AGQ President Newsletter March2015
04 March 2015
Dear fellow accompanists and Guild members,
As we are now well into the first quarter of the year, it is an opportune time to communicate to you the Guild’s latest news, projects, activities and aspirations! As you know, we are here to support and help our members, and we hope that the year is already shaping up to be busy and successful for everyone.
At this time last year, we were hectically running around trying to organise our 20th Anniversary Dinner. Sorry to say that there won’t be another one for our 21st, but if you feel nostalgic for that memorable event, and would like to recall some of the good moments we spent that evening, please check the Guild’s Facebook page which is abundant in lovely photos of just about everyone who was there!
After the success of our two previous Master Classes for Young Accompanists, the Committee has been encouraged to present another one this year, which will focus on accompanying for the Voice. We are at present negotiating all aspects of this event which is likely to take place midyear, and members will be notified of all details soon. Once again, we ask you to invite any young interested pianists that you know to apply for consideration.
Members must be well aware by now that the AMEB has recently introduced a policy of allowing recorded accompaniments in the examinations. There has been much outrage, heated opinions and condemnation of this decision, and the musical community has voiced its protests on social media. Without dealing at length on this matter here, we know that this procedure could be quite detrimental to the musical benefit of exam candidates and potentially to the livelihood of accompanists. The AGQ, as an organisation, feels strongly on this matter and has decided to join the chorus of disapproval. We have written a formal letter of concern (which is now published on the Guild’s website) to the Federal Office of the AMEB and are eagerly awaiting their reaction.
Let’s hope that common sense will prevail and that candidates will continue to use “live” accompanists in their exams, regardless.
I hope that members keep a regular check of the Guild’s website. Thanks to the great talent and commitment of Kathy Sander, the website is well-maintained, attractive and relevant, and I would even say, at least equal to the South Australian Accompanists Guild’s website. Theirs, incidentally, has not yet been updated to 2015, while in comparison, nothing can be found on the Guild of the ACT, and the NSW Guild is very minimal with their latest information dating back to 2008! …Bravo Kathy!
I would like to conclude by wishing a warm welcome to the many new members who have joined us since last June. It’s good to see that our Guild is growing in stature and reputation, and I hope that everyone will find their association beneficial.
Well, as Porky Pig says in his “Looney Tunes” cartoons: “That’s all, folks!”
Happy accompanying and all the best!
Regis Danillon – President
Accompanists Guild of Queensland Inc.