AGQ Newsletter July 2025 Dear guild members, I hope 2025 has been a fulfilling and inspiring year for you so far. We’ve enjoyed several successful events and gatherings with our AGQ community, with still more to come!
AGQ Committee Opportunity
Our wonderful and long-serving secretary Kathleen has announced that it’s time for her to step down from the committee. With over a decade of dedicated service, her professionalism and experience will be greatly missed. We are deeply grateful for everything she has contributed and wish her all the best in her next adventures! We are now looking for someone to step into this essential role. Key responsibilities, in collaboration with the AGQ committee, include: – preparing committee meeting agendas (with the president) – taking and distributing minutes of meetings – communicating with AGQ members (newsletters, announcements etc) – maintaining official records and documents – managing the membership list (in collaboration with the treasurer and web manager) – approving payments (with the treasurer and president) If you are interested or would like more information, please contact me directly at presidentagq@gmail.com
Promote Your Events via AGQ Social Media
At our recent committee meeting, we agreed to begin promoting individual member activities through our socials, provided these activities relate directly to collaborative piano/accompanying. This could include: – upcoming performances – masterclasses – awards or recognitions – any other relevant events. Promotion is free for members. Simply email your event details to presidentagq@gmail.com
Follow us: Instagram: accompanists_guild_of_qld
Facebook: Accompanists’ Guild of Queensland – Collaborative Pianists
Save the Date: AGQ Annual General Meeting (AGM) – 17 August 2025
Stay tuned for the official AGM notice coming to your inbox shortly. We warmly encourage all members to attend. Your input is always valued and appreciated. Please save the date of Sunday 17th August for this.
Save the Date: Chamber Playing Day @ UQ – 19 October 2025
We’re excited to announce a Chamber Playing Day at UQ on Saturday 19th October. This event expands upon our popular duet day from last year, inviting both pianists and instrumentalists to partner up, rehearse, and perform collaboratively in a single day. It’s a fun and valuable PD opportunity. More details coming soon – please save the date!
AGCP and APPC 2026 Updates
This is a reminder that AGQ members are welcome to attend AGCP (Australian Guild of Collaborative Pianists) meetings if they are interested. Please email me for the zoom link. Additionally, the 16th Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference will take place at Adelaide University from Monday 6 July until Friday 10 July 2026. The theme of this year’s conference is “The Art of Imagination – Creativity through the Piano” An AGCP subcommittee invites collaborative pianist to submit proposals that highlight our unique skill set. Presentation ideas may include: workshops; lecture/recitals; scholarly papers; open rehearsals; masterclasses. We are also exploring a potential AGCP-themed presentation package and potential AGCP-financial support for selected presenters. For more details on APPC 2026 https://www.appca.com.au/ If you have a suitable idea, please contact David Miller info@agcp.au
Masterclass with David Miller
We were honoured to host a masterclass with David Miller, in partnership with Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, on 23rd May. David travelled up from Sydney to share his expertise with a number of Conservatorium students. He shared many insightful takeaways including: – always open the piano lid fully when accompanying – collaboration includes both musicians, as well as both hands of the pianist – understanding song texts, particularly when in foreign languages, is vital for the pianist and vocalist – always maintain rhythmical integrity between players – know the other instrument’s part well e.g. if you are on piano, try to sing the vocal line and play at the same time – there’s no “follow me” – as collaborative pianists, we anticipate – observe the score literally and accurately – use the piano layers and textures to shape mood, foreground and background. A big thank-you to David and all students who participated!
30th Anniversary Dinner with Piers Lane
On 15th April, we celebrated 30 years of AGQ with a wonderful dinner at Gerard’s in the Valley. Special thanks to our supportive patron Piers Lane, AGCP President David Miller, life members Sue Witham and Kevin Power, and special guests Yolanda Frylink (QMTA President) and Daniel Johnson (QMTA Council). We ended the evening with a delicious cake and also listened to heartfelt, entertaining speeches. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and to the committee for organising such a memorable night.
University collaboration update
We recently met with Professor Liam Viney, Head of Music at UQ, to further our collaboration. We’ve signed a formal sponsorship agreement with UQ, including prize support and occasional venue use. This follows our earlier conversations with Bernard Lanskey, Qld Con, and reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening ties with music education institutions across Queensland.
Congratulations to Recent AGQ Prize Winners
Mitzuki Roku (Cairns’ Eisteddfod)
Lucas Tremellen (Border District Eisteddfod)
Grace Simmons/Laura Smith (Ipswich Junior Eisteddfod)
We’re proud to support the next generation of collaborative pianists. Well done to these winners!
Welcome New Members Please join us in welcoming our newest members: Jennifer Streten Mia Huang Maree Kennedy We look forward to your involvement and hope you enjoy being part of our vibrant community. Thank you all for your continued support of the AGQ. We look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming events – and as always, don’t hesitate to reach out. All the best Dr Rachel Hocking President, Accompanists’ Guild of Queensland presidentagq@gmail.com
Photo: David Miller masterclass at the con
Photo: AGQ 30th anniversary dinner with Kevin Power, Piers Lane, Sue Witham and David Miller.
