MEDIA RELEASE: THE GEOFFREY PARSONS AWARD 2012 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

 General, Media Release  Comments Off
Sep 262012
 

Accompanists’ Guild of SA Media Release

Adelaide: Tuesday 25 September 2012

for immediate release

THE GEOFFREY PARSONS AWARD 2012 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The Accompanists’ Guild of SA’s 28 year old competition, The Geoffrey Parsons Award, named in honour of Australia’s legendary vocal accompanist, is one of the major events of the 2012 Festival of Accompanists.

In keeping with the Guild’s acknowledgement of the professional aspirations of their competitors, the cash-pool is a significant $6,000, supported by The Royal Commonwealth Society.

On Monday and Tuesday, several pianists competed in the auditions. Three were selected to take part in the Final. All competitors performed works of their own choice with soloist/s of their own choice. They then completed a sight reading test before performing, without rehearsal, the set work.

For this year’s Geoffrey Parsons Award, the set work for bass clarinet and piano is Scherzo Capriccioso by Austrian composer, Alfred Uhl. Each competitor will perform it with Adelaide clarinettist, Peter Handsworth.

Peter Handsworth was awarded a first class Honours degree in 1987 after the completion of four years study at the Elder Conservatorium with David Shephard. Further postgraduate studies in Germany with Wolfgang Meyer saw the beginning of an extensive international career as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player throughout Europe, Japan, Australia, South America and South East Asia. He has received invitations to perform at numerous International Music Festivals including Lochenhaus and Schleswig-Holstein, numerous Radio and Television broadcasts in Europe and Australia, CD recordings and performances with such eminent artists as Sabine Meyer, Eddie Daniels, Isabelle van Keulen, Michael Ponti and the Wihan Quartet have been some of his career highlights. He is presently Lecturer in Clarinet at the Elder Conservatorium of Music.

Peter and his colleagues, well-known musicians and educators, Associate Professor, Elizabeth Koch OAM, Head of Performance, Elder Conservatorium of Music and freelance accompanist and Co*Opera repetiteur, Julie Sargeant judged the competitors’ performances in terms of style, technique, presentation and ensemble skills.

Guild Founder and President, Diana Harris remarked, “We thank the Royal Commonwealth Society for their support which allows the Guild to offer a first prize of $5000 which is much more in keeping with the value of the Geoffrey Parsons Award now the most prestigious award in Australia for the accompanist/associate artist.”

The three Finalists performing in the Final on Saturday evening, who will be competing for cash-prizes totalling $6,000, are:

• Penelope Cashman

• Yuh Tsun Wu

• Patrick Keith

The Jury for the Final of the Geoffrey Parsons Award will be chaired by the Guild’s pianist in residence for the 2012 Festival of Accompanists, Timothy Young. Australian National Academy of Music Artist in Residence in Adelaide for recitals with British wind virtuosos Michael Collins- clarinet and Celia Craig- oboe.

Timothy will be joined by Associate Professor Elizabeth Koch OAM and Julie Sargeant. The Finalists will perform a 25 to 30 minute recital with their own associate artist(s) as well as including the set work with Peter Handsworth. ENDS

Who, What, When & Where?

WHO & WHAT Accompanists’ Guild of SA in association with the Elder Conservatorium of Music presents The 2012 Geoffrey Parsons Award

WHEN Saturday September 29, 7.00pm

WHERE Hartley Concert Room, The University of Adelaide, Kintore Avenue, Adelaide

TICKETS $15/$10/$5 Festival and Conference ticket holders free .

BOOKINGS No pre-bookings, tickets at the door.

PUBLIC ENQUIRIES Accompanists’ Guild of SA (08) 8431 6030

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

The 2012 Festival of Accompanists is proudly supported by: Arts SA, The University of Adelaide, Marigaux Paris, Richard Craig, The Royal Commonwealth Society and numerous private donors.

www.accompanist.org.au

–  Chris Wainwright cmwain@gmail.com

Download this media release here


Accompanists’ Festival 2012 details

 Concerts and Recitals, Festival of Accompanists, General, Geoffrey Parsons Award, Young Accompanists' Showcase  Comments Off
Jul 122012
 

 Accompanists’ Festival 2012 – September 24 to 30

“A Week with Winds”

 

Download Festival Brochure for full details and Application form
Download E-Flyer

 

  • Timothy Young – Musician in Residence
  • Conference
  • Geoffrey Parsons Award
  • Celebrity Recital – Celia Craig oboe
  • Contributing Festival Musicians:   Samantha Hennessy, Natalie Zwar – flute, Amanda Lovelock – clarinet, Peter Handsworth – bass clarinet, Rachel Tolmie – cor anglais, Mark Gaydon, Josie Hawkes – bassoon,Howard Parkinson – trombone, Leigh Harrold – piano, John Martin – piano, JEM ensembles with wind

 

FESTIVAL WEEK OUTLINE:

Geoffrey Parsons Award Auditions

Monday/Tuesday September 24/25

from 5.30 pm – Bishop Hall, Elder Conservatorium North Terrace

Lunch Hour Concerts

Wednesday September 26 – Pilgrim Church, 12 Flinders Street, Adelaide

12.10 JEM Junior Ensemble Musicians

1.10 Leigh Harrold – piano, Natalie Zwar – flute

Accompanists’ Conference

Saturday September 29, 9.30am – 4.00pm

Cynthia Poulton Hall, St Peter’s Cathedral, 18 King William Road, North Adelaide

Geoffrey Parsons Award Final

In association with the Elder Conservatorium

Saturday September 29 at 7.00pm

Hartley Concert Room, Elder Conservatorium, Kintore Avenue

Peter Handsworth – bass clarinet, set work

Celebrity Recital

Timothy Young with Celia Craig – oboe, Mark Gaydon – bassoon

Sunday September 30 at 2.30pm

Lutoslawski, Delius, Y Bowen, Dutilleux, Poulenc

ABC Studio 520, 85 North East Road, Collinswood (good parking)

 

 

CONFERENCE OUTLINE

Saturday September 29

Cynthia Poulton Hall, St Peter’s Cathedral, 18 King William Road, North Adelaide

9.30         Registration

10.00       Meet Timothy Young Keyboard Co-ordinator, Australian National Academy of Music

10.15       Reflections on working with wind players – Two major Recitals in 5 days – Timothy Young. Guest – Celia Craig

11.15       Morning Tea

11.45       Masterclass – Piano and Wind in Ensemble

1.00         Lunch

1.45         Concert – Young Accompanists’ Showcase (YAS): Secondary School Pianists

and Soloists Samantha Hennessy – flute, Amanda Lovelock – clarinet, Josie Hawkes – bassoon, Howard Parkinson – trombone

2.45         What do wind players want from pianists? ….and vice versa! Timothy Young and guest wind players from YAS

3.15         Cor Anglais & Piano – works by Peter Webb. Rachel Tolmie – cor anglais, John Martin – piano

4.00         Conference close

 

Ticket Information:

Total Festival Full $125, Affiliates* $95, Concession $85, AGSA Members/Students $65

Saturday Conference only Full/$110, Affiliates* $85, Concession $70, AGSA Members/Students $55

Sunday Young/Craig Recital only $30, $20, $15, $10 Groups of 10+

(*ADRSSA, ANATS, AUSTA, ClariSax, Flute Soc, MTASA, RA)

Individual event tickets also available, see Festival Brochure for details

 (AGSA reserves the right to alter dates, venues, personnel and programs as necessary)

Great News – Geoffrey Parsons Award First Prize now worth $5000!

 Festival of Accompanists, Geoffrey Parsons Award  Comments Off
Mar 292012
 

With the generous support of the Royal Commonwealth Society of SA, the First Prize for the prestigious Geoffrey Parsons Award has been increased to $5000!

The 2012 Geoffrey Parsons Award brochure and application form is now available to download here.


2012 PROGRAM OF EVENTS RELEASED

 General  Comments Off
Mar 242012
 

2012 PROGRAM OF EVENTS RELEASED. Please click here for full details.

Here’s a summary:

April – Junior Ensemble Musicians (JEM) recruitment

May 25 – “Accompanists – Professional Expectations” discussion session

June – Young Accompanists’ Showcase (YAS)

July 27 – “Cocktail Hour with Dale Ringland”

September 24-30 – Accompanist’s Festival, with Musician in Residence Timothy Young (ANAM)

including Concerts, Conference, Geoffrey Parsons Award, and Celebrity Recital with ASO Principal Oboe, Celia Craig & Timothy Young

December 8 – Parsons Award Fundraising Dinner


February 2010 – Letter from the President, Monika Laczofy

 General  Comments Off
Feb 212010
 

PRESIDENT’S LETTER Thursday February 18. 2010

We never know what the New Year will bring to us!

2010 has started us off with mixed feelings. We were all sorry to hear that Diana’s daughter is not well & understand that therefore the “captain has had to forsake the ship” for a while. For the moment the committee has taken over various duties in the preparation for this year’s Festival.

With this, there is only good news.

We begin on June 6 with the Young Accompanists’ Showcase.

Several Secondary School pianists will rehearse & perform with Janet Anderson (violin), Claire Oremland (‘Cello), Louisa Perfect (Soprano) & Keith Hempton (Bass).

Brian Chatterton has been asked to take the Masterclass at Marryatville High School on June 6.

The first Concert will take place also at Marryatville on June 20, the second in Pilgrim Church (Adelaide) on June 30.

The Festival week will run from June 28 to July 3.

Our Musician in Residence this year is Anthony Legge currently from Opera Australia – a world-class musician with wide-ranging experience, particularly respected as accompanist and repetiteur. There will be more information about him on our website.

The Geoffrey Parsons Award offers a prize of $4000; $3000 to the winner, $600 & $400 to the second and third places respectively.

To sing the set work, Schubert’s “Heimliches Lieben”, with the contestants, our guest soloist is Patrick Power who joined the Elder Conservatorium staff last year and comes with glowing credentials from overseas.

As well as chairing the jury (Stephen Whittington, Berenice Harrison and Patrick Power) for the Award, Anthony Legge will also accompany Rosalind Martin and Robert McFarlane in a performance of Wolf’s wonderful song cycle “Italian Song Book”.

This concert will be presented in association with The Firm.

The University has again supported us with the venues for the whole Festival except the Professional Development Day (July 3) for which we’ve secured the use of Cynthia Poulton Hall (courtesy of St.Peter’s Cathedral).

The PD Day will feature Anthony Legge in Lectures & Masterclasses.

On June 30 we will again present a concert of “junior” pianists, accompanying similar age soloists – all still in Primary School. The aim behind this venture is to alert young pianists to a wider range of music-making than merely playing the piano alone. It’s been very popular with teachers and parents as well as the children.

In August we’re hoping to hear Michael Ierace and Amir Farid in a “special” duo piano recital also in Pilgrim Church.

A Fundraising Dinner is planned for Saturday September 11.

The Register of Accompanists for 2010 has been completed & is available to the public.

Radio 5MBS broadcasts supporting AGSA are continuing on a regular basis.

One other important activity will be our involvement with an American initiative, the “Year of Collaborative Music”. Their Music Teachers National Association is setting up a network for like organizations to communicate. We don’t yet have all the details but this is part of Diana’s reply to their invitation:

This is just to let you know that the Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia is keen to support your wonderful celebration of Collaborative Music. …we would be happy to at least acknowledge Collaborative Music in all our programs. We are a small but dynamic organization presenting an annual series of programs celebrating the accompanist/associate artist etc as well as providing educational incentives for young pianists from primary school to university.

Final note from Diana:

Remember to support the Guild by renewing your membership for 2010 – renewal notices will come before the March AGM .

We have over 90 members now – will we ever reach 100?

Have a good year!

Monika Laczofy

(AGSA President 2006-10)


 Older Entries