The Accompanists’ Guild of SA Media Release

Adelaide: 17 February 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia invites interested pianists to enter one of Australia’s most prestigious prizes for Accompanists, The Geoffrey Parsons Award.

The Geoffrey Parsons Award is named in memory of the Guild’s founding international patron, Australian accompanist Geoffrey Parsons, who died in 1995. For 45 years Geoffrey lived in London where he was an acclaimed accompanist particularly for singers. He regularly accompanied Elizabeth Schwarkzopf, Victoria de los Angeles, Dame Janet Baker, Olaf Bär, Yvonne Kenny and Barbara Bonney.

The competition occurs in two parts, an audition in which competitors perform works of their own choice with their own soloist, followed by a set song and sight reading with the Guild soloist. Three competitors from the auditions will be selected to perform in the Final.

Founder and Secretary of the Guild, Diana Harris says, “The set work chosen for the 2008 Geoffrey Parsons Award is Schubert’s Heimliches Lieben op. 106, no. 1. This song has been selected to assist the jury in testing several aspects of the accompanist’s art including technical proficiency, interpretative command, and above all, skills in vocal accompanying.”

Competitors will perform the set work with tenor Patrick Power, Lecturer in Voice at the University of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music, who has sung most of the major lyric-tenor roles with opera companies in Europe and the USA. He has also been a regular guest with Opera Australia.

Chairing the jury will be the British pianist, vocal coach and opera expert Anthony Legge, who was a colleague and pupil of Geoffrey Parsons. In late 2008 Legge migrated to Sydney to fill the role of Associate Music Director with Opera Australia, following a distinguished career with English National Opera and the Royal Academy of Music, London. As a recitalist he has performed with singers including Dame Janet Baker, Dame Anne Evans, Sir Thomas Allen, Håken Hagegård and Robert Tear.

Joining Anthony Legge will be Adelaide pianist, composer, music educator and critic Stephen Whittington and Berenice Harrison, respected pianist, educator and administrator. 

Recent winners of The Geoffrey Parsons Award include: Mark Sandon (2009), Amanda Hodder (2008), Amir Farid (2007) and Anthony Hunt (2006). Since receiving their awards they have all achieved many successes and have become respected and “in demand” ensemble pianists, accompanists and repetiteurs.

The Geoffrey Parsons Award is presented in association with the Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide.

Entry forms for The 2010 Geoffrey Parsons Award are now available from the Guild’s website: http://www.accompanist.org.au. For further info, ring: (08) 8431 6030 or (08) 8266 4936.

ENDS.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE 2010 GEOFFREY PARSONS AWARD

Media Contact: Christopher Wainwright 0438 829 728, cmwain@gmail.com

On July 9, the Final of the Accompanists’ Guild of SA’s Geoffrey Parsons Award, named in honour of Australia’s greatest accompanist, took place in the Hartley Concert Room at The Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide. The Award has become a centerpiece of the annual Festival of Accompanists.

In announcing the winners, Leslie Howard, a Trustee of the Geoffrey Parsons Trust in London remarked ‘I’m sure Geoffrey Parsons would have been impressed that such a competition in his name exists in Adelaide South Australia. It was a pleasure to see some adventurous repertoire choices and such thorough preparation. It was typical of the spirit in which Geoffrey assisted young musicians that we had the very generous participation of such a distinguished artist as Natsuko Yoshimoto with whom all finalists rehearsed and performed.’

The 2009 winners were:
FIRST PRIZE ($3,000) Mark Sandon (Gilberton, SA)
SECOND PRIZE ($600) Chris Lian-Lloyd (Paradise, SA)
THIRD PRIZE ($400) Janice Jialuo Tan (Windsor Gardens, SA)

Click here to download the full media release.

For further information, interviews and pics, please ring Chris
Wainwright 0438 829 728, cmwain@gmail.com

–
Chris Wainwright
cmwain@gmail.com

Leslie Howard is a sensitive, intelligent and committed musician
– Alfred Brendel

MEDIA RELEASE
Adelaide: Thursday 4 June FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In July 2009, the Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia’s fifth annual Festival of Accompanists will return with international Australian pianist, Leslie Howard as musician-in-residence. Dr Leslie Howard is one of Australia’s most successful pianists. He has recorded all the works of Liszt for Hyperion and has annual engagements on five continents.

His performances of chamber music and Lieder include collaborations with some of the greatest artists of our time, including the Amadeus, Britten and Endellion String Quartets, Salvatore Accardo, Augustin Dumay, Erick Friedman, Ani Kavafian, Benny Goodman, Charles

Neidich, Steven Isserlis, Nathaniel Rosen, Torlief Thedeen, Geoffrey Parsons, Sir Thomas Allen, Yvonne Kenny and Dame Felicity Lott.

Following Malcolm Martineau’s hugely successful 2008 residency the Guild was fortunate to discover that London based Australian pianist, Leslie Howard, a Geoffrey Parsons Memorial Trustee, was planning an Australian tour in 2009. In its third successive collaboration with Recitals Australia, (South Australia’s longest established piano recital presenter) the Guild was delighted to secure Leslie’s participation.

Guild founder and secretary, Diana Harris OAM remarks, “We are delighted that Leslie Howard has agreed to be our artist-in-residence for the 2009 Festival of Accompanists. To have a chamber musician of his calibre will add special significance to another stimulating and enjoyable celebration of collaborative music making.”

From 6 to 9 July, Leslie as artist-in-residence will present a masterclass, a recital with young South Australian violinist, Niki Vasilakis of TriOz and chair the Jury for the 2009 Geoffrey Parsons Award.

In the Masterclass, Leslie Howard will coach emerging young solo pianists and chamber musicians studying at secondary and tertiary level. For the recital with Niki Vasilakis they will perform Cesar Franck’s ever virtuosic and dramatic Violin Sonata and works by Franz Liszt.

The 2009 Geoffrey Parsons Award sees the Guild continuing to fund the prize money for Australia’s leading prize for accompaniment, with a cash pool of $4,000. The competitors selected following auditions, will perform a movement of Debussy’s Violin Sonata with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster, Natusko Yoshimoto, as part of their 25 to 30 -minute competition recital.

Celebrate the art of accompanying with Leslie Howard who undoubtedly is one of Australia’s musical treasures.

For further information please contact:

Christopher Wainwright 0438 829 728 cmwain@gmail.com
Sheila Bryce 0416 154 061 sheila@sheilabrycepublicity.com

Click here to download the media kit.

Adelaide: Friday 6 March 2009 for immediate release

On Sunday 22 March, the Accompanists’ Guild and the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing will present Art Song to Opera – a half day Seminar.

First scheduled as “American Song Seminar” arising from the PhD research of Nicole Panizza, the Guild has changed topic and pianist because, for reasons beyond her control, Nicole is unable to leave Ireland.

Given extremely short notice, the Accompanists’ Guild’s national connections with leading accompanists and repetiteurs have proven invaluable. An experienced pianist was urgently needed to front the seminar and to rehearse in Sydney with Opera Australia soprano, Teresa La Rocca. He was found – in Perth – conducting L’elisir d’amore for WA Opera and miraculously available on March 22.

As a conductor, pianist, repetiteur, chorus master and vocal coach Simon Kenway’s expertise is centred on opera and art song but not with a particular focus on American song. Consequently the theme for the afternoon has been broadened to focus on the expectations of Art Song and Opera for both Pianist and Singer.

Educated in Queensland with international experience resulting from studies at the Royal College alongside luminaries such as Pierre Boulez, Simon Rattle and Norman Del Mar, Simon Kenway resides in Sydney and has worked with major performing arts institutions across Australia including Opera Australia, OzOpera, The Australian Ballet, the Sydney, Queensland, Tasmanian, Western Australian and Canberra Symphony Orchestras. He appears in Hong Kong and Singapore and is a lecturer – conductor and chief vocal coach at the Sydney Conservatorium Opera School.

Simon will be joined in the 200.pm Lecture/Demonstration and the 6.00pm Recital by Adelaide born soprano and Opera Australia artist, Teresa La Rocca, whose 2008 performances of major roles in The Marriage of Figaro and Turandot with the State Opera of South Australia received significant critical acclaim.

The Recital will include Art Songs by Copland, Granados, Richard Strauss and Rodrigo and arias by Mozart and Puccini. Teresa will assist Simon in the lecture demonstrating Art Song and opera (Der Rosenkavalier)

The Accompanists’ Guild is incredibly fortunate to have such high-calibre musicians to present this seminar. Simon’s Kenway’s Masterclass will focus on piano/voice duos and will include both Art Song and Opera

SEMINAR AND RECITAL – ART SONG to OPERA

Presented in association with the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing

Simon Kenway, pianist, vocal coach, conductor Teresa La Rocca, soprano,

Sunday 22 March 2009

Cynthia Poulton Hall, St Peter’s Cathedral, King William Road, North Adelaide

• Lecture/demonstration 2.00

• Masterclass 4.00

• Recital 6.00pm

Full seminar including recital $50, Concession & Student $40

Recital only $20, Concession $15, Student $10 Tickets at the door

Enquiries: including Masterclass Performers 8431 6030, accguildsa@museco.id.au

www.accompanist.org.au

For further information, please contact:

Christopher Wainwright 0438 829 728 cmwain@gmail.com

Sheila Bryce 0416 154 061 sheila@sheilabrycepublicity.com

Download a PDF version of this media release here

Adelaide: Tuesday 6 January 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE GUILD’S CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE

Following the Guild’s wonderful 25th anniversary year with the coup residency by leading UK vocal accompanist, Malcolm Martineau, the Guild continues from strength to strength, with an inspiring program for 2009.

The 2009 program includes concerts, masterclasses, a seminar and workshop presented by leading Australian and international artists. South Australian performers from students to professionals, young and old, will be involved in presenting many aspects of the accompanist’s art.

In March former South Australian, now Irish based vocal coach, Nicole Panizza will lead the American Song Seminar. Joined by fellow South Australian, Opera Australia artist, soprano, Teresa La Rocca, the pair will present a three-tiered seminar which includes a lecture demonstration, a masterclass for voice/piano duos and a recital all related to Nicole’s PhD research. Since leaving South Australia Nicole has worked in the UK and Ireland and studied with world famous vocal accompanists including Malcolm Martineau and Roger Vignoles. In 2008 Teresa performed major roles in The Marriage of Figaro and Turandot to great critical acclaim for the State Opera of South Australia.

Returning in 2009 are two of the Guild’s staple programs, The Young Accompanists’ Showcase in June and the Festival of Accompanists in July. These events provide educational programs for young pianists as well as raise awareness of the significance of the accompanist in the concert going public. The Young Accompanists’ Showcase will see six specially selected secondary school students working with leading South Australian soloists: Peter Handsworth clarinet, Naomi Hede soprano, Samantha Hennessy flute and Imants Larsens violin and viola. During the young pianists’ month of intensive study, they will take part in a masterclass with South Australian pianist and Australian National Academy of Music accompanist-in-residence, Leigh Harrold, as well as perform in two public concerts.

Following Malcolm Martineau’s hugely successful 2008 residency the Guild was fortunate to discover that London based Australian pianist, Leslie Howard, a Geoffrey Parsons Memorial Trustee, was planning an Australian tour in 2009. In its third successive collaboration with Recitals Australia the Guild was delighted to secure Leslie’s participation in the July Festival of Accompanists. Dr Leslie Howard is one of Australia’s most successful pianists. He has recorded all the works of Liszt for Hyperion and has annual engagements on 5 continents. His performances of chamber music and Lieder include collaborations with some of the greatest artists of our time, including the Amadeus, Britten and Endellion String Quartets, Salvatore Accardo, Augustin Dumay, Erick Friedman, Ani Kavafian, Benny Goodman, Charles Neidich, Steven Isserlis, Nathaniel Rosen, Torlief Thedeen, Geoffrey Parsons, Sir Thomas Allen, Yvonne Kenny and Dame Felicity Lott. Guild founder and secretary, Diana Harris OAM remarks, “We are delighted that Leslie Howard has agreed to be our artist-in-residence for the 2009 Festival of Accompanists. To have a chamber musician of his calibre will add special significance to another stimulating and enjoyable Festival.” From 6 to 9 July, Leslie as artist-in-residence will present a masterclass, a recital with young South Australian violinist, Niki Vasilakis of TriOz and chair the Jury for the 2009 Geoffrey Parsons Award.

ENDS.

Sunday March 22

AMERICAN SONG SEMINAR & RECITAL

Presented in association with the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing

Nicole Panizza, pianist, vocal coach

Teresa La Rocca, soprano

Cynthia Poulton Hall, St Peter’s Cathedral, King William Road, North Adelaide

• Lecture demonstration & Masterclasses 2.00 – 5.30pm
• Recital 6.00pm

Full seminar including recital $50, Concession & Student $40

Recital only $20, Concession $15, Student $10 Tickets at the door

Sunday June 7 at 2.30pm

YOUNG ACCOMPANISTS’ SHOWCASE MASTERCLASS

Marryatville High School Special Interest Music Centre, 170 Kensington Road, Marryatville

Masterclass led by Leigh Harrold

Adult $15, Concession $10, Student $5, Family of 4 $20 Tickets at the door

Sunday June 21 at 2.30pm

YOUNG ACCOMPANISTS’ SHOWCASE CONCERT

Marryatville High School Special Interest Music Centre, 170 Kensington Road, Marryatville

Adult $15, Concession $10, Student $5, Family of 4 $20 Tickets at the door

Monday July 6 – Wednesday 15 July

2009 FESTIVAL OF ACCOMPANISTS

Presented in association with the Elder Conservatorium of Music & Recitals Australia

with international artist-in-residence, distinguished pianist, Leslie Howard

Monday 6 July: Leslie Howard Masterclass 1.30 to 3.00pm Elder Conservatorium
Adult $15, Concession $10, Student $5, Tickets at the door

Wednesday 8 July: Young Accompanists’ Showcase 12.10 Pilgrim Church
Leslie Howard and Niki Vasilakis 1.10pm Pilgrim Church
Adult $15, Concession & Student $10 Tickets at the door

Thursday 9 July: Leslie Howard Private Lessons am Elder Conservatorium
Geoffrey Parsons Award Final 7.00pm Hartley Concert Rm
Adult $15, Concession $10, Student $5, Tickets at the door

Wednesday 15 July: Junior Accompanists 12.10 Pilgrim Church

Conservatorium Chamber Musicians 1.10 Pilgrim Church

Adult $5, Concession & Student $4, Tickets at the door

PUBLIC ENQUIRIES Accompanists’ Guild of SA (08) 8431 6030, accguildsa@museco.id.au

MEDIA ENQUIRIES Christopher Wainwright 0438 829 728, cmwain@gmail.com

The Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia is proudly supported by:

Government of South Australia Arts SA | The University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium

of Music | Allans Music | Recitals Australia | Marryatville High School | ANATS

www.accompanist.org.au