Diane wrote...
>Once again there's the rub. In NATS auditions, no money is involved in either
>renting a hall or paying judges. We go to whatever school is nice enough to
>invite us and take on the chore of hosting, and the teachers agree to judge
>because we want our students to have the benefit of comments from our col-
>leagues, and therefore, we must reciprocate. We don't mind doing it, but if
>students realized what they are getting for so little cost, they might not
>be so quick to complain that someone is not smiling at them when they sing!
> Dr. Diane M. Clark, Assoc. Prof./Chair of Music Dept., Rhodes College
> | 2000 N. Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, 901-843-3782, dclark@r...
>() http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/musichtmls/faculty/dclark.html
Dear Diane,
I'm quite surprised with this. In NSW there are about 30
eisteddfodds a year. Usually staggered to enable performers to enter
for more than one. The entry fees are quite low and the adjudicators
are highly reputable teachers or performers and in the larger eisteddfods
are often from overseas.
My voice teacher hosted the RCM piano adjudicator
for the Sydney Eisteddfod last year.
The performances are public and cost very little to attend
but it's a wonderful opportunity to see the rising singers as they
compete for modest monetary prizes at multiple eisteddfods.
The major costs are the halls, the adjudicators, the prizes, the printing
and sometimes the accompanist. Local business supports them
and there is paid advertising in the programmes. All the rest is
done by highly motivated parents, relatives, teachers or
community people.
The Sydney is now called the "McDonald's City of
Sydney Performing Arts Challenge." That's price we pay!
There are many who frown on the idea of this
competition: like my son, but those in the know recognise it as
just another chance to hone their performances without any
serious pressure and to receive a most courteous evaluation
of their performance. Christopher was quite proud to win a
Beethoven violin sonata with his friend though. Chris did
the piano part.
I wonder if local committees might become active
there in making the auditions more acceptable on similar terms.
Only provided it was acceptable to the NATS organisation
of course.
Best Wishes Reg
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