THE SOMERSET MUSIC AWARDS - FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC

Lately anyone passing the St Agnes Anglican Hall around 4.30pm on a Tuesday may well have wondered at the dulcet sounds gushing from her doors and windows.  Well wonder no more for these were the sounds of singing as many of the entrants in this year’s SOMERSET MUSIC AWARDS went through their warm-ups for this musical event which happened on Saturday August 25^th when both the young and the young at heart came together for the love of music.

 

This year has seen a record number of entries with music and song selections as wide and varied as the age range and abilities of competitors.   Pocket sized pianist, Madeline Yeo’s fluid touch was enough to win her first place in 2 sections though with so many enjoyable performances, there would have been few in the room who would have envied the choices needed to be made by the event’s highly credentialled Music Judge, Jacinta Lanskey.   Little Holly and Amelia Roughan and Jessica Beasley, making their public debut, played ‘like no one was watching’. Grace Jardine, a second-time competitor, her confident performance a reflection of the benefits made possible by events such as this. Samuel Bundy showed great command of the flute as did Christina Liu on piano.  Eight year old Tyler was a little shy when it came to his ‘first-time’ in the solo section but rallied and shone alongside his teacher Mary-Anne Vaessen for his piano duet receiving enthusiastic applause from an encouraging audience.  Meredith Jell’s versatility and self-assurance shone through with delightful performances in both vocal and instrumental items.  Pianist, Hannah Lester’s ability to adapt with ease her impressive performance styles earned her deserved first places in two instrumental sections and  Nedi Granzien, who began performing when she was knee high to a grasshopper, with her three golden vocal performances on this day, has certainly moved past the exuberant promise of a talented child towards maturity as a singer, her performance on clarinet also evidence of her emerging gifts.  

Jacinta Lanskey

It is said that song choices in events such as these must be made wisely…must suit a performer’s capabilities as well as voice classifications and as the morning warmed up on a par with the abilities of competitors in the more advanced sections, it was obvious that this advice had been adhered to. Based on the enjoyment manifest on the face of adjudicator, Jacinta Lanskey, it was clear that her task of choosing place getters was again not going to be plain sailing.   

The Open Solo, Musical Theatre and Open Duet sections offered up the delights of musical styles ranging from sacred to contemporary and lots in between with songs from Schubert, Mozart, Gounod, Gershwin and Garfunkel to Sullivan and Sondheim.  These open sections were an exercise in never being too old or too late to make one’s debut and it was for some, courageous performances which gained huge audience acclamation. 

 What Kevin Kruger from Kilcoy lacked in finesse was made up for in spades by his obvious love of entertaining.

Kevin Kruger

 Judy and Gary Williamson’s shared love of singing was apparent in their audacious first-time performances in solo and duet. There were so many sparkling and diverse performances making final decisions a challenge.  

However, it was Grace Crichton’s luminous performance of Ladies Who Lunch from Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway musical, Company which was a clear ‘showstopper’ in the Musical Theatre section;

 

Grace Crichton

  hardly a breath could be heard during Kathleen Watts’ disciplined and heartfelt rendition of Porgi, amor from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart and it was these and the goose bump generating duet, In the Depths of the Temple by Bizet, sensitively sung by Eric von Nida and Denis Hawes who were all deserved first place getters.

Kathleen Watts

        

Denis Hawes and Roland Cox

                                                      

There is a certain reluctance by this writer to announce all final results for it is that the Somerset Music Awards is not about placings but moreover, about the opportunity for the performance of beautiful music; about broadening experiences and embracing new challenges; about receiving the benefits of constructive adjudications; about finding places within to deliver performances beyond expectations to an encouraging audience and about learning to grow with a love for music in its many forms. 

To this successful end, it is with gratitude to Jacinta Lanskey for her unquestioned acceptance of a request to adjudicate and offer the benefits of her considerable expertise to all the entrants;  to the indefatigable efforts of teachers, mentors and parents who have honed and polished in an effort to have their students reach this level and to the treasures we call accompanists, Alexis, Margaret, Ruth and Jenny whose considerable talents lie often in the shadows of the singers for whom they play but whose ability is an art form in its own right.  Moreover, it is to Alexis FitzGerald OAM who instigated this event back in 2002 and who has devoted much of her life’s work to the creation of these opportunities for all ages to grow with a love of music that this Community and many beyond can feel eternally grateful.   

 

Prizes, certificates and medals were awarded to placegetters in each section and for this, the Esk Community Choir is indebted to St John Biarra Lodge No. 73, Esk for their generous sponsorship and continued support of this event.

By: Sue Walker

Christine Caldwell

Gail Webster and Ruth Skippen

Nola Niemeyer

Gary Williamson

Kerry Corbett

Marina Crichton and Grace Crichton

Maree Lansdown

Ruth Skippen and Jan Jennings

Denis Hawes and Nola Niemeyer

Di Chaplin and Eric Von Nida

Eric von Nida

INSTRUMENTAL SOLO 9 YRS & UNDER	INSTRUMENTAL SOLO 20 YRS & UNDER
1at    MADELINE YEO	1st  HANNAH LESTER
2nd    MEREDITH JELL
3rd    AMELIA ROUGHAN	INSTRUMENTAL SOLO OPEN
	1st  HANNAH LESTER
INSTRUMENTAL SOLO 11 YRS & UNDER	2nd  KEVIN KRUGER
1st   MADELINE YEO
INSTRUMENTAL DUET 9 YRS& UNDER	VOCAL DUET OPEN
1st   AMELIA ROUGHAN/ GRACE JARDING	1ST    DENIS HAWES/ERIC VON NIDA
2nd   JESSICA BEASLEY/ MARY-ANNE VAESSEN	2nd   MARINA & GRACE CRICHTON
3rd   TYLER ELPHINSTONE/MARY-ANNE VAESSEN	3rd   ROLAND COX/DENIS HAWES
VOCAL SOLO 9 YRS & UNDER	SENIOR MUSICAL THEATRE
1st   MEREDITH JELL	1ST    GRACE CRICHTON
	2nd   ROLAND COX
VOCAL SOLO 13 YRS & UNDER	3rd    RUTH SKIPPEN
1st    NEDI GRANZIEN
2nd   MEREDITH JELL
VOCAL SOLO OPEN
1ST   KATHLEEN WATTS
2nd   ERIC VON NIDA
3rd   CHRISTINE CALDWELL
INSTRUMENTAL SOLO 13 YRS & UNDER
1ST NEDI GRANZIEN
2nd SIENNA BEASLEY