JASA
The Jane Austen Society of Australia Inc.
2025 Christmas Luncheon & Jane Austen’s Birthday
JASA is delighted to invite members and their guests to our 2025 Christmas Luncheon. Once again we will meet at the usual York Street, Sydney location.
Date
Saturday 13 December 2025
11.30am for 12.00pm start
Location
Club York, 95-99 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Personal reflections on Jane Austen: Flautist Jane Rutter and her flute
Iconic flautist Jane Rutter was named after Jane Austen!
As a teenager Rutter read each Austen novel dozens of times. She continues to delight in them, considering the novels to be amongst her closest friends.
‘Austen’s innovative free and direct style is aligned with my style of French flute playing, in which I play…with all the inflections & meanderings of a conversation, the narrative in the vocal line is followed, allowing the listener his or her own interpretation….” says Rutter
For the launch of Ruth Wilson’s book The Jane Austen Remedy, Jane Rutter created a new solo flute arrangement of Robyn Adair, the only music Jane Austen ever mentioned in her novels. For the 2025 JASA Christmas celebration, Rutter will perform this gorgeous piece, speculate on the relationship between Charlotte Lucas and Lizzie Bennet, and also outline her own intimate relationship with Jane Austen…
Raffle tickets will be on sale at the event (cash only), as well as Regency Fair (cash or card purchases).
Bookings
To register and have your booking for the JASA 2025 Christmas Luncheon confirmed, you will need to:
1. Return a registration form with your personal details and dietary requirements. Choose one method only:
— Use this online form here, – OR –
— Download this printable form, – OR –
— Use the form enclosed with September Practicalities. Paper forms should be completed and returned by post.
2. Make your payment at the time of booking. Details are here. Your booking will not be recorded until payment is received.
3. If you have a special seating request including sitting with friends, you can do this on the online booking form, or by using this printable form. To avoid confusion, please make arrangements with your friends first.
The event has a maximum capacity so book early to avoid disappointment. Bookings close on 4 December 2025 (or earlier if capacity is reached).
Cost
Members: $80.00 / Visitors: $90.00
Payment can be made by direct deposit, cheque, or cash at a meeting. It is essential that all payments include your name as reference so we can match it with your registration form. Your booking is not recorded until payment is received.
Direct deposit
Account name: Jane Austen Society of Australia Inc.
Bank: St George Bank Ltd BSB: 112-879
Account number: 156156319
Cheque
Mail to Elizabeth Budge, JASA Treasurer, 21 Galston Crescent, Leura NSW 2780
Cash
Pay using cash at our Sydney meeting.
Seating is pre-allocated. If you want to sit as a group with particular people you must tell us in one of these ways:
— Use the online form here – OR –
— Download this printable form, – OR –
— Use the form issued with September Practicalities. Paper forms should be completed and returned by post.
You will be automatically allocated to a table unless we are told otherwise. All tables will have a maximum of 10 and any groups smaller than 10 may share their table with others.
PLEASE NOTE: Elizabeth is not responsible for seating allocation or passing on seating requests.
Online booking form
You can book online using this form. Payment must be made separately via one of the methods listed above. Your booking is not recorded until payment is received by JASA’s treasurer.
Please complete and submit this form. Look out for a reply by email which will be your acknowledgement that the form has been lodged.
Please use this form to request help or more information.
Flautist Jane Rutter and her flute
Flute superstar Jane Rutter was knighted by France (Chevalier des Arts et Lettres). With a career that spans decades, Jane has delighted audiences with numerous concerto, recital, theatre, TV performances and recordings. A household name in Australia, Jane has popularised classical flute as trail-blazer and influencer in classical music, paving the way for artists like Hauser and others. She conveys passion and elegance of expression with her trade mark onstage warmth.
Soloist, award-winning TV presenter, multi-ARIA (Australian Grammy) nominee, featured on 60 Minutes, in Vogue and one of Who Magazine’s 30 Most Beautiful People, Jane is an Artistic Director, composer and professor who spent years in Paris under the tutelage of renowned flautists Jean-Pierre Rampal & Alain Marion. She performs regularly around the world including recitals, concerti, concert-theatre, cabaret, special guest and TV appearances. From her first iconic album with Gerard Willems, Jane’s sublime flute playing has seen a further 24 best-selling albums, and many singles released.
With flautist Don Burrows, she pioneered the flute as a percussive instrument (flute beat boxing). The Australian Elizabethan Trust awarded Jane a fellowship that culminated in a film whose soundtrack album, An Australian In Paris, topped the Australian classical charts. A fellow of The Australian Institute of music, Jane’s flute and ensemble masterclasses are inspirational. Her early chamber-jazz group, POSH, (reformed as Third Culture World Chamber Music) was a forerunner of The Silk Road Ensemble. A bel canto flautist, Jane is a champion of the Rampal flute school. She is an Haynes Flute Artist and Artistic Director of Sydney’s beloved concert series Live at Lunch.
“Jane Rutter is a generous, brilliant flautist of the highest quality” – Jean-Pierre Rampal
“A star of the flute!” – London Daily Mail