Guido Giacchino was born to parents Pietro (a hairdresser) and Rosa on 23 October 1896 in the Northern Italian of Torino (Turin). Several years later his sister Emilia arrived to complete the family.

Neither parent was particularly interested in music but Guido soon showed abilities with several instruments. His main interest channelled to the Cello as his preferred instrument.

Emilia, probably using the experience of her brother, decided on the Violin from the onset. Her virtuosity with this instrument improved with passing years, so much so that she frequently appeared as the featured soloist at many of the famous venues in Europe and England.

During The First World War, Guido joined the Italian Air Force as a maintenance mechanic in a Fighter Aircraft Squadron. Here he developed innovation and skills with his hands that served him well for the rest of his life. After the war, he started a business connecting the newly available electricity to houses and installing the lights. He built it up to have fourteen employees. It is noteworthy that the basis for charging for the supply was a flat rate on the number of lights without regard for the length of time you used the incandescent globe.

With a passion for snow skiing, Guido frequently went on long walking trips up into the Alps, sometimes walking for days, to ski home down unmarked slopes. It was on one of these occasions that he picked the wrong slope and finished up at the bottom of a cliff with many broken bones. Fortunately, he fell not far from a Swiss Hospital where they had developed the art of splinting and bone traction. The business suffered in his absence so he closed it when he returned home after about six month’s rehabilitation.

He turned to music as his main provider for income and besides other appearances locally, he performed in an orchestra on a popular deluxe and fast ship that travelled between Genoa and Cairo in Egypt generally carrying the rich, famous and business personnel.

It was probably through his association with this ship and the situation where he was prepared to travel that brought about the offer to join with other proficient European musicians to travel to Melbourne and play at the opening of the West’s Theatre grand opening. At this time, theatres still showed only silent movies.

As this opening was a success, theatre management requested that some of the orchestra members travel to Adelaide to open the new theatre in Hindley Street. Guido accepted this offer, immediately took a liking to the City of Adelaide, and often said it was just like his home town of Torino.

There was temporary work with the theatres until the “silent” era finished with the advent of film with sound. The ABC provided work in particular with broadcasts of music by Trio’s and Quartets.

Guido started a School of Music instructing in variety of instruments and singing with the assistance of a limited number of professional associates. He taught Italian to those singing and other pupils.

The school suffered badly during the depression era and closed. Apparently, living became somewhat difficult due to the lack of work. The ABC provided a regular income of one pound ($2.00) per week but accommodation at Hackney Mansions on North Terrace, Hackney, cost twelve shillings and six pence ($1.25) per week. The balance had to provide for living and other necessities. It appears that hardship diminished when the Depression eased and when he joined with others as a founder member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Guido married Nerida Sorell in 1936. Nerida attended many performances until the birth of their only child Peter in 1940 and then only occasionally due to her parenting responsibilities and difficulties created by the War.

Following the principal of “when in Rome do as the Romans”, Guido became a naturalised Australian Citizen as soon as possible after his arrival and acceptance of Adelaide as his principal and preferred place of residence. He was therefore not subject to any form of internment. Due to his expertise in the Italian language and attitudes, he performed duties for Government agencies especially in relation to censoring communications leaving and entering the country. He received a written commendation for this work at the conclusion of the war.

Always meticulous about time keeping and with a keen interest in the care and transport of instruments, he normally joined the Orchestra carrier, Fred Malone, on the excursions throughout the State helping oversee the safe carriage of the valuable pieces. He also had the responsibility of obtaining the music and distributing it to the musicians stands prior to every appearance.

Guido was a keen photographer who developed all his film and made his own prints, an expert gardener growing most of the produce used in the home, an inventor who could never stay still and a tireless worker who made a fantastic husband and father.

Having just turned just sixty-five years young, Guido died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital from internal haemorrhaging and associated complications due to an ulcer on 14 December 1961.