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

14 & 16 March, 5 April, 2025

Telemann in Paris

Williamstown, Carlton, Newtown
Luxuriate in the chamber music of Paris in the 1730s when Telemann visited and played with flautist Michel Blavet, violinist Jean-Pierre Guignon, gambist Jean-Baptiste Forqueray and a mystery cellist known as Prince Édouard. Australian traverso treasure Greg Dikmans leads alongside Shane Lestideau, (violin), Laura Vaughan (gamba) and Samantha Cohen (theorbo). Tickets $50/40/35/20
11AM, 16 March, 2025

Sunday Mattutino with Stewart Kelly

TEMPO RUBATO, 34 BREESE ST BRUNSWICK
An eclectic program showcasing music from different angles - from Schumann's take on Bach, Schubert played on an unintended instrument, to violin music transcribed for the cello. With a complimentary glass of sherry or juice, experience how composers quote / steal / borrow and pay homage to other composer's works, with wonderful pianist Stewart Kelly. Tickets $25
7.30PM, 18 MARCH, 2025

Firebird Trio presents Modern Times

Hanson Dyer Hall, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Southbank
Firebird Trio takes inspiration from the re-composition of musical ideas and fragments of the past for more ‘modern’ times. Trios of Charles Ives and Maurice Ravel brim with fragments of the past. Benjamin Martin's insightful transcriptions of Britten's Sea Interludes and Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Smile’ from the iconic 1936 film ‘Modern Times’ complete the program. Tickets are free, bookings essential
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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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