Accompanists’ Guild of SA’s Festival shines the light on Keyboard Accompaniment in Choral Music
Rarely is the art of choral accompaniment placed under the spotlight. Frequently, choral accompanying is wrongly considered to be at the bottom of the pecking order. The very nature of choral accompanying is where many accompanists quickly learn the art in a sink or swim environment. Speak to any accompanist and they’ll tell you how formative their choir accompanying experience has been in their career development. For the Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia’s 2017 Festival, techniques of choral accompaniment will be brought to the fore, under the leadership of distinguished choral conductor, Leonie Hempton, Director of Music at St Peter’s Cathedral and for many years music educator at the Special Interest Music School, Marryatville High School. The Festival will follow the Guild’s successful three stage model of Wednesday Pilgrim Church Lunch Hour Concerts, an all-day conference on Saturday, followed by a Sunday concert highlighting the Festival Theme – for 2017…
MEDIA RELEASE: 2010 Geoffrey Parsons Award Winner Announced
Dear Members of the Media Please find attached a media release announcing the winner of the Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia’s 2010 The Geoffrey Parsons Award. Earlier this evening (3 July), the Final of the Accompanists’ Guild of SA’s 25th Geoffrey Parsons Award, named in honour of Australia’s greatest accompanist, took place in Adelaide at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, The University of Adelaide. The three Finalists competed for a cash pool of $4,000. They were selected from auditions earlier this week which included a performance of prepared works with their chosen associates, sight reading and a first rehearsal of the set work, Schubert’s Heimliches Lieben Op. 106, no. 1 with New Zealand tenor, Patrick Power. The Final was judged by a panel, chaired by the Guild’s Pianist in Residence for the 2010 Festival of Accompanists, Opera Australia’s Assistant Director of Music, Anthony Legge. He was joined by leading SA pianists and educators, Stephen Whittington and Berenice Harrison. In announcing the winners…