Melbourne-based cellist Rosanne Hunt was born into a cello-loving family – her mother Marianne Hunt and sister Tanya Prochazka were professional cellists, and so is her brother-in-law Raphael Wallfisch and his son Simon. (Her father, Kenneth Hunt, was a professional level clarinettist, though chose a career in engineering, and her sister is baroque violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch.)

Rosanne started cello early, with her mother as her first teacher, but after school chose to study Medicine at the University of Melbourne. After two years she returned to music, learning cello from Christian Wojtowicz in Hobart, and at 21 she led the cellos of the Australian Youth Orchestra on their 1984 European Tour, staying on to study with philosopher-cellist, and pioneer of period cello, Anner Bylsma in The Hague. After a detour into organic farming, she returned to Melbourne and established a rich freelance cello life, and with the help of an Ian Potter Foundation grant she twice took time out to hone her cello skills with renowned pedagogue Irene Sharp in San Francisco.This was essential for her development as a passionate and effective cello teacher.

On modern cello she has worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Melbourne Symphony and Orchestra Victoria, and as a contemporary music specialist she was the founding member of ELISION, and has also played with the Libra Ensemble, Chambermade Opera, Aphids, and, currently, with Forest Collective and Halcyon. Among her extensive discography are recordings with indigenous musicians Richard Frankland, Archie Roach and Gurrumul.

She he was encouraged in period cello by Paul Dyer of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, of which she was principal cello for many years, and she has also played with the Australian Classical and Romantic Orchestra, Genesis Baroque, Accademia Arcadia and the Melbourne Baroque Orchestra, of which she is a founding member. 

From presenting Bach’s Fifth Cello Suite on baroque cello as part of the Melbourne Recital Centre’s Bach Cello Suite series, to premiering and recording Elliott Gyger’s award-winning song cycle Autobiochemistry for cello and mezzo-soprano, to leading the cellos in Orchestra Victoria in the Australian Ballet’s production of Harlequinade, Rosanne loves the diversity of her playing career. Teaching cello and chamber music (and conducting the junior string orchestra) at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School is also a joy.

In addition she helps run, and is the treasurer of, the Melbourne Baroque Orchestra, which celebrates and nurtures Mebourne’s wonderful period players. She also established the Hunt Family Memorial Fund (in memory of her parents and her sister) which helps send disadvantaged young musicians to the Australian Youth Orchestra’s annual National Music Camp.