Lorna Beulah known as 'The Nightingale' an Aboriginal opera singer was the fourth child of a family of five children born in Forbes, New South Wales. At the age of seven her family moved to Toongabbie, New South Wales, where she was educated at the Parramatta Home Science School. Lorna's parents encouraged her and her siblings to have a musical education; this led to Lorna to learn the piano at an early age. By the time she was 12 she sang in the Toongabbie Methodist Church choir, and at 15 she began studying music with Parramatta music teach Mr Eric Gormley. After marrying young, her studies ceased but continued to sing at night clubs, parties, and wedding receptions.
Around 1958 with the approval of her husband she resumed her training under
Mr Gormley; however, her lessons were interrupted again when Lorna and her
family moved to Alice Springs.
Their residency in the Northern Territory was
cut short, after a tape recording of Lorna singing three songs won her the
National Aborigines' Observance Day Committee's (NADOC) talent quest in 1962; The prize being a scholarship to the New South Wales State Conservatorium.
In Sydney Lorna made her first radio appearance with the Australian Broadcasting Commission on Aborigines' Day.
Lorna had also sung on the national television show 'Bobby Limb's The Sound of Music' and in many operas,nationally and internationally. She was invited to perform in the Sydney Opera House before its public opening to test the acoustics. Lorna had also received a standing ovation when she performed in Martin Place, Sydney. (Source: Putting
it Together 1983; Dawn, May 1963;
Dawn, September 1963; 'The Age', TV & Radio Guide July 12-18
1963)
