Tait Winter Prom 2016 at St John's Smith Square | Sponsored by Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Reflecting upon our 5th Tait Winter Prom and our rapidly approaching quarter century, I feel overwhelmed by the wonderful support and goodwill we had for this event, as for all of them since our very first concert with Liane Keegan at Australia House in 1992. A major Australian scholarship holder, Liane‘s arrival in the UK in that year prompted me to think about how we might set about trying to help talented young Australians arriving to study and work in Europe, and thus the Tait Memorial Trust was born.

 

2016 was  another big and busy year for us, with three successful events, in addition to the Winter Prom. In the 2016/17 UK academic year  19 young artists will receive assistance from us, of awards totalling £40,000, which is more than triple the sum of only three years ago. Especially pleasing is the support of young dancers through the Leanne Benjamin Awards, and we look forward to extending our relationships with individuals and corporations who recognise the challenges facing very young Australian dancers leaving home and family to follow their dreams.

We also acknowledge a generous bequest from the Estate of Lady Mackerras, which will guarantee a ten year sponsorship of an orchestral chair for an Australian musician, in the Southbank Sinfonia, in the name of Sir Charles Mackerras. Heartfelt thanks to their daughter, Cathy, for appreciating and continuing the encouragement her father and mother always warmly extended to us.

The Trust has been honoured with such generous and continuing support and friendship from HE The Hon. Alexander Downer, High Commissioner for Australia, and his wife Nicola, who were our guests of honour at the Prom. With the help of a new enthusiastic and hard-working Tait Artistic Planning Committee, we again formed a near all-Australian chamber orchestra, a number of whom have been supported by the Trust in their studies. Our conductor Jessica Cottis, who is chairing this committee, is fast gaining recognition internationally for her work, and we are so very lucky to have her inspirational guidance as we continue to support the next generation of talented young Australians who come here to complete their studies.

We dedicated our first work, Mozart‘s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra K364 to our much loved Patron, The Dowager Countess of Harewood, on the occasion of her 90th Birthday. Once a professional violinist herself, this has special meaning for her. We are so grateful for Lady Harewood’s patronage over much of our 25 years – that she has wanted to share our cause has been very gratifying, and immensely helpful to us. A very happy 90th Birthday!

Dowager Countess of Harewood
Dowager Countess of Harewood

We are also deeply indebted to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, who have been our Principal Partner for the past three years. We hope, as they see the important work we do for the young Australians in this highly competitive arts marketplace here, that their very welcome support will continue.

Chevalier Richard Gunter has once again generously sponsored our venue, this time the marvellous St John‘s Smith Square, and to our many individual sponsors and loyal supporters, all of whom we gratefully acknowledge below: we are so pleased to see your sponsorship growing year-on-year – we can‘t do without you!

Chevalier Richard Gunter
Chevalier Richard Gunter

Please continue to help us in any way you can (Click here for further information). Next year is our 25th anniversary and our work goes on! Happy Christmas, we look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

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Isla Baring OAM
Chairman,
The Tait Memorial Trust

Tait Winter Prom Angels
Chev. Richard Gunter (Hire of the Hall)
The Hon. Sarah Joiner (Programme printing)
Mrs Jan Gowrie-Smith (Conductor)
The Linbury Trust
The Bernays Trust
Mr Kerry Rubie
Viscountess Bridgeman
Lady Rosa Lipworth CBE
Dame Norma Major DBE
Mrs Pamela Le Couter
Mr Patrick Kennedy
Mrs Lyn Robertson
Mr & Mrs J Bryant
Lady Jopling
Mr Christin Odey

Supported the Orchestra
Mr Peter Box
Mrs Katherine Scholfield
Mrs Lynette Braithwaite
The Hon. Susan Baring OBE
Mrs June Mendoza AM OBE
Countess of Portsmouth
Mr Henry Lumley
The Hon. Mrs Patricia Wyndham

Partners:
Australia Day Foundation
Australian Business
Britain-Australia Society
Royal Over-Seas League
Australian Charity
Art Auction
Australian Women‘s Club, London
The Cook Society

With thanks:
Roses Only UK
SANZA
Raffle Prize donors
West Green Opera
Nexus

Special thanks:
Diana Murray
Jeremy Vinogradov
Vivien Conacher
Simon Campion
Amanda Fitzwilliams
Acknowledgements:
Bobby Williams, Video
Hannan Images, Photo
Anne Longdon
Jessica Cottis
Artistic Planning Committee
Steve McRae
Tonight‘s soloists
The Tait Chamber Orchestra
The Tait Committee
The Sidney Nolan Trust

OUR SUPPORTERS
We are very grateful for the support that we receive from

Principal Partner
Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Tait Grainger Patron £10,000+
Julian Baring Family*
The Estate of Lady Mackerras*

Tait Sutherland Benefactor £5,000+
Sir David & Lady Higgins*
Mr John Frost AM*

Tait Bonynge Partner £3,000+
The Estate of Peggy Haim

Tait Helpmann Circle £1,000+
Mrs Jan Gowrie-Smith
Chevalier Richard Gunter
Mr & Mrs David Hunter
Mr Albert Kwok & Mrs Stephanie McGregor
Mr Andrew Loewenthal & Ms Eugenie White*
The Thornton Foundation
Mrs Margaret Rodgers
Mrs Jacqueline Thompson & Mr Damian Walsh
Mr Michael Whalley
Ms Karen Goldie-Morrison*
Ms Louise Worthington*
VEC Acorn Trust

TMT Frank & Viola Friends £500+
Mr Julian Agnew
Mr & Mrs Christopher Braithwaite
Mr Hugh Bayne

Tait Amis Supporter £250+
Mr John Coke
The Hon. Sarah Joiner
Mrs Anne Longdon
Mr & Mrs Jan Pethick
Mr Kerry Rubie
The Hon. Sir R. Storey Bt CBE

TMT Friends £75+
Miss Marylyn Abbott
Mr Eric Adler
Mrs June Allison
Ms Ariadne Jane Baring
The Hon. Mark Baring
The Hon. Susan Baring OBE
Mrs Nina Bialoguski
Mr Lindsay Birrell
Ms Sue Bradbury
Viscountess Harriet Bridgeman
Mrs Diana Burley
Mrs Lorraine Buckland
Mrs Jane Butter
Mr Marcus Clapham
Mrs Sandra Clapham
Mr John Crisp
Ms Fay Curtin
Mr Roger Davenport
Mrs Anne Davidson
Mrs Celeste Ekerick
Mr Edward Field
Dr Rodney Foale
Miss Rosemary Frischer
Mr Phillip Hart
Dr John Keets
Mr Patrick Kennedy
Mr Martin Kramer
Mrs Wendy Kramer
Lady Rosa Lipworth CBE
Mr Henry Lumley
Miss Joanna McCallum
Ms Sue McGregor
Ms Lisa Orlov
Ms Mary Rayner
Mr John Rendall
Ms Jacqueline Rowlands
Ms Katherine Scholfield
Mr Ian Tegner
Mrs Annette Thorp
Rev John Wates OBE
*Adopt a Performer

Greg Eldridge, Director | 2016 Update

Lovely to read Australian Director, Greg Eldridge’s 2016 update. His career has flourished in the UK thanks mainly to his 2 years with the Royal Opera House, Jette Parker Young Artist Programme, Covent Garden. His articles about his work as an assistant director, shared by Melbourne based arts magazine, Rehearsal Magazine,  giving us a look behind the scenes with Neil Armfield’s production of Wagner’s, The Ring Cycle with Opera Australia are brilliant, and give us  a rare insight into the hard work and discipline required to produce such a complex piece.

We wish Greg all the very best of success in 2017. We just found out that he was named 2016 Outstanding Director for an Independent Company by Opera Chaser for his production of Trouble of Tahiti for the Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival. Congratulations from us all at the Tait.

Outstanding Director – Independent
Greg Eldridge
Trouble in Tahiti, Gertrude Opera for the Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival

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END OF YEAR NEWSLETTER

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Welcome to my final update for 2016!

I’m excited both to be looking back on a hugely eventful year and looking forward to the exciting new challenges of 2017. This last 12 months has seen me see out my position as Jette Parker Associate Director at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden as well as directing shows in Italy and China and working for the first time with Opera Australia on their Ring Cycle.

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This year, I’ve worked on a total of 10 operas, 2 plays and a dance piece, and I’ve been blessed to have worked with a huge number of amazing colleagues both on- and off-stage. I’ve been pleased also to continue my work with emerging singers and directors as a mentor and speaker for the Stonecrabs Young Directors Training Programme, Cooper Hall Opera Club, Music Academy International, Gertrude Opera Studio, and through various talks and workshops for The Royal Opera.

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I’ve also been honoured this year to have been appointed to the Opera Committee of Stage Directors UK, where I have joined fellow directors Sam Brown and Elijah Moshinsky to work on behalf of opera directors in the UK. SDUK represents the interests of directors across all forms of theatre and at all stages of career, and I encourage anyone who is involved in this area of theatre practice to join now!

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I’m really grateful to have had such an amazing year, and I’m looking forward to 2017, which will see me work in 5 countries on some of my favourite pieces – details to come…

—–Read More—–

Source: 2016 Update