Warrnambool's Merle Wines has retired as Merri Singers' pianist after more than 35 years

The 95-year-old pianist has bowed out as Merri Singers' accompanist after more than 35 years.

Mrs Wines said she had mixed feelings when she performed with the group at Mozart Hall for the last time on Monday.

"For personal reasons, I knew the time had come, but at the same time I wasn't saying goodbye because I would be seeing people again," she said.

"When I sat down at the piano and realised I'd be playing officially for the last time, I felt rather sad."

The 95-year-old started learning pianola when she was eight, which she still has in her possession. "I won't let it go. I love it too much. I hope it stays in the family," Mrs Wines said.

She performed throughout her schooling years, before studying at the Melbourne and Ballarat Teachers' colleges until 1945. She was a school teacher in the Warrnambool area until 1989.

"When I was teaching at school, having music with the children in the classroom was a great joy and an inspiration," Mrs Wines said. "The children loved it and even now past-pupils say how much they enjoyed the music."

Mrs Wines said her parents instilled a love of music in her.

"My mother used to sing in her church choir and my dad had a love for music," she said.

"They were very encouraging. My mum made sure I practised every day and Dad would sing."

Mrs Wines said two things kept her love of music going. "The variety of music that we sang and the challenge of new music," she said.

"Those two things together were very important.

"We had Mozart and Schubert, we sang Handel's Messiah, musicals, Gilbert and Sullivan, and all sorts of popular songs."

Mrs Wines has performed at Warrnambool Eisteddfods and nursing homes and been part of a choir attached to Warrnambool's Probus club for more than 20 years, while also being a pianist and organist for the Warrnambool Uniting Church.

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