Accompanists’ Guild AGM 2023
President’s Report

Welcome to you all, thank you for coming to the AGSA AGM 2023.
I present to you my President’s Report.

I’d like to begin by thanking the AGSA council members, who have all contributed enthusiastically
and tirelessly over the past year. Thank you to Koula, Monika, Damien, Gina, Diana, Meredith, Haowei, Frances and John Macri as
Honorary Treasurer. As we were still emerging from the serious restrictions of the pandemic, we needed to be mindful of
the health and safety of our musicians and members as we planned our events. Fortunately for the most part, we were able to return to live performances.
So, to our events and initiatives, not in any particular order: Our Junior Ensemble Musicians are going from strength to strength under the very committed
leadership of Monika Laczofy. In case you are not familiar with these little JEMS….. The Guild provides an opportunity for six or seven young pianists still in primary school to enjoy a new experience, that of performing as accompanist or ensemble pianist with like-minded musicians of
their own age. All participants are from primary school students who have reached a minimum standard  equivalent to third grade AMEB and are currently taking lessons with a teacher. The pianists are joined by instrumentalists and/or singers chosen by the Convenor in consultation with teachers. The results of preparation are presented in a recorded and filmed public concert, recorded by 5MBS.

Masterclass: 27th March led by Linda Pirie
Concerts:
Sunday 24th April 3.00pm
Sunday 1st May 3.00pm
Masterclass: Saturday 25th June 1.30pm with Nicole Panizza (as part of Festival 39)
Masterclass: 28th August led by Anna Coppens
Concert: Sunday 25th September

Young Accompanists’ Showcase is wonderfully organised by Gina Macri, giving excellent opportunities to pianists of secondary school age. They join with professional soloists to work on suitable repertoire, take part in a masterclass, then have 2 performances in front of audiences. There was a 3rd performance opportunity as they took part in a masterclass led by Nicole Panizza in the Festival. This is such a wonderful experience for these young pianists. I know of many who are now at the Con specialising in accompaniment/collaborative piano, and more who are now in the profession.

In 2022, there were 5 student Pianists
Cindy Lou
Heidi Gong
Hannah Chen
Jasmin Baker
Theo Tran
Masterclass: 10th April – led by Damien Mansfield
Soloists:
Samantha Hennessy – flute
Jonathon Glonek – violin
Gianna Guttilla – soprano
Nick Cannon – tenor
Concerts:
Sunday 24 April 4.00pm
Sunday 1st May 4.00pm (following JEMS concert)
Masterclass: Saturday 25th June 1.30pm with Nicole Panizza (as part of Festival 39)
Festival 39 Piano Words Song Nicola Panizza – piano Peter Goldsworthy – words Teresa La Rocca – song
Held over 2 days
Saturday
Masterclass for JEMS and YAS with Nicole Panizza
Composition Award – poem “Tomatoes” by Peter Goldsworthy
Prize donated by Diana and Peter Harris and Koula Raptis
Winner: Alexander Newman
Composition performed by Teresa La Rocca and Nicole Panizza
Recital – The Art of Storytelling through Song Nicola Panizza and Teresa La Rocca
Sunday
Advanced Chamber Music Masterclass with Nicole Panizza
Collaborative Pianist Award
This award is a new initiative of the Guild Designed to offer a more equitable pathway for younger pianists. The GP Award has an age limit of
35yrs, and sizable prize money, so tends to attract professional and semi professional pianists.
for SA pianists, 15 – 22years old
Prize $1000

Sunday June 26 as part of the Piano/Word/Song Festival
Winner: Cindy Luo (with Teresa La Rocca and Samantha Hennessy)
Dinner of the Decades #2 May
Hosted by Leonie and Koula
For AGSA members in the decade 2001 – 2011
A very happy occasion for people to connect with one another.

5MBS broadcasts
These broadcasts have been an important way for the Guild to maintain a connection with the outside  world and publicise events and the work that the Guild does in supporting musicians. I would like to give a big thank you to Mary Peterson of 5MBS who has recorded our programs over the past couple of years.
Mary is meticulous in her technical management of the programs, indeed I think she has turned it into an artform. I encourage you to listen – they are on Saturday mornings at 10am, with the possibility of post listening if you are teaching or are at a yoga class!
The Guild representatives for the broadcasts in 2022:
Leonie, Diana, Damien and Koula.Welcome to you all, thank you for coming to the AGSA AGM 2021.

It is so lovely to be able to meet together in relative normality. Happily, many of us have been to Festival concerts over the past week, and although we’ve had to mask up, it’s been really quite exciting. I know that the performers are loving it.

We are planning to have an interesting year for the Accompanists’ Guild, and I hope that you will be enthusiastic and support the events which we’ve planned for you.

So I present to you my President’s Report for 2020, the year that wasn’t!

The headings Cancelled, Postponed, Retained give you an idea that this will be a very short report!

Cancelled – were the visits by Adelaide trained Stacey Bartsch (currently Assoc Prof in Accompaniment at Universität für Musik in Graz, Austria) and Phillip Moll (AGSA International Patron) and his wife, Yuko. We hope to see them some time in the future.

Postponed – was the Festival of Collaborative Artists featuring pianist Daniel de Borah and cellist Umberto Clerici. There is good news on this front which I will give you later in the meeting.

Retained, but in sometimes different forms were workshops and performances for Young Accompanists’ Showcase, and Junior Ensemble Musicians. 

The AGSA Composition Award, normally linked to the Festival, was also awarded.

Elder Conservatorium/AGSA Mentorship program
5MBS Broadcasts

Thank you to Gina, Monika and Diana for being so flexible and creative in making these important events happen.

Gina arranged for six talented young secondary musicians to work with Anna Coleman (clarinet) Hilary Kleinig (cello) Thomas Marlin (cello) Sarah Wozniak (violin).

Following individual rehearsals, the YAS workshop took place on Sunday 30th August, at Seymour College.
Lachlan Bramble (workshop leader).

There was a very supportive, physically distanced audience for the workshop. It was one of the first live music events after lockdown and as such was quite an emotional time for everyone.

Monika managed the JEMS program in a slightly different way. Because there are so many littlies involved, it was easier for her to run a series of masterclasses over many weekends with AGSA council members providing the coaching.

These were held at Monika’s house so her Sunday afternoons were filled with delightful children sawing and squeaking away on their instruments and generally having a great time with their piano partners.

Leonie Hempton OAM
President