BOURNE, UNA MABEL (1882-1974), pianist and composer, was born on 23 October 1882 at Mudgee, New South Wales, daughter of James George Bourne, store-keeper, and his wife Margaret, née Webber. The family moved to Melbourne when Una was a child. An infant prodigy, she was playing by ear when 4. She was taught first by her elder sister, and later by Benno Scherek; in the 1890s Una made her first public appearances in orchestral concerts under his conductorship. In her mid-teens she gave many solo recitals which established her as an artist of considerable promise. In May 1899 she was enthusiastically praised for her contribution at a benefit concert for the soprano Amy Castles.

In 1905 Una Bourne undertook an eighteen-month study tour during which she visited Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Paris and London. She had not intended to perform publicly but, before her return home, friends arranged recitals ...

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Australian Dictionary of Biography