ANATS ACT Chapter News

March 2008 update

johnw — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:03:11 +0000

The ANATS ACT Chapter for 2008 is as follows:

President: Angela Giblin

Secretary: Judith Bauer

Treasurer: Jennifer Mueller

National Council Representative: Margaret Sim

Members: Jill Batcheler-Upstill, Rosemary Lohmann, Norma Mackay, Andrea Orwin, Phillip Perman, Michael Politi, Margaret Sim, Helen Swan, Sharon Tree, Patricia Whitbread

Brian White has left the Committee for the moment, for health reasons. We thank him for his fine contribution, and hope we will welcome him back again soon.

During this past year we have been saddened by the death two greatly valued colleagues: Joan Richards OAM, on August 29, 2007, and Lois Bogg, on Sunday March 2, 2008

Joan was a member of this Chapter from its early days. She served on the committee and as its secretary for many years until illness forced her retirement. She was an enthusiastic, caring teacher, sharing her gift of music with her students, and is lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

The committee of the ACT Chapter unanimously agreed to establish a perpetual trophy for a section in the Australian National Eisteddfod in memory of Joan and her love of opera.

Lois Bogg was a founder member of ANATS, and served as President of the ACT Chapter, and on the National Council. She received a Certificate of Recognition at the 2006 ANATS National Conference. Lois was a respected performer, teacher, and researcher, and held in affectionate regard by all of us.

On a happy note, events in 2007 included:

Seminar on Contemporary Singing in February, with enthusiastic and well-informed Queensland colleague Daniel Kay, at the New Life Church in Queanbeyan. The seminar was well-attended, and the presentations highly informative and interesting. This event was initiated and organized by Sharon Tree, supported by the ACT Chapter Committee.
Teachers’ Forum in March, at the Front Art Gallery in Lyneham, on professional accreditation for voice teachers. Findings were presented in due course.
Pre-Examination Workshop in June, at St Phillip’s Church, O’Connor. Our very capable accompanists were Noela Birmingham and Jenny Kain.
Pre-Eisteddfod Workshop in September, at St. Phillip’s Church, O’Connor, which gave a number of singers the opportunity to gain performance experience, ably accompanied by Rose Holcombe and Jenny Kain.
Professional Development Day in October, at Manning Clark House. Sharon Tree gave three wonderful presentations on contemporary singing, and Vicki de Prazer, a consultant sports psychologist, who has worked at the Australian Institute of Sport and coached numerous Olympic teams, presented an excellent session on the various forms of mental preparation and self-evaluation for athletes.

Our Performers’ Workshops offer valuable opportunities for performance and feedback to our students, while the seminars can offer stimulus and further development for us as teachers, while also being open to students of course. We also hope thus to encourage new members to join us, and to make ourselves better known in the ACT musical community

A major project during the year has been the support of ANATS ACT Chapter for the Australian National Eisteddfod Vocal Division. Committee members have made a great contribution in this area. Of major significance is the generous support of Gavin and Sylvia Tulloch, and their daughter Vivika, of Dyesol, particularly in the area of administration.

ANATS ACT supported the Australian Song section in last year’s Australian National Eisteddfod.

The ANATS Christmas Party was held at the Southern Cross Club, as arranged by Michael Politi. A good number of members attended, and some Christmas cheer was enjoyed by all.

I would like to thank Judith, Margaret, Andrea, Jenni, and Pat for their warm hospitality in making their homes available to us for meetings over the past year. And thanks also our fine accompanists during this time: Noela Birmingham, Rose Holcombe, and Jenny Kain.
We recently held our Annual General Meeting, and the first meeting of the year, at which we further developed planning for our 2008 program. It includes:
A Mature Age Workshop, a possible Masterclass with visiting jazz voice expert Connaitre Miller, a Teachers’ Forum on light classical repertoire for young singers, a Pre-Exam Workshop, and a professional development workshop later in the year on a topic or topics to be advised after brainstorming our ACT ANATS members!
We continue to be active in planning and organisation for the 2008 Australian National Eisteddfod Vocal Division, which includes the National Aria Competition.
We are also, of course, very much looking forward to the 2008 ANATS National Conference in Perth in September, and celebrating 20 years of ANATS.
A busy year lies ahead!

Angela Giblin
President
ANATS ACT Chapter
Tuesday March 11, 2008

Debut of Local Teachers’ Forum

anatsact — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 04:55:25 +0000

ANATS ACT is introducing a new opportunity for the sharing of information and encouragement. It will take the shape of an informal forum of teachers’ over afternoon tea and will cover burning topics that those present are facing in their studios.

The first “Forum” will be held on Sunday 25th March, 2.00pm at “The Front” Studio and Gallery, 1-2 Wattle Place, Lyneham (near Tilleys).

February 2007 Update

anatsact — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 08:25:48 +0000

The organising committee of Viva la voce met together at the Hyatt Hotel and enjoyed a well earned dinner together on the 23rd November. We were overjoyed at the positive feedback we received from you all. Thank you. It was hard work, but well worth the effort Our first event for 2007 is a significant one. At the instigation of our very energetic committee member, Sharon Tree, we are presenting “A Contemporary Singing Teaching Seminar” with special guest speaker Daniel Kay on Saturday 24th February, 9.00am - 4.00pm, at the New Life Church, 9 Cameron Rd, Queanbeyan. Some of the issues addressed will be the teaching and singing of modern styles (pop, rock, blues etc). Sessions include Twang and Belt, Breath Management, Vocal Registration, Harmony and Blend, Performance Anxiety and Microphone Technique. Cost: ANATS Members $60, Non Members $80. Enquiries may be made to Sharon on 0410 488 471, or glengrove2003@yahoo.com.au .This may appeal to interstaters who don’t live too far from Canberra. There are other activities in the melting pot for this year, but as yet to be confirmed. We wish you all a happy and productive 2007. Pat Whitbread ACT President

November 2006 Update

anatsact — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 00:45:04 +0000

Greetings to All from Canberra.
Thank you all so much for coming to “Viva la voce”. We hope that you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did (despite our state of exhaustion). We have been left with so much to reflect upon. For those who missed out on attending, I encourage you to avail yourselves of the opportunity to order DVDs of the sessions that might appeal to you, so that you at least have a taste of what went on.

Below is a copy of a letter which I received this morning, and I am sure that we in Canberra hope that these sentiments were shared by many.

It was wonderful meeting so many colleagues, and putting faces to names. Looking forward to seeing you all again in Perth in 2008!!
Pat Whitbread
ACT President

Dear Pat, Sharon, Norma, Judith and Margaret - and all your organising committee for the ANATS Viva la
Voce! Conference

What a wonderful weekend! I know you must be exhausted but I hope you cannot wipe the smile off your faces (it’s something I find lingering on mine even today, back at work…!)

As an ‘outsider’, I found the ANATS conference rich and rewarding. So much of its content was transferable - not just across the various categories of singing (classical, legit, belt, cabaret) - but, for example, so many good examples of fine teaching technique were demonstrated that it doesn’t matter what you are teaching, you witnessed excellent approaches. I particularly appreciated the finely honed ‘double-act’ of Mary and Anthony as a text-book case of team teaching.

There were many special moments - the masterclasses particularly - and it didn’t matter what genre of music. The masterclass participants were willing and generous in their openness to explore alternatives - and equally the presenters were respectful and generous in return, revealing and incisive in their feedback, and the results instantly conveyed in a joint exercise which can so often be confronting, occasionally embarrassing, and sometimes destructive, but was invariably constructive and revelatory here.

This was valuable to all assembled in the fine venue (one of my favourites) - and perhaps surprisingly consistent across the genres: so much detailing is dependent on understanding, a thorough grounding in the text and subservience of technique to the text and subtext of a work. Interesting ideas of trusting the work. Fascinating ideas to make the material ‘new’ or fresh after so many months of learning. Useful ideas of not being too reverential to a well-known work or composer. Seeking your own ‘way in’.

Confirming beliefs I’ve held about the most engrossing performances - but perhaps more thoroughly than I dared consider - across the whole field. These ideas are also transferable to instrumentalists and, indeed, all other artists.

Also pleasing was the expectation of versatility grounded in technique - a singer cannot afford to just let it happen anymore; they must know the mechanics - and when to use them.

Meeting so many inspiring, good-humoured, enthusiastic and committed teachers and singers and sharing their inspiration and, yes, passion was refreshing and valuable. I know this is going to become a fondly remembered experience - your conference had everything a conference should: it fed the emotions and the intellect; it discussed technique and ideas in performance, science, music, art, beauty, reality; it demonstrated the commitment to excellence that enhances our cultural life.

I feel privileged to have shared the weekend with you and your colleagues in ANATS and am now so invigorated - it has felt like a holiday!

Congratulations and thank you.
Fond regards
David

July 2006 Update

anatsact — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 04:42:34 +0000

Greetings to all from the Nation’s capital. It is a frenzy of activity here in Canberra as we get closer to the Conference. By now, you will all have received your brochures. We sincerely hope you like them, and what they contain. We have a fabulous line up of presenters for you. What I would urge you to do now is to encourage your students to send along audition material, so that they are able to be considered for the masterclasses. What an opportunity for them to be heard by the likes of Anthony Legge and Mary King. Anthony and Mary are also guest adjudicators for the National Aria finals, which are being held on Friday evening 6th October to coincide with the Conference. We have had an overwhelming response to our call for “Papers”. The material is very exciting, so we are hoping that many of them will be heard. “And that’s not all”……We have another little surprise for you. The keynote address on Friday morning will be given by the celebrated international opera singer Elizabeth Connell. In addition, Elizabeth will be giving a recital in Canberra on the evening of Sunday 8th October, so we are hoping that many of you will delay your departure so that you are able to hear this wonderful singer in concert. Time and venue have yet to be finalised. We would also like to draw your attention to the Contemporary Teachers’ Dinner to be held on Friday the 6th. This is a great opportunity for these teachers to get together and compare notes. Thanks to Sharon Tree who has organised this. And don’t overlook the Conference Dinner at Old Parliament House on Saturday 7th. A great venue, and great entertainment provided by the amazing talent of Peter J. Casey. The ACT Chapter is looking forward to seeing you all in October, so until then…….. Kind regards to everyone from Pat Whitbread and all in Canberra. Pat Whitbread ACT President

ACT News Update

anatsact — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 10:45:19 +0000

2005 ended quietly for ANATS ACT Chapter with a workshop in November for older students, some of whom have felt somewhat daunted by the prospect of singing alongside singers many years younger than they. It proved a successful event, with Helen Swan providing useful feedback for the performers.

In early December some ANATS members attended a delightful luncheon at the Botanical Gardens along with members of the ACT Chapter of MTA, - a relaxing and pleasant way to spend time with colleagues.

2006 will be a very busy year for ANATS ACT, and I hope that the committee members are all well rested and ready for the fray.

Don’t forget to mark 5-8 October in your 2006 diaries. Much planning has already taken place, and as Pat Whitbread and I walked around University House, the venue for the conference, we were struck again by the ambience of the building and by the beautiful grounds.

The Conference dinner will be held in Old Parliament House and we are looking forward to introducing you to these Canberra landmarks which are part of the national heritage.

Our conference page has some details regarding accommodation and will be added to in coming weeks.

We wish all ANATS members a great year. See you in October 2006!

March 05 News

anatsact — Mon, 14 Mar 2005 10:47:11 +0000

The ACT Chapter held its AGM on Tuesday 22nd February, and the new committee were elected. Then followed a committee meeting, at which a good deal of time was spent discussing the 2006 National Conference.

National Conference 2006

The dates for the National Conference are 5th-8th October, 2006 at University House, Australian National University.

For those early birds who wish to book accommodation soon, there is excellent on site accommodation at University House ph (02) 6125 5275 or (02) 6125 5276. Just mention that you are booking for the ANATS Conference.

As the dates fall during the time of Floriade, one of Canberra’s main tourist attractions, it would be advisable to think of booking early. You might even be tempted to spend a few extra days in the National Capital and experience the many attractions Canberra has to offer.

The Chifley Hotel is also expecting hoards of Conference delegates to book with them guests to quote “Singing Conference”.

The Chifley Hotel’s contact details are ph (02) 6249 1411, fax (02) 6249 6878, email reservations.northbourne@chifleyhotels.com

As yet, Conference 2006 is nameless, and we have not yet finalised a list of presenters. We will however keep you informed of our progress. In the meantime, put the dates in your diary, and your $2 coins in a piggy bank.
We have also mapped out a programme for our year’s activities:

Workshops for Singers
The workshops for singers are on:

Sunday May 29th
Friday 9th and Sunday 11th September
Sunday November 6th

Professional Development Day

In addition, we are planning a Professional Development Day in either late July or late October.

Also planned is an afternoon with a Speech Pathologist during
the first half of the year. The date to be arranged.

We wish you all a happy teaching year. Best wishes
from the ACT Chapter.
Patricia Whitbread