Gillian Helfgott, wife and manager of pianist David Helfgott, dies at 90

The indomitable and resourceful manager steered her concert pianist husband David onto the world stage.

Gillian Helfgott and husband David.

Gillian Helfgott, the indomitable and resourceful manager who guided her concert pianist husband David onto the world stage, has died aged 90.

David Helfgott announced his wife’s death on Tuesday in a family statement with filmmakers Sue and Scott Murray, Gillian’s two children from her first marriage to producer-director John B. Murray. They said it was with great sadness that they revealed Gillian had died peacefully on Tuesday after a short illness.

They honoured her as vivacious, social and passionate.

“She met David in Perth in 1983 and dedicated the rest of her life to seeing his triumphant return to the concert stage after years in obscurity and incarceration in a mental institution,” the family said.

While the 1996 movie Shine is the story of David’s life and career, it is also an homage to a remarkable marriage and to Gillian. They met at Riccardo’s wine bar in Perth, where he performed on Saturday nights after a period of frequent hospitalisation followed by six years at a halfway house.

David’s music career had begun with great promise. He went to London to study at the Royal College of Music with Cyril Smith, who described him as his most brilliant student in 25 years of teaching and likened him to Horowitz, both technically and temperamentally. However he faced “increased emotional instability and mental excitability”, according to the biography on his website.

Gillian was a renowned astrologer and, it turned out, a resourceful manager. With the support of promoter Mike Parry, Gillian helped David gradually resume his concert career. His 1986 tour of the east coast of Australia was a sellout. This was followed by a trip to Europe, with recitals in Germany and Denmark.

In the scene of David’s marriage proposal in Shine, Gillian – played by Lynn Redgrave – tells David – played by Geoffrey Rush – that “it wouldn’t be practical”. He replies “Practical? No, of course not. Of course not. But then neither am I, Gillian. Neither am I. I’m not very practical at all”.

He then tells her: “The stars, Gillian darling, ask the stars”.

Gillian documented her life with David in the New York Times bestseller Love You To Bits and Pieces.

She lived with David in countryside outside Bellingen, NSW. Her family described her as an irrepressible force in her community, helping the annual Camp Creative festival find local and international success. She also proudly supported and promoted the 80-member Bellingen Youth Orchestra.
“Gillian will be long remembered and treasured,” the family said.