Una Mabel Bourne

Una Mabel Bourne was born at Mudgee, New South Wales,^[1] the daughter of James George Bourne and Margaret Webber Bourne. Her father was a shopkeeper. She was raised in Melbourne. Una Bourne's musical abilities were evident early in life; she performed on piano in professional venues before her teens.^[2] She studied with Benno Scherek in Australia,^[3] and in several European cities as a young woman.^[4]

"Miss Bourne has an excellent technique and plays with refinement and distinction," an English critic wrote of a performance at London's Bechstein Hall in 1906.^[5] Bourne joined Nellie Melba's touring entourage in Australia in 1907, 1909, and 1912,^[6] both as an accompanist and performing solo.^[2] After 1912, she moved to England, where she gave concerts and toured. She performed for Queen Mary in 1914, and during World War I she gave benefit concerts and concerts at hospitals.^[7]

In 1915 she began making recordings with the English Gramophone Company. She also made player-piano rolls in the United States, and gave performances for women's clubs^[8] and radio audiences. During World War II she was based in Melbourne again, where she performed and opened a conservatory.^[4]

Bourne's art songs and compositions for piano are considered "light and dainty", and include March Grotesque, Petite Valse Caprice, Gavotte, Humoresque, and Wiegenlied, which was dedicated to Nellie Melba.^[9][10]