Quick Launch to News Items:

• 10/01/10 - Adjudicator announced for 2010 Competition
  

• 28/07/09 - Click here for 2009 Competition Results (new window)

• 19/06/09 - Click here for Draft 2009 Program (new window)

• 15/04/09 - Official launch for 2009 Competition

• 21/02/09 - Entry form for 2009 now available for download

• 21/02/09 - Adjudicator & Official Accompanists announced for 2009 Competition
   

• 10/09/08 - Dates announced for  2009 Competition

• 23/07/08 - Click here for 2008 Competition Results (new window)

• 12/02/08 - Entry form for 2008 now available for download
   

• 19/10/07 - Name change announcement & dates for 2008

• 31/08/07 - Click here for 2007 Competition Results (new window)

• 01/04/07  - Adjudicator announced for 2007

• 28/02/07 - Entry form for 2007 now available for download

• 17/01/07 - Announcement Flyer for 2007
   

• 17/12/06 - Click here for 2006 Competition Results (new window)

• 23/06/06 - Click here for 2006 Official Program (new window)

• 10/03/06 - Entry form for 2006 now available for download

• 02/02/06 - Announcement Flyer for 2006

• 02/02/06 - Adjudicator announced for 2006
   

• 20/11/05 - Download the November Newsletter

• 18/11/05 - Date Claimer - Fashion Parade 4th June 2006

• 18/11/05 - Date Claimer - 2005 Open Winner - Prize Winner's Concert 18 March 2006

• 18/11/05 - Annual General Meeting 3rd December 2005

• 18/11/05 - Silver Circle  - Drawn 3 December 2005

• 22/09/05 - Silver Anniversary Concert (new window)

• 22/09/05 -  Silver Anniversary Recital & Dinner (new window)

• 22/07/05 - Click here for 2005 Competition Results (new window)

• 23/06/05 - Click here for 2005 Official Program (new window)

• 20/04/05 - Download the April Newsletter

• 24/02/05 - Entry form for 2005 now available for download

• 24/02/05 - 2004 Open Winner to appear in Prize-Winners' Concert

• 24/02/05 - Adjudicator announced for 2005

• 2005        Silver Anniversary Announcement

• 20/12/04 - Download the December Newsletter

• 21/07/04 - Review of Gala Finals Concert 2004 - by David Ellis

• 21/07/04 - 2004 Results Announced

• 03/07/04 - New adjudicator announced - Richard McIntyre OAM

• 13/03/04 - School Ensembles Section reinstated for this year's competition

• 10/02/04 - Adjudicator announced for 2004

• 10/02/04 - Entry form for 2004 now available for download

• 10/02/04 - 2003 Open Winner to appear in Prize-Winners' Concert
   

• 13/12/03 - Download the December Newsletter

• 07/11/03 - New Sponsor for Piano & Instrumental Section - Parmalat Australia (Paul's)

• 07/11/03 - 2004 Competition dates announced

• 07/11/03 - Outcome of Annual General Meeting

• 24/07/03 - Click here for 2003 Competition Results

Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition is very pleased to announce that the adjudicator for the 2010 Competition will be Mr Larry Sitsky AM.

>> Click here to find out more information about our 2010 adjudicator <<

<< Back to Top

Added 28/05/09

OFFICIAL LAUNCH 2009 AUSTRALIAN CONCERTO & VOCAL COMPETITION

The Official Launch of the competition was held on Wed 15^th April by Cr Deanne Bell on behalf of the Mayor of Townsville, Cr. Les Tyrell. The Townsville City Council is the major sponsor of this event. Other corporate sponsors and individual donors help to raise the profile of this event with total prize money of $18,000.
Special guest was violinist Ji Won Kim who was the 2008 Open Winner. A short performance was followed by the announcement and presentation to Ji Won as the inaugural winner of an additional award, the John Hopkins Performance Fellowship Award. This award has been made possible by a local benefactor who wished to acknowledge the contribution made by Professor Hopkins to the community of Townsville through his work in our community, with the Barrier Reef Orchestra, the Concerto & Vocal Competition, schools and university over the past 12 years. An amount of $10,000 was provided to cover this award for a period of ten years, separate to existing donations and funding.
The purpose of the award is to assist in providing an additional solo performance opportunity for the winner with another profile orchestra from around Australia. Ji Won will perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Stonnington Symphony Orchestra from Melbourne in November.
The soloist will still continue to be invited back to Townsville to perform with the Barrier Reef Orchestra, and this year Ji Won will return in October to perform the Bruch Violin Concerto in g minor.
Professor John Hopkins OBE has been invited back to adjudicate this year’s event and we will have the opportunity of holding the launch of his biography by William Cottam at Mary Who Bookshop on Friday 17^th July, the evening prior to the commencement of the competition. The book launch will follow dates in Melbourne and New Zealand.
This year’s event will be held over six days and this year will commence with the Chamber Music Ensemble Sections on Saturday 18^th July at Riverway Arts Centre. The School Ensemble Section will be start on Saturday morning, and the Open Ensemble Section will be held in the evening commencing at 6pm.
The event then moves to Garden Room Conference Centre at Mercure Inn, Woolcock Street on Sunday 19^th with the Young Soloists in the afternoon. On Monday 20^th both the Piano & Instrumental Section and the Vocal Section will be held, with the Vocal Section in the evening. The Australiana Section open to both vocalists and instrumentalists for works by Australian composers will follow on Tuesday, and the Preliminary Stage of the Open Section begins on Wednesday morning. At the conclusion of this stage, five finalists will be chosen and announced on Thursday. They will go on to perform at the Gala Finals Concert on Friday 24^th July at Riverway Arts Centre.

Entries close on Wednesday 20^th May and entrants may obtain Entry Forms from the website.

<< Back to Top

The Entry form for this year's Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition is now available for download.

>> Please click here to be taken to the Entry Form Download Page. <<

Entries close on Wednesday 20th May 2009. 

Definitely no late entries will be accepted.

<< Back to Top

The Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition committee are please to announce that the adjudicator for the 2009 Competition will be Dr John Hopkins OBE.

We are also please to announce the official accompanists for 2009 are:

Ms Maryleigh Hand (Sydney)
Ms Tomoe Kawabata (Melbourne)
Mr Mitchell Leigh (Brisbane)

The following people have agreed to assist as Regional Accompanists

Lyndal Ruiz (Townsville); Judith Brown (Mackay), Joy Rutledge (Cairns)

The official entry form for 2009 is now available here

<< Back to Top

The Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition dates have been confirmed as from Saturday 18th July to Friday 24th July 2009 and will again be held at the Mercure Inn, Townsville except for the first day of Sat 18th due to the Mercure already having a previous booking. An alternate venue has been booked for just that day and will be confirmed shortly. The Gala Finals on Fri 24th will be held at the new Riverway Arts Centre.

Because a section of the Australian V8 car racing championship will be the weekends before our Competition and another sports event is to be held in Townsville the weekend we commence the Competition it would be a good idea to pencil book accommodation as soon as possible. Billets will be arranged if required but again please let us know early.

As soon as the adjudicator is confirmed plus any other news we will place it on this website.

>>  <<

<< Back to Top

The Entry form for this year's Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition is now available for download.

>> Please click here to be taken to the Entry Form Download Page. <<

Entries close on Wednesday 28th May 2008. 

Definitely no late entries will be accepted.

<< Back to Top

The committee of the North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition Association is very pleased to announce that we were successful in our application to change the name of the competition to reflect the interest that we have received from entrants Australia wide and overseas. So from now on the competition is officially the Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition Inc. The dates have been confirmed as from Sunday 13th July to Friday 18th July 2008 and the adjudicator will be Dr John Hopkins OBE.

>>  <<

<< Back to Top

The committee of the North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition Association is very pleased to announce that the adjudicator for the 2007 competition will be Mr Larry Sitsky AM.

>> Click here to find out more information about our 2007 adjudicator <<

<< Back to Top

The Entry form for this year's North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition is now available for download.

>> Please click here to be taken to the Entry Form Download Page. <<

Entries close on Wednesday 30 May 2007. 

Definitely no late entries will be accepted.

<< Back to Top

Please click here to view the Announcement Flyer of the 2007 North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition.

<< Back to Top

The Entry form for this year's North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition is now available for download.

>> Please click here to be taken to the Entry Form Download Page. <<

Entries close on Wednesday 24 May 2006. 

Definitely no late entries will be accepted.

<< Back to Top

Please click here to view the Announcement Flyer of the 2006 North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition.

<< Back to Top

The committee of the North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition Association is very pleased to announce that the adjudicator for the 2006 competition will be Mr Max Olding AM.

>> Click here to find out more information about our 2006 adjudicator <<

<< Back to Top

  November 2005 Newsletter

Added 20/11/05

Click below to download the November Newsletter.

>> NOVEMBER 2005 NEWSLETTER << (PDF File, 122k)

You need the free program Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Click on the icon to link to the Adobe Website to download Acrobat Reader if required.


 

Our major fundraising event “Sunday Afternoon at Panorama House” will be Sunday 4^th June commencing at 2.30pm.  Another excellent afternoon is being planned with fun, fashion, music, prizes and dance – can’t give away too much just yet.  Tickets will be $30 with tables of 10. 

Please book this in you diary and get your friends together for a great time.

Our 2005 Open winner, pianist Alexander Sunman, will perform as soloist

with the Barrier Reef  Orchestra on
 

Sat 18th March 2006 -  at the Townsville Civic Theatre

with special guest conductor John Hopkins OBE.

Further information can be obtained by emailing your questions to nqconcerto@hotmail.com

AGM -  Saturday 3rd December at 10.00am.  34 Sabadine Street, Aitkenvale.

The meeting will be followed by morning tea.

RSVP by 1st Dec to nqconcerto@hotmail.com or phone Janiece on 4772 5759 and leave a message.

Silver Circle Fun-draiser

$10 cost to win $200 first prize or $25 worth of Scratchies 2^nd prize. 

Do you want to have a chance?  Only 50 tickets will be sold.  Committee members are selling tickets in our first ‘fun-draiser” for the 2006 competition year – contact any one of us, or email nqconcerto@hotmail.com, or phone 4772 5759 and leave a message.                       

 As they say you have to be in it to win it!

Drawn at the AGM  3rd December 2005

  April 2005 Newsletter

Added 20/04/05

Click below to download the April Newsletter.

>> APRIL 2005 NEWSLETTER << (PDF File, 122k)

You need the free program Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Click on the icon to link to the Adobe Website to download Acrobat Reader if required.


 

The Entry form for this year's North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition is now available for download.

>> Please click here to be taken to the Entry Form Download Page. <<

Entries close on Wednesday 25 May 2005. 

Definitely no late entries will be accepted.

<< Back to Top

Our 2004 Open winner, saxophonist Jason Xanthoudakis, will perform as soloist

with the Barrier Reef  Orchestra on
 

Sat 19th March 2005 -  8pm at the Townsville Civic Theatre

with special guest conductor John Hopkins OBE.

Tickets are available at the Ticketshop, or phone: 4727 9797.  Further information can be obtained by emailing your questions to nqconcerto@hotmail.com

<< Back to Top

The committee of the North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition Association is very pleased to announce that the adjudicator for the 2005 competition will be Mr Donald Hazelwood OA, OBE.

>> Click here to find out more information about our 2005 adjudicator <<

<< Back to Top

Please click here to view the Announcement Flyer of the 2005 North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition Silver Anniversary.

<< Back to Top

  December 2004 Newsletter

Added 24/02/05

Click below to download the December Newsletter.

>> DECEMBER 2004 NEWSLETTER << (PDF File, 122k)

You need the free program Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Click on the icon to link to the Adobe Website to download Acrobat Reader if required.


 

Gala Finals Concert – Nth Queensland Concerto and Vocal Competition

Friday 16^th July 2004 Townsville Civic Theatre

Reviewed by DAVID ELLIS

Twenty four musicians competed in the Open Section of Nth Queensland Concerto and Vocal Competition. The five finalists performed at the Gala Finals Concert.    

Matthew Rigby from Brisbane began the concert with the Violin Concerto in A minor by Dvorak in a compelling performance demonstrating respect for the text, eschewing any undue emphasis of Romantic gesture. His playing was by turns lyrical and swaggering with an exploration of the many possibilities of violin tone.  Matthew’s musicianship was apparent in the 2^nd movement with gracefully sculpted melodic line and his technical control in the 3^rd movement with accurate double stopping and a well controlled dance-like lilt . The performance suffered towards the end from a slight memory lapse and some unduly heavy accompaniment but won the support of the audience for its integrity.

Jason Xanthoudakis from Sydney in his prize winning chiaroscuro performance confounded many in the audience with his performance of the Variations Pathetique for Alto Saxophone by Ida Gotkovsky. This is a recent composition and uncompromising in its expression. It began with a brooding exchange between saxophone and piano leading to rapid quasi improvisatory passagework in a freely atonal idiom. The second movement featured some very nimble articulation and developed a sense of mounting excitement. The contribution of the accompanist Christian Gante was central to the success of this section. The communication between saxophone and piano was in perfect accord and appeared “sixth sense”. The resulting dialogue was incandescent. Jason’s performance consistently demonstrated flawless tone production  at the widest dynamic extremes and virtuosic finger technique.  His dazzling technique clearly supports his advocacy of contemporary music for the saxophone.

Anya Muston  from Sydney in her performance of the  Violin Concerto No. 1 by Prokofiev brought a controlled lyricism that that had much to commend it. However a slightly more expansive approach to tempo and a little rubato  would have helped to portray a sense of irony. The violin tone could have been a little fuller. The second movement was beautifully balanced between soloist and accompanist. The final movement showed greater depth of violin tone and some impressive pyrotechnics (right and left hand pizzicato). This was an effective performance overall but one which could have benefit from a little more rhythmic drive and dynamic contrast.

Misa Yamamato from Melbourne in her performance of the Piano Concerto No.3 by Prokofiev showed an assured technique and a dramatic volatile energy. The bravura opening of the accompanist (playing the orchestral piano reduction) was matched by the soloist in a driving rhythmic impulse. The following languid bitonal theme was played with nicely judged rubato leading to a  percussive interlude of some ferocity. The third movement had an urgent inevitability  about it with a hard driven interplay between soloist and accompanist. The concerto then dissolved into a gently hesitant interlude before the final controlled abandonment.

The concluding performance was that of Katherine Lukey from Melbourne in the Violin Concerto by Khachaturian. This was in many ways the highlight of the evening. The opening theme was characterized by an intensity of sound and insistent rhythmic drive. Katherine carried off passages of virtuosity with great aplomb with accompanist Christian Gante providing unstinting support . In the second movement the lyrical theme was spun with unfolding intensity and great feeling throughout, the accompaniment showing imagination and sensitivity. The final movement  promised much at the outset with extroversion and energy from both soloist and accompanist before an untimely memory lapse just before the end.

<< Back to Top

Please click here to view the full results of the 2004 North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition.

<< Back to Top

Unfortunately, due to medical advice, Patrick Thomas MBE will be unable to travel to Townsville to fulfill the role of adjudicator for the 2004 competition.

We are please to announce that Mr Richard McIntyre OAM has graciously accepted our invitation to travel from Canberra to adjudicate at the 2004 competition.

Mr McIntyre is well known through his role as Senior Lecturer at the Canberra School of Music and as a member of the Canberra Wind Soloists. 

<< Back to Top

The North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition is delighted to announce that it will be holding a Schools Ensemble Section (3-8 players) as part of the 2004 event.

Our organization has included a schools ensembles section as part of the larger competition since 1996, however it was decided by the management committee that we would discontinue the section after last year’s competition, as the Australian Festival of Chamber Music was also conducting a similar competition, held over the past three years.

AFCM have now made a decision not to hold their competition in 2004, and so we have decided to take it up again.

The Schools Ensemble Section (3-8 players) will be held on Friday 16^th July 2004 at the Townsville Civic Theatre, commencing at 1:00pm.

This section will form part of the larger event, which will be held from Mon 12^th – Fri 16^th July concluding with the Gala Finals Concert on Friday evening at the Townsville Civic Theatre.

The adjudicator for this year’s annual NQ Concerto & Vocal Competition is distinguished Australian conductor, Patrick Thomas MBE.

I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a fantastic opportunity for school ensembles to participate in a National and International event and receive adjudication and feedback from one of Australia’s foremost conductors of the past few decades.

We hope that with the strong support of North Queensland secondary schools and colleges, that we can once again make this a successful event.

>> Click here to Download the Entry Form for the School Ensembles Section <<

Please note:
The above form is for Schools Ensembles only. 

Click here for the Official Entry Form for all other sections

<< Back to Top

The committee of the North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition Association is very pleased to announce that the adjudicator for the 2004 competition will be distinguished conductor Patrick Thomas MBE.

<< Back to Top

The Entry form for this year's North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition is now available for download.

>> Please click here to be taken to the Entry Form Download Page. <<

Entries close on Wednesday 28 May 2004. 

Definitely no late entries will be accepted.

<< Back to Top

Our 2003 Open winner, violinist Marianne Broadfoot, will perform as soloist

with the Barrier Reef  Orchestra on
 

Sat 3^rd April 2004 -  8pm at the Townsville Civic Theatre

and  on

Sun 4^th April 2004 - 2pm at the Burdekin Civic Theatre
 

with special guest conductor John Hopkins OBE.

Tickets are available at the theatres mentioned above.  Further information can be obtained by emailing your questions to nqconcerto@hotmail.com

<< Back to Top

  December 2003 Newsletter

Added 13/12/03

Click below to download the December Newsletter.

>> DECEMBER 2003 NEWSLETTER << (PDF File, 40k)

You need the free program Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Click on the icon to link to the Adobe Website to download Acrobat Reader if required.


 

The North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition is pleased to announce a generous sponsorship partnership with Pauls Limited for sponsorship of the Piano & Instrumental Section for 2004 & 2005.

Announcing the
2004 North Queensland Concerto
& Vocal Competition

12 - 16 July 2004

The Director of the North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition, Mrs. Carol Dall'Osto, is pleased to announce that the competition will once again be held in Townsville from 12th - 16th July 2004.

Entries for the 2004 competition will close on Wednesday 26th May 2004.  Entry Forms will be available for download from this website in the near future.

Please check back soon for further information.

<< Back to Top

The Annual General Meeting of the North Queensland Concerto & Vocal Competition Association Incorporated was held on Saturday, 1st November 2003. 

The elected committee for 2004 is as follows:

Director:  Carol Dall'Osto
Deputy Director:  Susan Grinsell
Secretary: Janiece Stark
Treasurer:  Kathleen Ryan
Committee: Ellen Read; Paul Allan; Ashley Crocker; Judy Hunter

A copy of the AGM Minutes is available:

>> Click here for 2003 AGM Minutes << (PDF File, 15k)

You need the free program Acrobat Reader to view this file.
Click on the icon to link to the Adobe Website to download Acrobat Reader if required.





 

<< Back to Top