Written in the notes

Thanks to a shared love of music, the Elder Hall lunchtime concert series, being in the right place at the right time, and the connection of a mutual friend, University of Adelaide alumni David and Elsabeth were meant to be.

When asked about how it all started, David fondly recalls how he and Elsabeth met at a lunchtime concert series at Elder Hall.

The pair, however, knew of each other beforehand. David first became aware of and intrigued by Elsabeth back in 2015 just after he had stepped down from writing the program notes for Elder Hall concerts.

Due to his PhD commitments, he was no longer able to dedicate the time to compiling the program notes, but he did still make the time to attend the lunchtime concerts. It was here that he was distracted by the new writer’s program notes. The new writer happened to be Elsabeth.

“I was very impressed with the program notes and the new writer,” David said. “She wrote better than I did!”

David looked Elsabeth up on the University email system as he wanted to tell her that he liked her writing.

But it wasn’t until March 2017 that the rest of their lives would change forever thanks to their mutual friend, Thea.

David and Thea met for a Friday lunchtime concert one Autumn afternoon and, coincidentally, Thea bumped into her friend Elsabeth. Lucky for David, Thea invited Elsabeth to sit with them.

“We sat together and enjoyed the beautiful music – it was Bach chamber music I recall – and then after the concert Elsabeth and I grabbed some lunch together,”

A few months later David mustered up the courage to ask Elsabeth out on an official date. “It all went fairly smoothly from there and we were married in April 2019.”

The couple still enjoy going to Elder Hall concerts and both continue to write program notes for them.

The University of Adelaide is refurbishing the seating in Elder Hall with the support of generous donors. To preserve and enhance the Elder Hall experience for generations to come, we invite you to ‘take a seat’.

By dedicating a seat plaque in Elder Hall, you will make possible the refurbishment of an iconic space and commemorate your gift to Australia’s musical landscape.