June Epstein
, 1918 - 2004
Writer, June (Sadie) Epstein was born on June 29th, 1918 in Perth, Western Australia. After finishing school at the age of seventeen she was the first person in Australia to be awarded a three year scholarship to Trinity College of Music, London. In 1936 she undertook a teacher’s diploma at Trinity College. However, her studies for the Bachelor of Music were interrupted in 1940 by World War 2. She returned to Australia to work for the Australian Broadcasting Company as a recitalist and on ABC children’s educational programmes. From 1946–1949 she was Director of Music at Melbourne Church of England Girls’ Grammar School, which is when she wrote and produced this work.
The Nine Muses is Epstein’s first published work. She went on to publish more than fifty works in a variety of genres, including short stories and plays written for children as well as biographies and her autobiography. Her writing and publishing career has been significantly informed by her personal experience as the parent of a young child who became severely disabled after he contracted encephalitis and another child who died of a brain tumour. Active with people with disabilities, Epstein was awarded an Order of Australia in 1986 for her service to the arts and the welfare of people with disabilities.
Bio prepared by Margaret Bromley, University of New England, mbromle5@une.edu.au, brom_ken@bigpond.net.au
Records in database:
