Twentieth
Diamond Valley Bendigo Bank Vocal Eisteddfod
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Melbourne Cup Day - Tuesday 3rd November 2009
at All Saints' Anglican Church, cnr. Church & Grimshaw Streets, Greensborough
Adjudicator: Dr Sally Collyer
Accompanists: Jodie Lockyer & Linda O'Brien
Sections:
1. Novice - for competitors who have not won any open age section of any similar eisteddfod.
Own choice of song, but operatic arias not permitted.
Entry Fee: $10 (Accompanist Linda)
Prizes: First: $50, Second: $30, Third: $15.
Starting: 10:00 am.
2. Ballad - own choice of a ballad or folk song. Songs from shows (as could be included in a Musical Comedy section) or Art Songs not permitted.
Entry Fee: $10 (Accompanist Linda)
Prizes: First: $50, Second: $30, Third: $15.
Starting: 11:30 am.
3. Art Song - own choice of an art song or lied of the nineteenth or twentieth century.
May be sung in foreign language.
Entry Fee: $10 (Accompanist Jodie)
Prizes: First: $50, Second: $30, Third: $15, Special Award of $30 for best Australian Art Song (Donated by adjudicator)
Starting: 2:30 pm.
4. Musical Comedy - own choice of a song from a musical comedy, light opera,
Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, Viennese opera, folk opera or film.
Entry Fee: $10 (Accompanist Linda)
Prizes: First: $50, Second: $30, Third: $15.
Starting: 4:30 pm.
5. John Dingle Memorial Aria - own choice of aria from opera, sung in either English or the original language.
Entry Fee $15 (Accompanist Jodie)
Prizes: First: $100, Second: $50, Third: $25.
Starting: 7:30 pm.
Adjudicator's Criteria
The adjudicator, Sally Collyer, was asked by the Committee for the factors she considers important in the various sections.
All Sections: Respect for your voice as a thoroughbred instrument: no pushing, straining or forcing, please! Awareness of all aspects of song: your line and the pianist's line, the integration of text and music, phrasing and dynamic variation, articulation for diction and for dramatic effect, with constant attention to why you are singing.
Novice: Looking for the foundations of a solid technique, with easy and unforced voice, evenness of timbre throughout the range, good breath management, and the physical delight of being an instrument.
Ballad: Tell the story directly and sincerely. This is your story.
Art Song: The power of art song is the fusing of singer and pianist, to produce a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Unite your line, your pianist's line and the text.
Musical: Make your character three-dimensional, showing his personality as well as the situation he's in. But remember I'm looking for a singer: don't forget the "all sections" criteria in your enthusiasm.
Aria: Again, make your character three-dimensional, showing not just the situation he's in but also his personality. The most exciting portrayals are those where the audience can say, "This is a real person caught up in an extraordinary situation."
Dr Sally Collyer (adjudicator)
Dr Sally Collyer holds a Master of Music from the Queensland Conservatorium and a PhD from The University of Sydney. Her performance career began as a Young Artist with the Lyric Opera of Queensland, and her private teaching studio specialises in theatre-based singing: classical (opera and recital), music theatre and cabaret. Post-doctoral research interests include singing breathing, vocal-fold function and performance psychology, with findings published in international science journals and presented at national and international conferences. Sally conducts training workshops for singing teachers and also acts as a consultant. Her adjudication credits include the 2007 Royal South Street competition (Junior Vocal). Sally is a Full member of ANATS, NATS (USA) and the AVA.
Linda has Arts and Music degrees from Melbourne University, is a freelance accompanist, and accompanist for the Australian Pops Orchestra, Australian Girls Choir and the Melbourne Welsh Male Voice Choir.
Jodie is an accompanist and repetiteur who has worked extensively for Opera Australia, The Victorian College of the Arts and Monash University.