LAKE MACQUARIE EISTEDDFOD 2019
Lake Mac Performing Arts Centre at Lake Street Warners Bay will again be the epicentre of this region’s large eisteddfod which continues from September 28th to October 6th. Speech & Drama Division, on August 17 & 18 was very popular and delighted audiences with entertainment from our future actors & entertainers. Sponsors were Newcastle Theatre Company, Meri & Chris Bird, Elaine Hodda, Jo Jones & The Speech & Drama Association.
Piano Division is next on Saturday 28th September from 9.30am to about 7.30pm, & Sunday 28th from 9.30am culminating in the $1500 Marjorie & Joan Lambert piano prizes from 5.30pm. Other notable events are the Music Teachers Association prizes, the Philip & Millicent Sketchley Prizes, The Tom & Gwenda Jones Prizes, Megan O’Neill Prizes & five Aggregate Prizes- totalling $2,800. Entrants have come from throughout the Hunter Region, Tamworth, the Central Coast and Sydney. Ages range from 5 years to open age. The piano adjudicator is New Zealand born Evans Chuang.
Woodwind Division is on Monday 30th September, from 9.30am to about 2.30pm, a considerable growth from last year. Adjudicator is Rod Barnes & Accompanist is Michael Power. The committee is delighted to see a growth in numbers & the teaching community.
Vocal Division is by far the largest group as always with singing from Tuesday morning 1st October until the Gala Evening on Saturday 5th October at 7pm. There are evening sessions on Wednesday 2nd from 6.30pm, Thursday 3rd from 5.30pm and Friday 4th from 5.30pm. Singers are competing for $3,950 in prizes, including The Warners Bay Lions Club $2,000 song from Stage & Screen The Michael Saunders Aria Prize of $1,000 and the $500 Lauris Elms Award sponsored by The Federated Music Clubs of Australia. Entrants represent a wide range from Tuncurry, through the Hunter Region to Sydney. Adjudicator is American soprano Christina Henson.
The Strings Division runs from 11am to 2pm on Sunday 6th October. The entries are smaller in number this year but diversifying from a larger area.
The public are welcome at all sessions for a small fee of $5 for the day.
GALA EVENING 7pm OCTOBER 5TH
Finalists from 30 entrants will compete for $3,500 in the Michael Saunders Aria, The Warners Bay Lions Club Song from Stage & Screen, & The Lauris Elms English language Art Song, sponsored by The Federated Music Clubs of Australia. This year for the first time, The Lauris Elms Prize will have heats during the day with chosen finalists singing again in the evening.
The winner of the Marjorie Lambert Piano Prize will be invited to perform. Cost for this Gala is only $10 & includes a champagne reception afterwards.