'I do it for the love of it': Accompanist earns OAM for service to music

Mary Sutcliffe has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to the community through music.

Mrs Sutcliffe - an accompanist for theatres, orchestra and community music events in Narrandera - said she was surprised when she received news of her honour.

"I really can't get my head around it, I'm very chuffed it's been done," she said.

"I didn't really know who did it for me."

Mrs Sutcliffe's daughter, Anne Sutcliffe, said her mother had provided her services as an accompanist for 70 years free of charge.

"I had to write a 5000-page essay on what she did and that was extremely difficult to keep it minimal because of her achievements," Anne said.

"She's never been paid for this wonderful skill she has."

Anne said her grandfather saw her mother had a talent in music and they pursued it.

"I just do it for the love of it ... I put my heart and soul in whatever I do," Mrs Sutcliffe said.

The OAM recipient had completed her exams in piano and violin by grade 6.

"I had four lessons a week, I had two violin and two piano lessons a week ... and dad worked on the railway so we moved every two years," she said.

Mrs Sutcliffe said she continued her passion for music after she left high school and it took her on a journey.

The highlight of her music service was her time in an orchestra.

"When we did the Messiah here in Narrandera, the young fellow that conducted was only in Year 12 and now he's a wonderful conductor in London," Mrs Sutcliffe said.

"We did it twice and it was a wonderful performance."

Mrs Sutcliffe has been a volunteer pianist for the Narrandera Catholic Parish for more than 60 years and an accompanist for a number of choirs, including the Narrandera Choir, Riverina Men's Choir and the Leeton High School Girls' Choir.

She has been a member of the Narrandera Community Orchestra since 2015 and was named Narrandera's Citizen of the Year in 1997.