© Australian National Piano Award Inc. - P.O. Box 754 Shepparton 3630 Victoria, Australia
This Blog Space
This blog page will record any update news that might be of interest to ANPA Award devotees. Check back for the
latest update or email the webmaster with any info you might like to contribute
June
Things are hotting up now as we begin the run up to the September week of the Award. Adjudicators have selected
the finalists and we await our contestants' choice of programs. Should be wonderful!
We are flat out and busy, but are all very excited to be involved again in the quest for Australian's best young pianist.
Isn't it great that this all takes place in a regional city & by the way, Shepparton is 150 years old in September and
we are only 10 short years. Come one, come all to our birthday celebrations.
27th July
Next week the 13 finalists will be announced at Melbourne's Government House and we are all on the edge of our
seats waiting to find out who are the chosen ones from among the best Australian Pianists from across the country.
Names should be announced in the papers soon after the list id unveiled.
I looked at the Riverlinks Box Office website and saw all the details of the Award listed. And I hear that a bus is
being organised to come from Melbourne for the Grand Final night. Shepparton is a welcoming place and visitors will
find it easier than attending concerts in Melbourne. The difference? You can park easily and the traffic is less dense.
Just great!
August
When you arrive at Victoria's enormous Government House, you can feel overwhelmed, but the Patrons in Chief,
Governor, Professor David de Kretser and Mrs de Kretser are warm and friendly hosts and were kind enough to hold
the launch of the 2010 Award under their roof.
Professor Richard Divall AO, OBE stepped in to cover for our Artistic Director, Professor Max Cooke OAM, who was
overseas and unable to attend.
What a great and erudite speech he made explaining the Award to all present and under difficult personal
circumstances. He's been very unwell and all were relieved to see that he is recovering.
Lovely to see 2008 winner Jayson Gillham again! He'd flown from England to regale us with some superb Chopin,
played on the Government House antique Steinway.
MLA Martin Foley MP came to represent the Premier of Victoria and the Minister for the Arts and announced the 12
successful pianists who will journey to Shepparton next month.
What a pleasant surprise to see some of the selected pianists attend! A few had actually flown down from Sydney for
the event. It will be great to see them again in September.
Cocktail Party
WOW! If you missed the Cocktail Party at Eastbank on Tuesday, you missed a good show. Many of the town's first
400 were there to sip some very nice Tallis Wine and munch on tasty Hayes food.
Amir Farid, who won Gold, Gold, Gold in 2006 came back to knock the patrons in the aisles, playing the superb
Shepparton Steinway. He gave us Persian music and good old Beethoven, Not to be outdone, local ballet dancers
performed a specially choreographed "Homage to the Piano". All very OK.
Now those billeting the imminently arriving participants will be getting ready for their young visitors. It's all go.
Friday 27th August
They tell me that emails have been flying across the country as young pianists are contacted by their billetors. Most
of those who are putting them up have done all this before and are old hands and some of the entrants are returning
to play in the Award. For the newbies it's all very strange, but no doubt they'll be welcomed as part of the family. On
Sunday week we'll be meeting them all. Really exciting!
Shepparton's Mayor will pull their names from the hat to decide the order of play. That's always a big hurdle. No-one
wants to be first or last to play, but hey, someone has to do it.
The Gala Dinner is booked out and the committee is really well organised. Should be a great night. The theme is
"Cabaret".
Thursday 9th September
Lovely, lovely music! What fine few days we have spent listening to some virtuoso playing and we ca hardly wait to
here who will be the semifinalists. Some are thinking about laying bets, however with the experience of Pakistani
cricket, we will refrain. If you haven’t got to Shepparton yet, get marching. Eastbank is high and dry and all the
roads from Melbourne are open. Bookings are at Riverlinks 03 5832 9511.
Post Award
"It's all over for two years and we are very pleased with the result. Jocelyn Ho, our winner, was a worthy choice.
She has made her CD in Brisbane and from the looks of its presentation it will sell well. ANPA will have some
available for sale in the New Year. Now adjudicators are being considered for 2012 and the terrible job of fund
raising begins. Two winner's recitals are being organised for 2011 and these will occur in Melbourne.
We hope to see you there.”
ANPA 2010 Award Blog Space
Some unofficial notes about Award activities
This Blog Space
This blog page will record any update news that might be of interest to ANPA Award devotees. Check back for the
latest update or email the webmaster with any info you might like to contribute
June
Things are hotting up now as we begin the run up to the September week of the Award. Adjudicators have selected
the finalists and we await our contestants' choice of programs. Should be wonderful!
We are flat out and busy, but are all very excited to be involved again in the quest for Australian's best young pianist.
Isn't it great that this all takes place in a regional city & by the way, Shepparton is 150 years old in September and
we are only 10 short years. Come one, come all to our birthday celebrations.
27th July
Next week the 13 finalists will be announced at Melbourne's Government House and we are all on the edge of our
seats waiting to find out who are the chosen ones from among the best Australian Pianists from across the country.
Names should be announced in the papers soon after the list id unveiled.
I looked at the Riverlinks Box Office website and saw all the details of the Award listed. And I hear that a bus is
being organised to come from Melbourne for the Grand Final night. Shepparton is a welcoming place and visitors will
find it easier than attending concerts in Melbourne. The difference? You can park easily and the traffic is less dense.
Just great!
August
When you arrive at Victoria's enormous Government House, you can feel overwhelmed, but the Patrons in Chief,
Governor, Professor David de Kretser and Mrs de Kretser are warm and friendly hosts and were kind enough to hold
the launch of the 2010 Award under their roof.
Professor Richard Divall AO, OBE stepped in to cover for our Artistic Director, Professor Max Cooke OAM, who was
overseas and unable to attend.
What a great and erudite speech he made explaining the Award to all present and under difficult personal
circumstances. He's been very unwell and all were relieved to see that he is recovering.
Lovely to see 2008 winner Jayson Gillham again! He'd flown from England to regale us with some superb Chopin,
played on the Government House antique Steinway.
MLA Martin Foley MP came to represent the Premier of Victoria and the Minister for the Arts and announced the 12
successful pianists who will journey to Shepparton next month.
What a pleasant surprise to see some of the selected pianists attend! A few had actually flown down from Sydney for
the event. It will be great to see them again in September.
Cocktail Party
WOW! If you missed the Cocktail Party at Eastbank on Tuesday, you missed a good show. Many of the town's first
400 were there to sip some very nice Tallis Wine and munch on tasty Hayes food.
Amir Farid, who won Gold, Gold, Gold in 2006 came back to knock the patrons in the aisles, playing the superb
Shepparton Steinway. He gave us Persian music and good old Beethoven, Not to be outdone, local ballet dancers
performed a specially choreographed "Homage to the Piano". All very OK.
Now those billeting the imminently arriving participants will be getting ready for their young visitors. It's all go.
Friday 27th August
They tell me that emails have been flying across the country as young pianists are contacted by their billetors. Most
of those who are putting them up have done all this before and are old hands and some of the entrants are returning
to play in the Award. For the newbies it's all very strange, but no doubt they'll be welcomed as part of the family. On
Sunday week we'll be meeting them all. Really exciting!
Shepparton's Mayor will pull their names from the hat to decide the order of play. That's always a big hurdle. No-one
wants to be first or last to play, but hey, someone has to do it.
The Gala Dinner is booked out and the committee is really well organised. Should be a great night. The theme is
"Cabaret".
Thursday 9th September
Lovely, lovely music! What fine few days we have spent listening to some virtuoso playing and we ca hardly wait to
here who will be the semifinalists. Some are thinking about laying bets, however with the experience of Pakistani
cricket, we will refrain. If you haven’t got to Shepparton yet, get marching. Eastbank is high and dry and all the
roads from Melbourne are open. Bookings are at Riverlinks 03 5832 9511.
Post Award
"It's all over for two years and we are very pleased with the result. Jocelyn Ho, our winner, was a worthy choice.
She has made her CD in Brisbane and from the looks of its presentation it will sell well. ANPA will have some
available for sale in the New Year. Now adjudicators are being considered for 2012 and the terrible job of fund
raising begins. Two winner's recitals are being organised for 2011 and these will occur in Melbourne.
We hope to see you there.”
ANPA 2010 Award Blog Space
Some unofficial notes about Award activities
