The Funeral Service
After watching the service online, if you can leave a guest message to let the family know you have joined into the service, that would be greatly appreciated.
Following the service, the footage will be posted and you can watch at a later time if you were unable to watch at the time of the service.
A beautiful service, most befitting this unique man, formidable, committed and visionary in so many ways. I am enormously grateful for the education he gave me — not only at the keyboard but beyond. It was very, very special being part of the Team.
I send my heartfelt condolences to Max’s family and to Darryl, especially, of all who had the privilege of studying and working with him. So many of us, significantly formed by his teaching.
Thank you, Max.
It was in the 1980s that I met Max and his piano students from Australia. I was give the chance by the German Academic Exchange Service to accompany this group of outstanding students and their wonderful teacher to various music academies all over Germany. In their VW bus we travelled the autobahnen even beyond the iron curtain into East German to Berlin. It was Max who provided the opportunity to meet people from different cultures and historical background; not only is this true for the Australian students but for me as well. And for that I will always be grateful.
Thank you for giving me a chance to attend the funeral service from a distance of thousands of kilometers away. I wish that Max’s endeavours will live on in the generations that follow him.
I feel very privileged to have been taught by Max at the Con from 1989 and to have had this amazing man a part of my formative years. I remember his patience, especially when I had periods of not practising very much! Plus his passion for passing on his knowledge as well as his enormous heart. He will remain in my heart forever. Much appreciation to be able to be part of his life’s celebration from the UK.
Thanks to Darryl’s email advice (which I read only 15 minutes before the start of the funeral service), I was pleased to attend via online streaming.
The service was a fitting memorial to a wonderful life.
I was fortunate to have Max Cooke as a piano teacher in the early 1950’s when he came once a week to Geelong College to teach. I felt very privileged to receive lessons from one who had studied under the celebrated Alfred Cortot. I appreciated Max’s analytical approach to piano playing and his generosity. I fondly recall a memorable occasion when he invited me to his home in Melbourne for a concentrated weekend of practice.
In later years it has been a joy to attend the concerts of the Team of Pianists set up by Max.
My sympathies to Darryl, Robert and Rohan.
May he Rest In Peace, go well.
Lynn L
I’m glad to have been able to watch this moving service for a wonderful friend, dear Max, whom I knew by name as a piano student in Melbourne, though I think my sister had him as examiner for the AMEB exams. I got to know Max personally during his visits to Paris where I live. He would take us all to dinner, Darryl and me and often a number of students, and I felt privileged and delighted to know him better each time and become his friend. His energy and wit were a constant source of pleasure and amazement. He was, as we all know, a special, remarkable man, and I shall always remember him with a mix of sadness and joy. Vale Max Cooke.
What a beautiful and poignant service in every way. Jerusalem was the perfect hymn to send off such a wonderful man. Thank you for sharing this with us.
An immeasurable Thank You to Darryl for making it possible to share in Max’s moving and evocative funeral service via Live Stream… In the 1960’s, I came form Tasmania to study with Max – an insecure, terribly intense little person with huge aspirations and a huge commitment to music … During my six years in Melbourne, Max helped me to build confidence in myself and to grow in stature as a pianist and a musician. He and Brenda welcomed me into their Hopetoun Rd. home where I shared their constant delight in the growth of their two very small children, where there were hours of talk about all sorts of things ( including planning the purchase – even the colour – of a Mercedes which he was going to buy in Germany, and bring back, circumventing customs duties, a year later!), and where I taught his private students while the family was in Freiburg…. I was also principal “page turner” for Max’s performances many of which were at Melba Hall. One of these was attended by Sir Robert and Dame Pattie Menzies
(personal friends of Max and Brenda) – and of course I was invited to meet them at supper at Hopetoun Rd. after the concert.I have always remembered Sir Robert referring to me as “a tasty morsel” – probably no longer politically correct, but very very thrilling at the time .. and so, watching all the memories presented this morning, ( as a now rather “leathery” old morsel..) I thank all of you for sharing your precious stories and for giving myself and others the opportunity to offer our own huge gratitude to a man whose life was so incredibly significant .. To Jenny and Andrew and your wonderful families : congratulations on lives so well lived and on the strength, given to you by both your parents, of which you have been such fine custodians..
Go well.. sincerely, Helen Morgan ( nee Rouhliadeff)
To Duane, Jenny, Andrew and Daryl and familys lovely service for very fine man,
My thoughts are with you all
Dev
Was a great man to be in the presence of and to enjoy a glass of wine with,
My thoughts are with his family
A beautiful tribute to a great man. Max lived an adventurous and generous life, leaving a legacy of kindness and music. Thanks to him, and to his family for being able to be part of the service. My thoughts are with you.
Thank you to Jenny and Andrew and your families for letting us be a part of this beautiful tribute to our Uncle (to Sue) and Great Uncle (to Anna) Max, from afar. Our thoughts are with you. He will be missed. With love, Sue and Anna
Sending deepest condolences to Jenny and Andrew, all Max’s grandchildren, and to my beloved friends, Darryl Coote, Robert Chamberlain and also to Rohan Murray whom I don’t know – not just from me, but from my family, most of whom knew Max. My late father loved Max, as does my Mum, and other family members met Max in the years I studied with him at The Con, from 1981-86, when I did my B.Mus there. Max also came to Kuala Lumpur several times. Our love and blessings, with deep gratitude, from Marianne, and all the Vincents.
With many memories of Max, and sympathy to his family.
Dear Jenny, Andrew & Families & Darryl,
We regret we were unable to be with you all today but we watched the service online and were with you in spirit.
Sincerely,
Jim & Olga Cook
It was so special to be able to watch the Service for dear Max. This message is from the Sydney part of his family, cousins once and twice removed. Max played an important part in my life, even trying to teach us to play golf when Mike and I were about 7. My Mother, Max’s first cousin, Vida and my Father, Tom ,thought so highly of Max and his incredible achievement in the world of Music. My heart aches for the family, and we will always keep in touch with you dear Jenny and your family. Ive been so grateful to Darryl keeping us in touch, and send my sympathy to him as well. With love and sympathy from Mandy
Our beloved Max Cooke has left us but he leaves good memories and a legacy of kindness and dedication to his music students. Our daughter, Marianne, was privileged to be one of his students at The Con at Melbourne University from 1981-86.
I remember him as a loving friend.
May he rest in everlasting light and peace.
Celine Vincent
6th May 2021
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A beautiful service and tribute to Max. I remember him as a true gentleman. I first knew him as a kind and encouraging examiner, and enjoyed very much his Team of Pianists. He has left many wonderful memories and a great legacy to all who knew him. My thoughts are with you.
Such a beautiful and poignant service. Rest in peace, dearest, Max. and peace be to all Max’s family and loved ones. our prayers are with you.
Celine and Angela Vincent, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Sincere sympathy to the family of Max and to the Team of Pianists.
Max was a great inspiration to us and a friend.
He will be sadly missed.
Deborah and Clive Jackson
It was such a pleasure to be able to join you for Max’s funeral on line today. My name is Sue Walker and my mum, Dawn, was taught by Max in the late ’50’s at the Conservatorium. He has had such a lasting legacy on so many- my mum included. And her love for music passed to me! Thank you, Max, for all you have brought to music in Australia.
Vale.
You will be dearly missed.
After the anecdote of the BP refill on the Nullarbor , the sound became intermittent with only about one-second bursts of audio rendering it unintelligible. I hope that will be remedied with the after-service version.
I worked with Max in the 1970s in a research capacity on the Experimental Teaching Project at the University of Melbourne and I remember in particular his generosity, kindliness and innovation. During that time I was never game to tell him that I first came across him about 10 years earlier in an AMEB exam, when I couldn’t remember the scale of Ab major! (He gave me a credit.) He lived an extraordinarily varied and creative life and I am confident that his legacy will remain well into the future. My sympathy to the family.
To Max’s Family. My heartfelt condolences to you on the death of Max. I first met Max when I joined his talent class for piano students still at school in 1975. I travelled from Ballarat for his classes every week for a number of years. His care and interest in all his students was profound. I continued learning with Max when I was accepted into the Melbourne Conservatorium for the next four years, undertaking my performance honours recital with his mentorship. He was patient, so knowledgeable, and sharing of his learnings from his teachers – the lignage from Cortot (who learnt from a pupil of Chopin) in France to Melbourne is an amazing story. I pursued musicology and music librarianship as my professions, but continued to play and accompany in Canberra and Melbourne. I eventually became the Faculty Librarian for the Conservatorium, so kept in contact with Max and we often discussed music editions, music publishing and his many projects – always inspiring. He was such an amazing man – so passionate, dedicated and influential on so many young musicians and music education. A long and dedicated service to music in this city and country. Sincere sympathies, Georgina Binns
My deepest condolences for Prof. Max Cooke.
He was very special in supporting the success of Melissa kwok’s music.
We’re Melissa Kwok’s parents.
Prof. Cooke taught me in the late 80’s. I often refer to him now that I run a music school in Sydney and my piano students are all very familiar with Tone Touch & Technique ( or Tone Touch & Torture). I will never forget my late Father saying to me ‘finally you can play’ after a year of TT&T. I was very sorry to hear of his passing,
Stephanie Bourke