Violinist, pedagogue and founding member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Alice Waten passed away last month aged 75. Her teaching legacy spans decades and continents, as her students continue to perform and teach in Australia and around the world.

Alice Waten. Facebook: Open Academy at the Con

As a young violinist, Waten studied with Eberhard Feltz at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, before commencing at the Moscow Conservatory under David Oistrakh and Valery Klimov, two great proponents of the Russian Violin School. This rigorous training would prove influential in Waten’s pedagogy for years to come, as she brought her connection to the Russian Violin School back to Australia and imparted a sense of motivation and discipline to her students.

Her early involvement with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) is perhaps Waten’s most visible impact on classical music in Australia. An accomplished performer, she held the position of Principal Second Violin for 10 years, as the orchestra became an inextricable part of Australia’s cultural landscape and reached international standards of excellence. Artistic Director and Lead Violin, Richard Tognetti, was Waten’s longtime student and he shared an emotional tribute on the ACO’s...