Yes, Eisteddfod week is almost here! Instruments are polished and tuned, the performers have rehearsed for weeks and the finishing touches have been added to the costumes. The Goondiwindi Apex Eisteddfod begins next Monday 2nd August and concludes on Saturday 7th August. The Monday morning program in the Main Hall begins with the Large and Small Ensembles while the Prep classes will delight everyone with their Nursery Rhyme in costume performances. Primary Speech & Drama will be heard in the River Room all day.
The remainder of the week will be filled with Verse Speaking Choirs and Piano on Tuesday while Primary Choirs, Small Schools Choirs and Recorders occupy all of Wednesday. Dance begins in the Main Hall on Thursday with Guitars in the River Room on Thursday morning. The Junior Vocalists appear before the adjudicator in the River Room on Friday. Dance continues in the Main Hall on Friday and Saturday while the Open Vocal & Choral takes to the stage in the River Room on Saturday.
The week culminates with the Trophy Presentation Wine & Cheese Evening in the River Room from 5.00pm on Saturday evening. The evening includes the presentation of trophies and performances that have been selected by the adjudicators over the week of the eisteddfod.
Olivia Hill from South Brisbane is the Speech & Drama adjudicator. For 25 years Olivia has run a very successful theatre school where many thousands of children have been trained in the arts. She has also adjudicated at many eisteddfodau. This is Olivia’s first trip to Goondiwindi and she is looking forward to her time here.
Our Instrumental and Piano adjudicator was supposed to be Anne Whale from Bathurst but, now that the Queensland border is closed to New South Wales, Anne is unable to attend. Our Vocal and Choral adjudicator, Kim Kirkman, who is also an accomplished musician and teacher, will adjudicate Instrumental and Piano as well as Vocal and Choral. As a result of the border closure and program changes, guitars will now be adjudicated on Thursday morning and not on Wednesday morning. This will be Kim’s first visit to Goondiwindi and the committee is looking forward to welcoming him. Kim is from Conondale and originally trained as a violinist but moved to voice and became co-owner, musical director and member of The Ten Tenors. In 2016, Kim recorded eight CDs and gave over 110 public performances. He also conducts vocal workshops. Kim will adjudicate the Vocal and Choral, and Instrumental and Piano divisions.
The dance adjudicator is Mandy Morrison of the Gold Coast. Mandy began dancing at the age of 3 and after finishing school, went on to study music theatre at the Australian Dance Performance Institute. Mandy taught in Melbourne for five years before returning to Queensland to work and perform at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast. She is also a substitute teacher for various dance schools on the Gold Coast. Mandy too is a first-time visitor to Goondiwindi. We are so thankful that these very professional and talented adjudicators give of their time to adjudicate at the Goondiwindi Apex Eisteddfod.
There are approximately 600 entries over all disciplines with the greatest number of entries in the dance sections. Because of the border closure, about 50 entries will be lost from the program. The eisteddfod begins on Monday and dance will now be adjudicated over three days. With more entries comes more work and more helpers are desperately needed. You don’t require a university degree to time keep, open doors or organize the performers backstage. An hour or two of your time is all we ask of you. Anyone who is retired or semi-retired, or even Grey Nomads who are passing through, are well qualified to help. If you can spare an hour or two, please phone Louise Cowley 0417986326.
It is so encouraging that, even with the difficulties of Covid 19, students, teachers and parents are travelling great distances. It is a good time for the parents to catch up and share their daily experiences with each other and for the students to make new friends. The Goondiwindi Apex Eisteddfod Committee thanks everyone who has been a part of this year’s eisteddfod.
Season passes cost $20.00 for adults and $30.00 for a family. Day passes cost $6.00 for an adult and $2.00 for children over 3 years and a session pass is $3.00 for an adult, $2.00 for a senior and $1.00 for children over 3 years. There is no canteen this year but a coffee van will be on site for most mornings.
For more information, please contact the Secretary Judy Dunlop on 0412510949.
