Ruthless Jabiru to perform London tribute to Maralinga

Australian Conductor, Kelly Lovelady was awarded the prestigious 2013 Julian Baring Award from the Tait Memorial Trust. The Trust are delighted to support Kelly and the orchestra which she created, Ruthless Jabiru, London’s all Australian Chamber Orchestra.

The article below was posted on 12 August, 2013 by Kelly Lovelady on the Ruthless Jabiru website

Ruthless Jabiru is to perform with guest artist Lara St. John at the Union Chapel on 14 October, in a programme centred around Maralinga, a work for violin and string orchestra by Australian composer Matthew Hindson.

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Hindson’s work will lay at the centre of a concert designed to pay tribute to the Maralinga story through music. Maralinga land in remote South Australia was used for undercover British nuclear testing in the 1950s and 60s, leaving the area heavy with radioactive waste and thousands of Indigenous people and servicemen affected, both British and Australian.

“I wanted to devise a programme connected with the Australian landscape, to complement the Australia exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts,”

said conductor Kelly Lovelady, the orchestra’s founding Artistic Director.

“Maralinga was inspired by a stretch of desert where one political decision has had tragic repercussions for health, community, and the environment. I’ve chosen a programme to evoke the loss and the chemical strangeness which has become a part of that landscape.”

Maralinga scholar Dr. Liz Tynan described a complex tragedy of secrets, spies, and international relations.

“At Maralinga, part of our territory became the most highly contaminated land in the world. It’s time for Maralinga to become part of our national conversation, and the arts is a great medium to do this.”

Ruthless Jabiru will be joined by Canadian violinist Lara St. John, for whom Hindson wrote the solo violin part of Maralinga. St. John has been described as “something of a phenomenon” by The Strad and a “high-powered soloist” by The New York Times. She has performed as soloist with the orchestras of Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and with the Boston Pops, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, NDR Symphony, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Ireland, Amsterdam Symphony, Brazilian Symphony, Sao Paulo Symphony, China Philharmonic, Hong Kong Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, and the orchestras of Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland, among many others.

Ruthless Jabiru’s performance will also include the UK premieres of works by Australian composer Paul Stanhope and Dublin-based Linda Buckley, as well as cornerstones of the string orchestra repertoire by Arvo Pärt and Samuel Barber.

More about Ruthless Jabiru conductor Kelly Lovelady on her website here20130812-211101.jpg

More about Ruthless Jabiru, London’s all Australian Chamber-Orchestra here

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Tickets for this important concert can be purchased from the Union Chapel here

A Farewell to John Amis

Dear Friends, I really appreciate all the warm, caring and loving messages I have received in the past week. Many of you have asked for details of the funeral and memorial services.

I really appreciate all the warm, caring and loving messages I have received in the past week. Many of you have asked for details of the funeral and memorial services.

The funeral will take place on Tuesday 20 August 2013 at 11am at St Sepulchre-without-Newgate Church, Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DQ (directions below), followed by a short service and burial in Aldeburgh on Wednesday 21 August at 12pm, at St Peter & St Paul’s Parish Church. All welcome.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday 8 October at St Paul’s Knightsbridge.

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Love, Isla

Isla Baring OAM
Chairman
Tait Memorial Trust

John Amis. A portrait by June Mendoza
John Amis. A portrait by June Mendoza

Directions: St Sepulchre without Newgate is located at the junction of Holborn Viaduct and Giltspur Street. Nearest tube stations are St Paul’s (Central line) and Farringdon (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines). The church is located almost exactly opposite City Thameslink overground station.

John Amis Award
For the last six years of his incredible life John Amis was a Patron and an active supporter of the Tait Memorial Trust. The Chairman, Isla Baring OAM, wishes to create an Award in his name to be called the ‘John Amis Award’. Any money donated via this page will go directly to fund this new award.

Donate with JustGiving

Isla Baring OAM, Chairman of the Tait Memorial Trust

Isla Baring OAM

Isla Baring with Jason Donovan

9 JUNE 2009 — AN HONOUR RECOGNIZES THE TAIT TRUST

ISLA BARING has been awarded the Order of Australian Medal (OAM) general division for her service to the arts — supporting young Australian musicians and performing artists!

Isla Violet Baring OAM founded The Tait Memorial Trust in 1992 in memory of her father, Sir Frank Tait and his brothers, who played such an important part in the establishment of theatre and the performing arts in Australia. Isla’s mother, the singer Viola Tait, inspired her to organise a fundraising concert in support of a young Australian singer, Liane Keegan, who was newly arrived in London. It kicked off with a Christmas Concert at Australia House. The concert was a great success, became the foundation of our yearly events and Liane is now singing major roles in Berlin.

The Tait Memorial Trust has since then raised more than £150,000 to help support young Australian musicians and dancers who need financial assistance while they are studying in the U.K. The Trust offers grants for study, performance opportunities to young musicians and performing artists as well as general help in the furtherance of their careers while resident in the UK. Many of the young Artists continue to achieve world recognition and perform at the Tait’s Rush Hour concert series which regularly presents emerging and established Australian talent.

Isla lives in London and France, travels frequently to Australia and other spots around the world.

Isla Baring OAM
Isla Baring OAM

Siobhan Stagg sings at the Salzburg Festival. Next stop Berlin!

Siobhan Stagg recently sang the role of St Catherine in Brauenfels opera, Jeanne d’Arc @SbgFestival. Siobhan was a Tait Awardee 2012, the Sinclair and Wendy Hill Award.

Siobhan Stagg, Soprano. Tait Memorial Trust Awardee 2012
Siobhan Stagg, Soprano. Tait Memorial Trust Awardee 2012

This lovely review of @SiobhanStagg in Seen and Heard

Due to her Prize from the Australian International Opera Awards, Siobhan studied at the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff

” The small rôle of St. Catherine was helped to unexpected prominence by the wonderfully appealing, charismatic voice of soprano Siobhan Stagg, a fresh and healthy instrument, with friendly ease through every register”

Other roles for Siobhan at the Salzburg Festival include:

SALZBURG FESTIVAL: Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail für Kinder (SALZBURG, AUSTRIA)

Photo (c) Dorike van Genderen

Photo (c) Dorike van Genderen

Sunday 28 July @ 11am (SOLD OUT)

Saturday 10 August @ 3pm

Monday 12 August (CLOSED)

Wednesday 14 August @ 5pm

Sunday 25 August @ 3pm

Siobhan plays Konstanze in this family-friendly production of Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio. Conducted by Ben Gernon (Winner 2013 Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award) and directed by Johannes Schmid.

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SALZBURG FESTIVAL: Jeanne d’Arc (SALZBURG, AUSTRIA)

Thursday 1 August @ 8PM, Felsenreitschule.

Siobhan plays Saint Catherine in this important concert performance of Joan of Arc by Walter Braunfels (1882–1954). Manfred Honeck conducts the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien.

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SALZBURG FESTIVAL: Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte für Kinder

Salzburg Festival

PREMIERE: Thursday 8 August @ 5PM (SOLD OUT)

Sunday 11 August @ 3PM

Wednesday 28 August @ 5PM

Siobhan Stagg plays Pamina in The Magic Flute for children. Directed by Ulrich Peter and conducted by Kai Röhrig.

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SALZBURG FESTIVAL: Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor

Friday 23 August 2013 @ 9pm, ‘Residenzhof’, Residenzplatz 1
5020 Salzburg

To celebrate the culmination of the Salzburg Festival’s Young Singers Project, the soloists perform a gala concert with Camerata Salzburg conducted by Theodor Guschlbauer. Siobhan sings the role of Mademoiselle Silberklang in Mozart’s comic singspiel, The Impresario.

DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN (BERLIN, GERMANY)

September 2013 – June 2014

Roberto Alagna and Elena Garanca in Carmen at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Roberto Alagna and Elena Garanca in Carmen at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

For the 2013/14 season Siobhan joins the Deutsche Oper Berlin as one of five young artists. She will perform several roles in the company’s mainstage season including Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Woglinde in Das Rheingold and the Woodbird in Siegfried (starring Eric Owens and conducted by Sir Simon Rattle), Frasquita in Carmen (starring Roberto Alagna) and Sophie in Werther (starring Vittorio Grigolo).

Click this link to see Siobhan’s complete performance schedule at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

“Un sol tuo sospiro” from J.A. Hasse’s serenata Marc’Antonio e Cleopatra (1725)
Siobhan Stagg (soprano) with the Orchestra of the Peninsula Summer Music Festival
conducted by Richard Divall AO OBE

Recorded at a live performance at the Peninsula Summer Music Festival on the Mornington Peninsula, Australia, in January 2012.

www.peninsulafestival.com.au

Siobhan Stagg website

Salzburg Festival website

Deutsche Opera Berlin website

XENIA DEVIATKINA-LOH, Violinist – to begin her Masters at the Royal Academy of Music

Xenia is a 2013 Tait Memorial Trust Awardee, She is due to begin a Masters degree in Violin at the Royal Academy of Music. The Trust are delighted to be supporting Xenia and wish her the very best for the 2013/2014 academic year.

Xenia
Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, Violinist

Xenia Deviatkina-Loh studies violin with Alice Waten. She has performed with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, the South Melbourne Orchestra, the Kuringai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed in Beleura House and Gardens, Melba Festival – Yarra Grange and Federation Square – Exhibition Centre. She’s been aired live on 3MBsFM, ABC radio, and Radio New Zealand. Xenia was the Junior Finalist and the Senior Winner of the Kuringai Philharmonic Concerto Competition in 2005 and 2008 respectively. She was the 2009 String Finalist of ABC Young Performer’s Award, and the 2009 winner of the Gisborne International Music Competition.

Xenia has had masterclasses and private lessons with The Brentano String Quartet, Trio Dali, Tasmin Little, Lina Bahn, Oleh Krysa, Charles Castleman, Kolja Blacher, Julian Rachlin, Zakhar Bron, Boris Kuschnir, Felix Andrievsky and Edward Dusinberre (Takács Quartet). She gained a full tuition scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music London. She will start her Masters degree in London later this year.

Xenia’s award from the Trust and her participation in the London Masterclasses is kindly supported by the Thornton Foundation

Sabina Im, Concert Pianist – Royal College of Music, Master of Piano Performance Degree

The Tait Memorial Trust was created by Isla Baring OAM to support young emerging Australian Performing Artists who wish to study in the UK. I am listening to a recording of Sabina Im, the Tait Memorial Trust representative at the 2013 London Masterclasses where she met and worked with Norma Fisher and sat in on masterclasses with Benjamin Zander, Ralph Kirshbaum, Gyorgy Pauk and Rosalind Plowright, she is playing the Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 17 in d minor, Op. 31. No. 2. Her performance of this famous piece is beautiful with a flowing technique and expression way beyond her years. Sabina Im is exactly the type of artist the Trust wants to support. We are delighted to hear that her career is blossoming.

Sabina is currently at home in Sydney and will be returning to London in the Autumn as she has been accepted into the coveted Master of Piano Performance Degree at the Royal College of Music, which will commence in September 2013.

“Thanks to this Tait Memorial Trust I met one of the greatest piano teachers in the UK. During my studies at the Royal College, I will be taking private lessons with Norma Fisher as well as learning from Andrew Zolinsky.”       Sabina Im. August 2013

Sabina Im, Concert Pianist
Sabina Im, Concert Pianist

Before her postgraduate studies commence in September, Sabina will be giving two recitals:

Theme & Variations Piano Services
451 Willoughby Road, Willoughby NSW 2068.

The first recital will be part of the Emerging Artist Series. Sabina will be giving a 40 minute recital on the 25th of August at 2:40pm. The program will be Schumann’s Carnaval Op.9 and Ginastera’s Danzas Argentinas, Op.2. This recital is open to the public.

The second recital Sabina will also be performing at the same location for the Theme and Variations Foundation on 1st of September. Sabina is one of four selected candidates who will be performing a 20 minute recital which is open to the public. Two successful candidates will be awarded $10 000 to support their studies.

All of us at the Tait Memorial Trust send Sabina our good wishes and we will be thinking of you and hope you win the AUD$10,000 prize. We will contact our Friends in the Tait Performing Association in Sydney and see if we can  provide some welcome support.

If anyone is interested in attending these performances, please let them know! Their support will be greatly appreciated!

Biography

Sabina has recently been accepted into the Master of Piano Performance Degree at the Royal College of Music, which will commence in September 2013. In 2012, Sabina graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance Degree with honors, on a full scholarship from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore. Under the tutelage of Albert Tiu, Sabina has given several solo and chamber recitals within Singapore. She has performed in masterclasses conducted by Norma Fisher, Cyprien Katsaris, Joseph Banowetz, Santiago Rodriguez, John Perry and Sara Buechner. Recently, Sabina was selected to take part in the London Masterclasses with a full scholarship provided by the Tait Memorial Trust. She has also been featured in the Artist Concert Series at the John F. Kennedy Center during the Washington International Piano Festival.

Prior to tertiary studies, Sabina commenced piano lessons with Dr. Christine Logan during her early teens. She was awarded a full music scholarship to study at St. Catherine’s School, Waverley. At the age of thirteen, Sabina gave her solo debut performance at the Sydney Opera House. Since then Sabina actively performed in notable venues such as the Metropolitan Art Space in Tokyo, Japan in 2005 and the University of New South Wales in 2006. Sabina has performed for prominent individuals such as the Korean ambassador and Sir Donald Spencer. In 2007, she was a guest performer in “Richard Tognetti with the Australian Chamber Orchestra Concert” at St. Catherine’s School Waverley. Sabina has also been invited to perform for radio broadcast stations in Sydney such as SBS Broadcast 97.7FM and 2MBS-FM 102.5FM Radio Station consecutively from 2002 till 2008. She has been successful in competitions within Sydney.

Inspired by the humble musicians such as Mitsuko Uchida and Alfred Brendal, Sabina strives to be a dedicated artist who persistently seeks a great depth in musicality. Uchida once said, “What really matters is that your love of music is stronger than your love for yourself.” Sabina aspires to search for a deep insight in music and create thought-provoking performances.

Nicholas Lester, Baritone

Just heard from 2009 Tait Awardee, Nicholas Lester. I remember meeting him in 2006 when he was singing small roles with Opera UK. He has worked several times for Opera Holland Park since and has obviously been doing very well.

Nicholas Lester, Baritone
Nicholas Lester, Baritone

Recent roles include Edward Lear in Ode to nonsense for State Opera of South Australia and Slingsby Theatre; Songs of a Wayfarer, Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen – part of the Rudolph Nureyev Gala for English National Ballet. Upcoming roles include Don Giovanni (cover), Dr Malatesta in Don Pasquale and Ping in Turandot for Scottish Opera

Biography

Nicholas Lester, now a UK citizen resident in London, studied at the Adelaide Conservatorium of Music and at the National Opera Studio, London where his studies were sponsored by Glyndebourne Festival Opera as the recipient of the Anne Woods/Johanna Peters Award.  He was also a recipient of an Independent Opera/National Opera Studio Postgraduate Voice Fellowship and an award from the Tait Memorial Trust.  While at the National Opera Studio he appeared in concert with the Welsh National Opera Orchestra and covered Belcore L’elisir d’amore at Welsh National Opera.

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Early in his career Nicholas Lester’s operatic engagements included The Foreman Jenufa for Glyndebourne On Tour, Count Almaviva The Marriage of Figaro and Theseus A Midsummer Night’s Dream for English Touring Opera, Doctor and Shepherd Pelléas et Méllisande at Opera Holland Park, Diarte Erismena (Cavalli) with New College Opera, Oxford and Justizrat and coverStorch Intermezzo with Scottish Opera.

Other roles Nicholas Lester has performed are Marcello La bohèmeOnegin Eugene OneginPietro Simon Boccanegra, Count Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro, Don Alfonso Cosi fan tutte, Speaker The Magic Flute, Malatesta Don Pasquale, Second Prisoner FidelioAeneas Dido and Aeneas, Miguel Betrothal in a Monastery (Prokofiev), Colonel Calverly PatiencePirate King The Pirates of Penzance,and Sir Joseph Porter HMS Pinafore.  His repertoire also includes Leporello Don Giovanni, Pasha Selim Abduction from the Seraglio, Paris Roméo et Juliette, Kagler Wiener BlutBrioche The Merry Widow, Kuligin Katya Kabanova, Fiorello Il barbiere di Siviglia and The Vicar Albert Herring.

thumb_Junius The Rape of Lucretia (Arcola Theatre)(1)

Nicholas Lester has a busy concert diary.  Recent engagements have included performances of Mendelssohn Elijah, Bach Cantatas, Rameau Motets and Mozart Requiem.  He has sung Brahms Requiem in Beijing, Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Fauré Requiem at St Martin-in-the- Fields and Handel’s, The Messiah under Laurence Cummings.

Nicholas Lester’s recent engagements include Marcello for the State Opera of South Australia and Onegin Eugene Onegin and Figaro The Barber of Seville for English Touring Opera.  Last season he performed Schaunard La Boheme with the Nationale Reisopera in the Netherlands, a role he repeated with Glyndebourne On Tour last autumn and The Speaker The Magic Flute for Scottish Opera in a new production to be directed by Sir Thomas Allen.