When Julie Newman was a child, she was more interested in climbing trees and playing sport with her identical twin sister, Jenny, than she was in playing music.
That didn’t change until her pianist mother suggested it “might be nice” to have some “more music” in the house.
It’s now been 60 years since Julie followed that suggestion and picked up the violin.
This year, as the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) turns 90, Julie is also approaching a milestone: 50 years as a violinist with the orchestra.
She has been a member for more than half of its history, contributing to countless performances, tours and recordings that have helped shape South Australia’s musical landscape.
But longevity alone doesn’t tell the full story.
Different conductors, different styles, different expectation. You never stop learning.
Julie’s five-decade career has been sustained by one trait: curiosity and enthusiasm for trying new things.
She began learning the violin at the of nine, alongside Jenny, in 1965.
Their early lessons were held at home, with a teacher visiting every Friday afternoon.
After teaching the girls separately, the teacher would stay for dinner and then play violin sonatas with their mother late into the evening.
As the sisters grew older, their progress accelerated, and by their mid-teens it became clear that their interest in the violin could grow beyond just a childhood promise to their mother.
A pivotal moment came when Julie and Jenny decided they wanted to join the ASO in their early teens.
Their mother approached Robert Cooper, the then-concertmaster of the ASO, to see if he would consider teaching them.
He was direct – if he did not see the necessary improvement and potential within six months, it would be a waste of everyone’s time and money.
The challenge was accepted – and met – and the sisters became students of Robert, under whose direction their skills were honed to professional level.
A few years later, after many lessons, training sessions and music camps, the sisters were both admitted to the ASO.
For Julie, it felt like stepping into the very world of which she had dreamed.
“It was awe-inspiring,” she says.
“You’re surrounded by people who live and breathe music, and you realise this is something you want to be part of.”
For decades, the twins sat side by side – a “special” presence in a professional orchestra.
Many colleagues struggled to tell them apart in the early years, especially when their hair was styled the same way.
“Twins as permanent members (of the ASO) is fairly unique,” Julie says.
“It was always very special having Jenny there.”
While Julie has performed as a soloist and worked with orchestras across Australia – including in Sydney, Perth, Tasmania and Western Australia – she has always been most comfortable as part of the South Australian ensemble.
She describes the joy of orchestral life as working closely with other musicians and knowing the audience has chosen to be there, sharing in the experience.
Over five decades, Julie has watched the ASO evolve dramatically.
Rehearsal structures have changed, administrative teams have grown, and standards have risen, but Julie welcomed that evolution.
For her, each shift brought new challenges and opportunities, which she enjoys.
“Different conductors, different styles, different expectations,” she says.
“You never stop learning.”
That openness to new things has taken Julie beyond the concert hall.
Alongside her musical career, Julie has taught privately, examined for the Australian Music Examinations Board, renovated historic homes, volunteered with Operation Flinders and served for more than a decade in the Army Reserves as a military police officer.
Today, Julie lives in the Adelaide Hills, a place she has grown deeply fond of for its space, sense of community and slower pace, after years spent near the coast.
Although Jenny retired from the ASO three years ago, Julie continues to play, forging her own path after decades of shared experiences with her sister.
As she approaches her 50th year with the ASO, Julie reflects on her career with quiet pride, rather than fanfare.
She knows it’s rare to stay in one profession, and there is no talk of stopping anytime soon.
She says as long as her health and ability allow, she will keep playing.
“It’s good for the brain anyways,” she says with a laugh.
