Hundreds of talented young local musicians, dancers, and actors have performed in the 34th Armidale Eisteddfod, the city’s annual cultural festival – and many of the best events, organisers say, are still to come.
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The competition began on Tuesday May 15, with the Choirs and Choral Night at Lazenby Hall, sponsored by O’Connor Catholic College. Composer, conductor and performer Dan Walker praised the choirs’ overall high standard.
The last fortnight has seen vocal, keyboard, organ, woodwind, brass, strings, chamber music, and song speech and drama competitions at the Old Teachers’ College (OTC) and TAS Memorial Hall.
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This Sunday, the New England Championship, at the Old Teachers’ College, will showcase the talents of instrumentalists under 23 and singers under 30. The event will feature young musicians performing two contrasting pieces on piano, viola, and Asian instruments.
Lovers of instrumental music should come to the Band Night at the OTC auditorium on Tuesday 18 June, at 6pm. Both events are sponsored by Servies.
The festival ends with the Gala Concert, at the OTC auditorium at 2pm on Sunday June 17. The concert features those groups or individuals whom adjudicators consider particularly noteworthy.
"They may not be the winners of the New England string championship for 16-year-olds, or something like that,” publicity coordinator John Hadfield said, “but it'll be some group that stands out as being extra special."
The Eisteddfod has given the region’s creatives a chance to perform since the mid-1980s. This year, there are 1500 entries in more than 300 sections.
Every school in Armidale has been involved. The benefit, NECOM director Russell Bauer said at opening night, isn’t winning, but taking part, and performing in public.
Some of the performers will go on to careers as professional musicians. They may tour internationally with the Australian Youth Orchestra; do a Masters degree in violin in London; study jazz in Perth; or end up in Sydney or Canberra.
And the whole event is made possible by a team of dedicated volunteers who co-ordinate events, collect music sheets from competitors and money from audience members, help adjudicators, announce competitors, and make sure everything runs smoothly.
Tickets are available at the door, first in, best dressed.
"Please come along!” Mr Hadfield said. “We want people there to see the great talent that's out there amongst the Armidale community, which is a reflection of the community and the teachers from the community."
For more information, visit the Armidale Eisteddfod Society’s home page.