MEDIA RELEASE: THE GEOFFREY PARSONS AWARD 2012 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
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…
2009 Geoffrey Parsons Award Winner Announced
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,…
Guild continues celebrating the accompanist, with leading Australian pianist Leslie Howard
Leslie Howard is a sensitive, intelligent and committed musician – Alfred Brendel
MEDIA RELEASE: The Festival of Accompanists returns in July with a rich array of chamber music
Adelaide: 25 June 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Each July, the Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia presents a program of events celebrating the art of the Accompanist. The Festival includes concerts, master-classes and Australia’s most significant prize for piano accompanying, The Geoffrey Parsons Award. Guild Founder and Secretary, Diana Harris says, “This Festival continues to give Accompanists the recognition they deserve. For one week only they are top of the bill. Where else in the world would the pianist at the piano be named ahead of the singer or instrumentalist in front of the piano?” This year, the major drawcard is the musician in residence, French pianist, Jean Paul Sévilla, piano soloist and chamber musician of acclaim, internationally recognized pedadgogue and the formative teacher of the internationally acclaimed soloist, Angela Hewitt. Sévilla’s Residency includes: a Recital of César Franck & Ravel with Canadian compatriot and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster, Terence Tam,…