Esther Rofe facts for kids

Esther Rofe (born March 14, 1904 – died February 26, 2000) was a talented Australian musician and composer. She created many beautiful pieces of music, especially for ballet.

About Esther Rofe

Esther Rofe was born in Australia. She loved music from a young age. She learned to play the piano and violin. Her teachers included famous musicians like Alberto Zelman Jr. and Fritz Hart.

When she was only 13, Esther played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. This is a very big achievement for someone so young! Later, she went to the Royal College of Music in London. There, she continued to learn from great composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams.

During World War II, Esther worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). She also worked at a radio unit in Sydney. This is where she started to arrange and compose her own music.

In 1943, Esther began writing music for ballet. Ballet is a type of dance performance. Her music helped tell stories through movement. The Esther Rofe Songbook was published in 1999. It collected many of her songs.

Esther lived with her sister Edith by the sea in Southport for twenty years. She never married, but she fostered a child named Carden James Rofe. Carden later had two sons, Hamer and Malcolm.

Esther Rofe passed away in February 2000. Her family scattered her ashes in the Lune River. To remember her, the University of Melbourne created the Esther Rofe Award. This award celebrates new musical talent.

Awards and Recognition

Esther Rofe received several special awards for her music:

• In 1993, she was named Composer-of-Honour at Monash University. This was a big honor for her work.
• In 1998, she received the Australia Day Citizen of the Year award. This award was from the City of Boroondara.
• Also in 1998, she became a represented composer at the Australian Music Centre (AMC). This meant her music was recognized and promoted.

Famous Works

Esther Rofe was especially known for her ballet music. Here are some of her important works:

• Sea Legend (1943): This was a ballet with dancing created by Dorothy Stevenson.
• Terra Australis (1946): Another ballet, choreographed by Edouard Borovansky.
• L’Amour enchantee (1950): A ballet with choreography by Martyn.
• Mathinna (1954): This was also a ballet choreographed by Martyn.
• The Lake (1962): This was a new version of L’Amour enchantee made for television.