The 2012 Lake Macquarie Eisteddfod has established new heights in standards, participation and support. There have been exciting performances in six divisions: piano, vocal, brass, woodwind, strings and the new concerto competition.
PIANO
Adjudicator: Max Reeder Outstanding young pianists are 7 years old Jing Wen Ku, and 9 years old Clarice Pulmano. Both pianists won all sections entered, playing at an astonishing level of technical and musical development. An emerging talent in the 12 years piano sections is Lucas Dunne also winning every section that he entered. Outstanding 14 year old is Douglas Lam, an overall winner and recipient of the Millicent Sketchley Piano Prize. Yang Ming Goh is a very fine player, winning all her sections in the 18 years age groups. An exciting discovery is Sydney based pianist, Cosmas Atmaja who won the open age sections. Other pianists gaining good results were: Jack Andrew, Edan Brichta, Kate Lintott, Eliot Kazary, Jessica Andrew, Iris Ma, Michael Orjekh, and Amos Kurniadi.
VOCAL
Adjudicator: Max Reeder The vocal division is the largest, spanning six days, culminating in the Hawkins Aria won by soprano Eloise Rowland, The federated Music Clubs’ Lauris Elms Award won by Joanna Andrew, and the Warners Bay Lions Club Stage & Screen Prize won by Kathryn Sinclair. These are all outstanding artists. In the Junior sections, there were many fine singers. Shonti Hardy won the 8 years championship, and Jack Andrew won the 10 yrs championship. The 12 years competitors were outstanding with fine wins from Jessica Andrew, Tashana Hardy and Anna Varnum-Delaney, who won the 12 years Championship. 14 years champion was Olivia Payne, with good performances from Cassidy Lobb, and Kristen Doonar & galatea Kneath. The 16 years champion and outstanding performer is Emma Elsley with an excellent winning performance in music theatre from Bryce Thomas. The 18 year old best performer was Maddie Watts. In the open age sections, winners were Grace Ciano, Alexandra Moss, Eloise Rowland, Jacob Woodruff(who gained the highest mark overall), and Georgina Hall. Another outstanding performer was Danita Weatherstone. With pianist Carolina Estrada their performance of a Messiaen art song was a highlight of the whole eisteddfod! Other very fine singers were Monique de Hoop, P.J.Willis, and Linda Bennett.
BRASS & WOODWND
Adjudicator: John Kellaway Major winners in the brass were Renee Standing, Hannah & Lachlan Gardiner, Andrew Wallace, Teena Wallace and Merv Gale. Highest results in the woodwind sections were gained by Peter Tamplin, Michael Smart, David Slater and Heath Anderson.
COMMUNITY BANDS
Adjudicator: Rod Barnes The Peter Adams Prize for Community Brass & Concert Band was won for the fourth consecutive year by PCYC.
STRINGS
Adjudicator: Philip Sketchley OAM This was a very exciting day with a large intake of new competitors from the age of six to adults. The adjudicator commented that the standard was excellent, citing intonation, musicality and stage presentation as highlights throughout. Winners were:
- 8 years: Tobias Reimann- cello, violinists Nicole Nelmes, Esther Rosenberg.
- 10 years: Olivia Blissett, the Peter Coombes Champion, & Lilli Somerville.
- 12 years: Joshua Low-McMahon, Niamh Leonard-England, Annabelle Bridge, & Gabriella Blissett the winner of the Chin-Hwi Ang Championship.
- 14 years: Mirima Goldman, Liam Pilgrim, & Phoebe Dekeyzer.
- 16 years: Josephine & Mirima Goldman, with Liam Pilgrim winning the Music Teachers Association Championship.
- A new section of 18 years and over was jointly won by Carolyn Earle and Sonya Hall.
The open string ensemble was another outstanding event , won jointly by Pumpkin Juice and The Lake Macquarie Suzuki Ensemble.
LAKE MACQUARIE CONCERTO COMPETITION
Adjudicator: Rod Barnes An exciting new event sponsored by Nicole Cox and Marilyn Wilson had 8 entrants. Winner was violinist Claudia Cox, playing the Sibelius violin concerto. Highly commended were pianist Shaista Poonawalla and trombonist Hannah Gibbons.
ADAMSTOWN UNITING CHURCH AWARDS
Inaugural winners are: Clarice Pulmano, Piano; Emma Elsley, Soprano; Renee Standing, Cornet; David Slater, Flute; and Gabriella Blissett, Violin. The syllabus and entry forms for the 2013 Eisteddfod will be available on line in March 2013