Max Olding and Pamela Page
Max Olding and Pamela Page | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 July 1929 (Max Olding), 4 April 1934 (Pamela Page) |
| Died | 17 November 2021 (Max Olding) |
| Occupation(s) | Classical pianists, educators |
| Years active | 1950s–1990s |
| Known for | Australian piano duo performances, recordings, music education |
Max Olding AM (4 July 1929 – 17 November 2021) and Pamela Page (born 4 April 1934) formed a distinguished Australian piano duo as husband and wife. Although both enjoyed successful individual careers as solo pianists, chamber musicians, and accompanists on both national and international stages, their prominence largely stemmed from their joint performances as a piano duo.
Their paths crossed in 1954 when they shared first place at the inaugural Royal Concert Trust Fund Competition held in London, leading to their marriage in Vienna the following year, 1955.
The couple’s debut as a duo featured a performance at the launch of ABC Television in 1956. They embarked on extensive tours throughout Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Austria, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and New Zealand, collaborating with prominent orchestras from Australia and abroad.
Their repertoire encompassed original compositions for two pianos, concertos, as well as arrangements and transcriptions. A highlight was Larry Sitsky’s Concerto for Two Solo Pianos, composed expressly for them and recorded with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1977. Other composers including Felix Werder, Peter Sculthorpe, Philip Bračanin, John Carmichael, and Margaret Sutherland also dedicated pieces to their duo.
From the 1950s through the 1990s, Olding and Page frequently performed recitals broadcast on ABC radio and appeared on television programs such as ABC’s educational series All About Music in 1975.
Their son is the violinist Dene Olding.
In 2025, the Australian Piano Duo Festival Inc. inaugurated a piano duet/duo award named in honor of Max Olding and Pamela Page.
Max Olding
Maxwell Charles Olding (4 July 1929 – 17 November 2021) was a prominent Australian pianist and educator. Raised in Launceston, Tasmania, he often found himself competing against composer Peter Sculthorpe in piano competitions. By age 21, Olding had become an Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) Examiner and secured victory in the Commonwealth final of the 1952 ABC Concerto Competition.
He commenced teaching at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium and served as adjudicator for major music competitions across Australia. His roles included chairmanships and external examiner positions at numerous universities such as Melbourne, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, Southern Queensland, and QUT. Internationally, he adjudicated events like New Zealand’s National Young Performers Awards in 2010.
Olding held several leadership positions including deputy chair and principal examiner (Instrumental) for AMEB Queensland. His career also involved significant work throughout Southeast Asia and New Zealand. He was president of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Society and deputy chair of the Brisbane Institute of Art. Additionally, he was a patron and life member of various music organizations such as the Queensland Piano Tuners and Technicians Guild and the Accompanists Guild of Queensland.
In 1970, Olding was awarded a Churchill Fellowship, enabling him to study advanced piano teaching methodologies across Japan, Russia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
His discography includes chamber music by Australian composer Dulcie Holland featured on Study in Green: Music of Australian Composers, violin sonatas by Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms recorded with violinist Dene Olding on Great Violin Sonatas, as well as contributions to The Essential Violin. He also produced recordings of solo piano pieces used for AMEB examinations.
Beyond his performance career, Olding contributed extensively as a conductor for symphonic orchestras, choral groups, opera productions, and theatre. He also undertook roles in teaching administration and served as an organist and choirmaster.
In recognition of his extensive contributions to music, Olding was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music by the University of Queensland in 2011. His academic appointments included senior roles at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (deputy director and principal lecturer), QUT (acting head), and a visiting professorship at City University of New York.
Pamela Page
Pamela Harcourt Page (born 4 April 1934) was awarded an Empire Overseas Scholarship to pursue her studies at Trinity College of Music, London, where she earned the Maude Seton Prize for exceptional musical achievement. She appeared on BBC radio and television broadcasts, performed both solo and concerto works throughout England, and participated in a master class led by Walter Gieseking in Saarbrücken.
In Australia, Page contributed the pianist hand close-ups for the 1951 biographical film Wherever She Goes, which depicted the life of Eileen Joyce. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she served as a pianist for the Australian Broadcasting Commission (now known as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), including solo engagements. She also collaborated with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in recordings.
Page delivered concerto performances in every Australian state capital, hosted a television program aimed at children, and performed recitals on ABC radio as well as live TV broadcasts. Subsequently, she held a position as senior lecturer within the Faculty of Music at the University of Queensland.
Beyond her musical career, Page is also an accomplished painter, integrating performances of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition with exhibitions of her own artwork. She produced recordings of solo piano repertoire for examination purposes with the Australian Music Examinations Board and holds Life Membership in the Accompanists Guild of Queensland.
In recognition of her contributions, Page was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the University of Queensland in 2011, where she had been teaching since 1968.
Honours and awards
In January 1991, Max Olding was honored with appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his contributions to music and music education.
The auditorium at the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) in Queensland bears his name as the Max Olding Auditorium.
Both Pamela Page and Max Olding were recipients of the Centenary Medal in 2001.