Taught only by her grandfather, Charlotte plays the cello beautifully. After her grandfather died a year ago, Charlotte now has his cello, but tragically this is damaged in an accident during a concert. But a mysterious old man who seems to know her gives her a new instrument, a cello of extraordinary beauty and sound. Soon after, she plays the solo part in the Elgar Cello Concerto at a concert and word of her ability reaches the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She is invited to the Sydney Opera House to play before world-famous Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Concertmaster, Dene Olding and Principal Cello, Catherine Hewgill. Not only are they astonished by her playing, but they identify the cello as the long-lost and legendary cello made by famed luthier, Nicolo Amati. This cello was believed stolen in 1700 and said to contain an amazing secret. But others want the cello and its secret and Charlotte is kidnapped and the ransom demanded is the cello. As part of the search for Charlotte, the detective in charge of the case uses high technology to examine the cello and finds what appears to be the answer. Somehow knowing this, the kidnappers release Charlotte. Charlotte's friends are also helping and in their own research, they discover what the answer to the huge secret is. The hunt for an extraordinary treasure goes to Italy and then back to Australia and Charlotte finally realises her dream when Vladimir Ashkenazy leads her out to the stage of the Sydney Opera House to play the solo part in the Elgar Cello Concerto to a packed house.