later worked as teachers to earn the bulk of their living, passing on their incredible musicality and skills to many up and coming musicians. Iris de Cairos-Rego taught for many years at Frensham school in Mittagong, from 1935 until 1951, remaining as part of the school community until her death in 1987. Marjorie Hesse was a long-term member of the piano staff at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. Una Bourne was associated with the University of Melbourne, even providing a scholarship for women pianists and Kitty Parker had many private students.