Josephine
Vains

Cellist • Chamber musician • Educator
A woman wearing a dark blouse with neck-length brown hair holding a cello, against a grey backgroundA woman wearing a dark blouse with neck-length brown hair holding a cello, against a grey background
Josephine Vains is a cellist, chamber musician and educator active across modern and historical fields. Performing around Australia and internationally to acclaim, she thrives on collaboration and exploring the emotional relationship between musician and audience.
As an educator at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and the University of Melbourne, Josephine’s teaching focuses on each unique individual, to foster confidence, flair and stylistic curiosity.
About

Areas of Expertise

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Performing

Josephine is an Australian cellist and avid chamber musician with a performance career that encompasses modern and historical cello. An adventurous spirit has taken her to some far-flung concert venues - from an 1000 year old cave in the heart of China to mountain-top Bach in the French Alps.

She is a founding member of Firebird Trio, also performing to acclaim with Accademia Arcadia, Genesis Baroque, CellOZ, Gryphon Baryton Trio, Imaginista Quartet and more.

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Educator

Passionate about education, Josephine is currently training the next generation of musicians at Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, University of Melbourne. She is a regular tutor for Melbourne and Australian Youth Orchestra, Mt. Buller Chamber Music, Clunes Music, Melbourne Young Con Artists Academy, Pettman National Junior Academy (NZ) and for iartschool (China).

Josephine was thrilled to be present at the 2022 National Australian String Teachers Association Conference, on one of her favourite subjects, creating ‘speaking’ musical performance using Rhetoric.

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Mentor

Josephine regularly mentors early and mid-career cello teachers, helping to illuminate their natural pedagogical strengths and guiding them to develop more rigour and inspiration in their own teaching. She also mentors her own students as they navigate their way through secondary and tertiary study, and beyond into the professional world.

Events

4PM, 27 April, 2025

Chopin and Schubert with John O'Donnell

All Saints Anglican Church, East St Kilda
Frederic Chopin's Sonata for Cello and Piano was the last work to be published in his lifetime. A sonata of magnificent scale and expression, it will be presented alongside Schubert's beautiful 'Arpeggione' Sonatra. Tickets $25/20
16-18 May, 2025

Songs of Rest and Renewal with Sara Macliver and Genesis Baroque

Victorian tour including Melbourne Recital Centre, Bendigo, Warragul
A nourishing mini-tour program exploring love, both human and divine. With superstars Sara Macliver and Emma Black in a program of Buxtehude, Handel, Bach and Purcell.
8PM, 31 May, 2025

Imaginista Quartet with clarinetist Craig Hill

Tempo Rubato, 34 Breese Street, Brunswick
A beautiful program of string quartet and clarinet quintet music including Schubert's glorious Rosamunde Quartet and Quartetsatz, alongside the stunning Reicha Clarinet Quintet. A rare chance to hear this music performed on the instruments for which they were intended. Tickets $35/25
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Projects

Bach Suite VI on 5-string cello

A live recording of the Solo Suite VI played on 5-string historical cello
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