PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2009
A printable version of this report can be found here In January 2009, still buoyed by the glowing success of the 2008 Festival and bolstered by a $5000 ex gratia payment from Arts SA in recognition of our splendid Silver Anniversary efforts, we produced our first professionally designed brochure which has put us “into step” with the best of the publicity world. A NEW EDUCATIONAL PROJECT To quote Diana, “our efforts to highlight the accompanist do not end with our public events” With this in mind, an educational opportunity arose directly from our 2008 Festival. David Barnard, who was our guest in Young Accompanists on Show and who now has a substantial career as an accompanist & repetiteur in the UK, was engaged by State Opera of SA as chief repetiteur for the November production of The Flying Dutchman. AGSA agreed to support the appointment which included David mentoring a…
An Afternoon of ART SONG to OPERA
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…