Sylvia was a special and wonderful woman. A great teacher, incredibly knowledgeable, bright, loving, hugely generous and loved her family above all. – Virginia The Lowedown
It is with sadness that we must inform you, our listeners, that on Wednesday the 26th of August Sylvia Rosenblum sadly passed away surrounded by friends and loved ones. For more than 20 years Sylvia Rosenblum was a positive influence across all avenues of Eastside Radio.
Her Arts Wednesday show set the benchmark for cultural coverage of the city and a guest who might appear on the show could very well end up later on talking with Margaret Throsby at the ABC. Her carefully thought out questions and interview style expanded our audience’s understanding of unusual topics such as early colonial cemeteries, modern etiquette in a busy world or the history of food in Australia.
When Sylvia first arrived at Eastside Radio, jazz music was the furthest sound from her mind, preferring more the world of classical music. Yet the hours dedicated to listening of recommended albums from the jazz presenters at the station, meant she was quickly holding her own. At the same time this effort illustrated her professional approach to both the show and the station and the delicate art of choosing thematic music to accompany her interviews became a symbol of her style and excellence in content.
Sylvia was one Eastside’s very best presenters for decades and was indisputably the very best interviewer on air. I’ve missed her voice since she stopped broadcasting. – Mick Time and Space
Regular catch up visits once she had retired, opened up the opportunity to explore her archive of interviews and a podcast series of talks called Words on Wednesday, now exists online for a timeless in memoriam. Her discussion on the Anzac Memorial at Hyde Park as well as the episode on Modern Warfare, is mandatory broadcast material for the station every April.
On several occasions, guests with a wonderful radio manner would be corralled into their own career at the station and we can thank her for several of our much-loved jazz and arts presenters still on air today. As a mentor and trainer for the next generation of broadcasters at the station Sylvia thrived, no doubt drawing upon her decades in the classroom. If you were one minute late to her session then you would be learning a vital lesson about broadcasting as you now sat outside missing the valuable information she was imparting inside the studio.
Sylvia was an outstanding broadcaster. David Tuesday Drive
She was a great friend and mentor and also a recipient of our highest volunteer award The Marg Barry Award.
And while we now have more than a dozen presenters at Eastside who have reached the milestone of 20 years, Sylvia was one of the first to reach this remarkable achievement.
The time at her beloved station is well known to all her family and friends and of course her tens of thousands of listeners.
We send our sincerest love and support to all of you who were a fan of her broadcast.
Tony Smythe – Managing Director
To listen to some of Sylvia’s much loved interviews you can subscribe to Words on Wednesday here
Shout Eastside Shout: Sylvia Rosenblum
This article first appeared on Eastside Radio’s website on 16 August 2021 and was written by Sonia de Freitas.
Approx. 2 minute read
It was a dark winter’s evening back in 2017, when I, along with a few other newbie volunteers, braved the cold to visit the creative space under Paddington Town Hall to train up on the ways of Eastside Radio. The first Sensei ready to impart their knowledge and wisdom was Sylvia Rosenblum. She took all of us into tiny Studio B, we all crowded around her, poking our heads over each others’ shoulders to get a good look while she gave us the 101 on working the desk and presenting like a pro. Every time ready my mic 20 seconds before I fade out a song, I think of Sylvia.
Sonia de Freitas: Hi Sylvia, How are you and where does our interview find you today?
Sylvia Rosenblum: Hi Sonia, It’s lockdown, so I’m at my dining table in front of my laptop.
SdF: How did you land your first media gig? Can you tell me about your journey?
SR: I was a curator and in 1996, Christopher Johnson invited me onto his arts program on Eastside, which, in those days was called Preview, to talk about an exhibition I had curated. I actually can’t remember which one! That led to a regular gig on his show reviewing exhibitions and that led to being invited to present my own arts show. The first one went to air 4 July 2000, just 21 years ago!
SdF: Why do you volunteer at Eastside Radio?
SR: I love the ethos of Community Radio in general and Eastside in particular: community harmony and inclusivity. I am constantly honoured at the huge respect Eastside gives us all in handing us a microphone and the trust that we will live up to the responsibilities this entails. I am totally in love with the wonderful, creative people I meet, who are guests on Arts Wednesday and the broad spectrum of knowledge they bring to the studio.
SdF: Tell me about a place to find creative inspiration
SR: I always come up with my best ideas under the shower!
Sylvia was one of the first people I met at Eastside Radio when I started volunteering in 2012. She was on air with Arts Thursday after PJ who presented ‘Dial Africa’, and was followed by Gill Falson with ‘Playing Favourites’.
I had many great discussions with her on Wednesday mornings, canvassing ideas about programs or discussing what was happening in the world and how she might use them as the basis for programs. She was always a lively and intelligent presenter.
I remember many of her programs. One was based on a book by a journalist about the Australian troops in Afghanistan and his assessment of the benefits to the local people that the soldiers had brought. The locals were full of praise, especially as the Australians had facilitated education and medical improvements, even though the Taliban constantly tried to undermine all those efforts to bring a better life for the locals. Also the stress for the soldiers, having to live in what were basically shipping containers but with 6” steel walls to protect the soldiers from the constant shelling and rocket attacks on the Australian compound.
I also remember Sylvia’s series on musical instruments, which was really interesting. She did all the usual ones including violins and so on. But she went further into more esoteric instruments like the Stroviol, the Bagpipes and the Sousaphone (with Cazzbo Johns of Mic Conway’s National Junk Band). You play the bagpipes standing up. The bagpipe player was so tall and his bagpipes reached up so high that he had trouble playing the bagpipes in the studio!
It was all so interesting and so much fun. – John Moving Music
