Lara Dodds-Eden, piano | Tait Awardee 2006

I was awarded £750 by the Tait Memorial Trust in 2006, just as I embarked on my first year of post-graduate studies specialising in piano accompaniment at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

This award felt like a welcome from a community of like-minded antipodean ex-pats: it made me feel like I was in the right place, and that pursuing my musical studies was worthwhile. I deeply appreciated this as I was so far from my family and trying to manage the precarity of student life and the breathless pace of London.

With the help of this award, my one year programme became seven years of intensive study and performance in London.  During that time I performed all around the UK and further afield, at venues including the Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Purcell Room, Snape Maltings, the Slovakian Philharmonic and Amsterdam’s Het Concertgebouw, and Sydney’s Angel Place Recital Hall. During this period I also performed often with other Tait Awardees, including singers Derek Welton, Seija Knight and Eleanor Greenwood. I performed at the Paxos International Music Festival in Greece from 2009-2013, and from 2010-2013 was Artistic Director.

I recently returned to live in London after completing doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, where I researched the contemporary implications of singing Lieder in English translation. My studies in Canada followed a year spent as resident collaborative pianist at the Banff Centre in the Canadian Rockies, where I had the chance to perform with dozens of musicians from across the world. This included a performance as soloist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and recitals with cellist Gavriel Lipkind, pianist Ronan O’Hora and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew.

Please see my website for further information or news of future projects or to get in touch. I thank the donors past and present for their support and encouragement of young artists like myself as we navigate the very many challenges and joys of this vocation. 

Lara’s website: https://laradodds-eden.com/

RUNE

Announcing Alastair White’s RUNE fashion-opera

Following the acclaimed release of Alastair White’s (Tait Awardee 2021) ‘fashion-operas’ ROBE and WOAD, the Tait Memorial Trust is delighted to announce the forthcoming release of RUNE, in collaboration with the Divine Art team, Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival, UU Studios and designer house Ka Wa Key. RUNE is the third in the series of recordings (and actually the fourth of White’s operas including WEAR, still to be recorded). This exciting new work will be available to view here until the 28th February with our Tait family by permission of the composer.

Due out in Summer 2022, the album is a live recording of RUNE’s world premiere at the Hackney Round Chapel in 2021, which critics called “perfect” (Vogue Italia), “blockbuster…explosive” (Opera Magazine), “spectacular in every sense of the word” (Caroline Potter) and “unquestionably my highlight…a melding of physical and metaphysical, of quantum mechanics and spatial manifestation” (Mark Berry, Boulezian, Seen and Heard International).

Scene from RUNE © Jarno Leppanen/Ka Wa Key

RUNE is a vast cosmological fantasy created in collaboration with the London fashion house Ka Wa Key, featuring an ensemble of three grand pianos conducted by Ben Smith. Smith performs alongside other star pianists Joseph Havlat and Siwan Rhys, as well as the “especially impressive” (The Guardian) Patricia Auchterlonie and the “fierce, fearless and cerebral” (The Guardian) Simone Ibbet-Brown. It is recorded and produced by Chris Tanton.

On a planet where history is forbidden, a young girl dares to tell her story. A voyage across galaxies and millennia, hers is a tale of the archipelagos of Khye-rell and their matterwork, through transdimensional canals and sealanes to the RUNE of the universe’s origin. This song, her story — through the very act of being told — will have consequences beyond imagining…

“Unquestionably my highlight. Glittering, lyrical, highly logical, yet capricious…a melding of physical and metaphysical, of quantum mechanics and spatial manifestation.” – Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International

“Genuinely original…Fashion-opera has enormous capacity as a progressive genre; it is ambitious, uncompromising, unapologetically Marxian, positively vibrating with queer potentiality and never ever trite.” – George K. Haggett, TEMPO
“A perfect combination of show and costume” – Alberto Calabrese, Vogue Italia
Re-opening theatre doors with a grand fashion-opera spectacle, RUNE is a vast cosmological fantasy from the team behind the award-nominated ROBE (“excellent” – BBC Music) and WEAR (“spellbinding” – Boulezian) — featuring an ensemble of three grand pianos, contemporary dance with interactive sculpture, and high fashion by Ka Wa Key.

On a planet where history is forbidden, a young girl dares to tell her story. A voyage across galaxies and millennia, hers is a tale of the archipelagos of Khye-rell and their matterwork, through transdimensional canals and sealanes to the RUNE of the universe’s origin. This song, her story — through the very act of being told — will have consequences beyond imagining…

You can find a libretto for RUNE here

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Kes’Cha’Au: Patricia Auchterlonie
Khye-Rell: Simone Ibbett-Brown

Music Director: Ben Smith
Film: Hannah Lovell
Camera: Barry Hoffman and Damien Naimad
Sound: Chris Tanton

Piano: Joseph Havlat
Piano: Siwan Rhys
Piano: Ben Smith

Dancers:
Ryan Appiah-Sarpong
Max Gershon
Shakeel Kimotho
Thomas Page

Words and Music: Alastair White
Director: Gemma A. Williams
Director: Jarno Leppanen
Fashion: Ka Wa Key
Sculpture: Sid the Salmon

Hair: Maria Kovacs, Readytowearhairdressing
Assisted by: John Harte, Chris Harris-Gibbs and Evelina Lundgren
Makeup: Michelle Strain, AOFMPro, using Dermalogica
Assisted by: Alina Antofe, Laura Hahnel, Matilda Jose and Richa Khatana

Alastair White’s Fashion-Operas

Biography for Alastair White

Alastair White is a New Zealand/Scottish composer and writer.

Described as “spellbinding” (Boulezian), “beautiful” (730 Review), “virtuosic” (Winnipeg Free Press), “deftly manic (American Record Guide) and “passionately atonal” (Gramophone), his work is characterised by a lyrical complexity which draws influence from technology, science, politics and materialism. Recent projects include the fashion-operas WEAR, ROBE (Métier Records February ’21) and WOAD; a string quartet for the Altius Quartet’s album Quadrants Vol. 3 (Navona Records); the documentary opera A Boat in an Endless Blue Sea; WORK: movement through a series of arbitrary partitions for .abeceda; and The Drowning Shore, a Scots-Yiddish cantata.

Shortlisted for a Scottish Award for New Music twice (in 2019 and 2020) and a Creative Edinburgh Award (2019), Alastair has created work for the opera festivals Tête-a-Tête and Opera in the City, the international poetry festival STanza, UKNA City Takeover, Compass Presents, The Scottish School of Contemporary Dance and The Scottish Poetry Library.

His music is supported by Help Musicians UK, the Hinrichsen Foundation, Marchus Trust, The Tait Memorial Trust, Goldsmiths Graduate Fund, and Music Research Committee.

Alastair was a founding member of the Edinburgh-based bands White Heath (Electric Honey) and Blank Comrade (Red Wharf), and has worked as a session pianist and producer. He is currently undertaking a PhD at Goldsmiths, University of London with Roger Redgate and Lauren Redhead, where he organised the interdisciplinary conference on New Materialism Futures of the Real. He publishes and speaks internationally on his research interests, which include the development of an original materialist philosophy, ‘Contingency Dialectics,’ and its methodological implications in Fashion-Opera.

Festive Firebird – Tribute to ballet in Australia and New Zealand

Our concert Festive Firebird was a wonderful celebration of ballet in Australia and New Zealand. We welcomed back Ross Alley as our host and Presenter and thank him sincerely for generously donating his time and expertise to present another magical bespoke concert for us, as ever we welcome his ongoing support. Tait Awardee, Chad Vindin returned as the Musical Director and was our accompanist. Now a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, we are so pleased that our association with Chad can continue in this way. 

Tait Chairman, Isla Baring OAM with Tait Patron and our special guest artist, Piers Lane AO

Listening to Tait Patron, June Mendoza AO OBE talking about her fascinating life and career, stories about her mother’s work with JCW was truly wonderful…the audience of Tait supporters and friends were hanging on every word. June shared her memories about ballet in the UK and Australia, the many famous dancers she has painted, and of her Mother, Dot Mendoza. 

Dot (Doris) Mendoza OAM – Photo credits courtesy of the Australian Variety Theatre Archive

Dot played for Pavlova, and Borovansky, and for many years was JCW’s company pianist. In the 1960’s she was associated with The Mavis Bramston Show in Australia as scriptwriter, composer and performer, in later life she coached actors in performance and voice production. Among those she taught were Barry Humphries, June Salter, Gordon Chater, John Meillon and Jill Perryman. …a truly fascinating life.

Tait Chairman, Isla Baring OAM with Tait Patron and the evening’s star, June Mendoza AO OBE

We are so very grateful to our dear friend, Leslie Macleod-Miller who so generously invited us into his home and allowed us to mount Wednesday night’s concert in his home in Westminster. Not only that but he provided the Australian wines and the delicious canapes for the after performance reception. Thank you Leslie.

We were delighted to welcome HE the Hon. George Brandis QC, High Commissioner of Australia; and Linda Apelt, Queensland Agent General (soon to leave us I am afraid. We are going to miss her positive support of our work terribly)  as our honoured guests. Their support of our work has been a constant that we can always rely upon.

HE the Hon George Brandis QC, High Commissioner of Australia congratulating Isla for what the Tait has achieved to date

The special guest appearance by one of Australia’s greatest pianists and Tait Patron, Piers Lane AO was a treat for us all Piers has just returned to the UK from Australia which included acclaimed performances with Musica Viva, his continued stewardship of the Sydney International Piano Competition, and ended with performances at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville. He played Trois Mouvements de Pétrouchka an arrangement for piano of music from the ballet Petrushka by the composer Igor Stravinsky for the pianist Arthur Rubinstein.

Festive-Firebird-prog-V10-241121

To our Friends, many individual sponsors and loyal supporters: we are so pleased to see your sponsorship growing year-on-year – we can’t do this   without you! This year we hope to increase our awards funding again…thank you for making this happen.

We announced our 2021 Awardees and enjoyed some lovely performances from Lavinnia Rae, cello (NZ) played The Dying Swan; Sarah Prestwidge, soprano (NSW) sang a song by Delibes and the ever poular, ‘I could have danced all night’ from Lerner and Loewes My Fair Lady; and Katherine Allen, soprano (NSW) sang Pie Jesu, Faure & Waltz of my heart, Novello. To see our full list of 2021 awardees click here

Two For The Road

Raising funds for the production and release of Tara Minton & Ed Babar’s new duo album.

Summary

Tait Awardee, Jazz harpist and vocalist Tara Minton, and double bassist Ed Babar have been playing and touring together for eight years. Over that time they have developed a rare musical partnership, honed over countless hours rehearsing, travelling throughout the UK and Europe and playing music to audiences great and small. In April 2021 they recorded an intimate duo album titled “Two For The Road”, recorded over three days at Lightship 95 studio at Trinity Buoy Wharf. The record is produced by Geoff Gascoyne and features guest performances by Stan Sulzmann and Lilia Ioncheva. 

The album explores the relationship and interplay between harp, voice and double bass through an honest and articulate presentation of standards from the Great American Songbook and the modern British jazz canon, 

The goal of this campaign is to raise funds to produce CD’s and a music book of arrangements and transcriptions from the record – a valuable resource for students of jazz harp and double bass. 

What We Need & What You Get

Tara and Ed need to raise £5000 for CD and music book production and promotional campaign of “Two For The Road.” £3000 will pay for the production of the physical copies of the album and book, and the remaining £2000 will cover the promotional costs (so that it actually gets listened to!)

This is an opportunity to assist Tara and Ed in releasing their record by pre-ordering copies of the CD, book and music. Please select any number of pre-order packages below – when the album is released in Nov 2020, you will be the first to receive your copies.

Package 1 – CD’s and Downloads of the album for all donations over £15

Package 2 – open donation of your choosing.

The Impact

Tara has received many requests over the years for sheet music of her arrangements, but has always felt it went against the nature of what it means to play jazz music. “Two For The Road” was recorded live, capturing the improvisation and interplay between Tara and Ed in the moment over three intense days in the studio. After much discussion, they have agreed that sheet music of the arrangements and specific notation of what was played in the sessions might provide a valuable resource for students of jazz harp and double bass. 

Risks & Challenges

Both Tara and Ed feel uncomfortable asking for financial assistance, but to promote an album properly and produce high quality CDs and Music Books takes considerable funds up front. It has been a difficult 18 months for artists, that is why Tara and Ed and asking for you to contribute to this campaign now so that presale revenue will fund the production and promotion of the album, CDs and Music Book.

Other Ways You Can Help

Tara and Ed know many of you don’t have any disposable income right now. If you don’t have money to pre-order an album, but still want to get involved, you can help by sharing this campaign and spreading the word. Anything you can give to make this project a reality is received with the deepest gratitude. 

*Tara’s advanced Jazz studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama were sponsored by Andrew Loewenthal & Eugenie White

Richard Bonynge Award presentation by Australian High Commissioner

Last year we produced a gala concert in the Exhibition Hall, Australian High Commission to celebrate and honour the great Australian conductor Richard Bonynge AC CBE. The concert was generously sponsored by Elspeth Turner-Laing. Richard’s contribution to the performing arts over his long career is incalculable…we were delighted to honour him in this way. The profits from the concert were added to a new fund for an annual Tait Award to be named the Richard Bonynge Award for an outstanding young Australian or New Zealand artist studying in the UK.

Richard Bonynge AC CBE

The sizable award has been generously augmented by a grant from The Linbury Trust,* the charitable arm of the Sainsbury family, we thank Lady Sainsbury CBE most sincerely for her support and encouragement; and a generous charitable donation from the former Chair of The Royal Ballet School, David Norman. Thank you David.

In consultation with Richard Bonynge, our Music Board, and the Leanne Benjamin Awards Board (Ballet) we decided to give the inaugural scholarship to young Australian dancer, Liberty Grace Fergus. Liberty has been offered a place to join the Upper School, The Royal Ballet School in September. She has dedicated her life to ballet and is soon to graduate from the Lower School, The Royal Ballet School, White Lodge.

On Tuesday 25th May we hosted our first live recital at St Paul’s Knightsbridge featuring Australian soprano, Miriam Allan, our first live concert in 14 months. After the recital a formal presentation to Liberty was made by the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency the Hon George Brandis QC. We thank him most sincerely for making the presentation personally and for introducing our concert with Miriam.

We were honoured that our Patron, and Chair of our Ballet Board, Australian dancer and former Principal of The Royal Ballet, Leanne Benjamin AM OBE was able to join us. Her support and advice throughout the selection process has been invaluable.

Liberty Grace Fergus

Liberty started dancing in the womb, a very active baby! She took classes at the local ballet school aged 2 and a half. After moving to The Ballet School, Notting Hill at 6, her teacher Vanessa Donkin suggested she audition for a Junior Associate place at The Royal Ballet School and she was successful! She attended classes every Saturday for 3 years at Covent Garden and loved every minute. As a JA aged 9 she won the Royal Academy of Dance Sallie Lewis Award.

Aged 10 she was selected to perform with the Australian Ballet in Graeme Murphy’s, Swan Lake at the London Coliseum theatre and also with The Bolshoi Ballet Company in Le Corsaire at the Royal Opera House. Both experiences made a huge impression on her and drove her passion for ballet further. She was also invited by The Royal Ballet School outreach team to go on tours to schools outside London to introduce and demonstrate ballet to other young children who may not consider taking it up.

Liberty was offered a place at White Lodge from year 7 and has spent a very happy 5 years training with the Royal Ballet School. She performed with The Royal Ballet company in the Nutcracker for 3 consecutive years.

She was awarded a scholarship to attend the English National Ballet School summer intensive course in 2019 and also received a scholarship to attend the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School for 2 years.  

Liberty’s dream has always been to continue her training at The Royal Ballet Upper School and she is thrilled that she has been offered a place.

*The Linbury Trust was established by Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover KG, and his wife Anya, Lady Sainsbury CBE, the former ballerina, Anya Linden. The Linbury Trust made its first grant award in 1973 and since then has awarded grants of almost £200million.

2020 The Tenor From Oz – Australia’s own Bocelli

From a closed West End theatre stage of lockdown to the recording studio, ‘This is Me’ Paul Ettore Tabone’s new album is crafted from the heart. From 4 years on the stage of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, in the role of Ubaldo Piangi, tenor, Paul Ettore Tabone is about to release his first album, ‘This Is Me’.

‘In the shadow of lock-down and theatre closure I missed singing, performance and audiences – and for me, this became a time to reflect on my journey and the burning need to get on and make my first album, and re-popularise this fabulous art form.’

Paul Tabone, November 2020

From a small town, on a sugarcane & pumpkin farm in the tip of Far North Queensland (Australia) to a leading tenor opera & musical theatre singer is the stuff of fantasy and dreams, but that is the story of Paul Ettore Tabone.
He fell in love with singing at the age of 6 and followed his dream to study music, graduating from CQUniversity in 2009 with a Bachelor of Music Theatre degree. Since then he has been in huge demand – and has been dubbed, ‘Australia’s answer to Andrea Bocelli’.

Paul says, “I loved opera from the very first moment I heard it – and as a small boy couldn’t understand why everyone around me didn’t share that love.”

At 28, Paul was chosen by Signora Nicoletta Mantovani (wife of the late renowned tenor Luciano Pavarotti), to perform as one of four tenors at the world renowned, Arena in Verona, sharing the stage with operatic icons, Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, Jose Carraras and Ambrogio Maestri to an audience of 20,000, in memoriam to Luciano Pavarotti for the 100th year birthday celebration of the Arena in Verona. It was here in 2014 at the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation that Paul met music producer/arranger/ composer, Robin A Smith who is working with him on the album.

Robin said, “Paul has a beautifully warm and rounded tone and is an incredibly versatile singer. He can cover all material from Bocelli and Pavarotti to high opera; Neapolitan songs, and his Caruso is formidable. His style is as original as it is eclectic – a classical crossover, luscious and rich,
reflected perfectly in the songs he has chosen for this album.”

‘Every song in the album is special to me and reflects who I am and where I come from and the people and places that matter to me. I’ve lived in Italy and UK and sang all over the world, but I’m close to my roots and have a deep love and respect for the land, the earth and my heritage, Australia’s heritage. It’s important my album reflects this.’

Paul Tabone, November 2020

With the help of Wirandjuri Soprano/Composer, Shauntai Batzke, Paul had part of the song, ‘I am Australian’ translated into an Aboriginal language to pay respect to the Wirandjuri people, the first people of his nation, and he continues the song in Italian, honouring his own family and all the Italians who have made Australia their home. He sings the song performed at his own parents wedding – a gift for them and a homage to Pavarotti and he sings songs he loves, with a passion he hopes to share with people who may never go and watch opera, but who will be inspired by the joy and heart.

More about Paul’s Career:

  • Duca di Mantova – Rigoletto (G. VERDI) – National Opera Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.
  • Tribute concert for Luciano Pavarotti, New York City Centre, Broadway – organised by the Foundation
  • Lead roles in opera around the world including Opera National, Bucharest, Teatro Del Giglio, Lucca, Italy, Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova, Italy.
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, (Liebe Stirbt Nie – Phantom II) Love Never Dies – Hamburg’s Operettenhaus.

TV credits include:

  • Love Never Dies – Universal Studios International

Theatre credits include:

  • The Dirty Apple (Opera Queensland)
  • Love Never Dies (RUG Australia),
  • 100th Birthday Celebration (Arena Verona, Italy)
  • West Side Story (Carlo Felice Theatre, Italy),
  • Madama Butterfly (Teatro Del Giglio, Lucca, Italy)
  • Rigoletto (Opera Nationala Bucaresti, Romania)
  • Love Never Dies (Stage Entertainment)
  • The Phantom of The Opera (Cameron Mackintosh LTD)

Other credits:

  • Regular Performances at Buckingham Palace/Scottish Guard Vocalist,

About Producer, Robin A Smith

Robin has composed and arranged for such artists as Jose Carreras; Andrea Bocelli; Luciano Pavarotti, Robert Alagna; Michael Crawford; Cher; Enrique; Bacharach; and produced albums for Tommy Emmanuel and Margaret Urlich. He lived in Noosa for several years and understands Paul’s love for Australia and his wish to create and translate this love in, ‘This is Me’.

The Tenor from Oz’ debut album “This is me” will be released for pre-sale on February 15, 2021 together with the video clip of the track “Paradiso” (an arrangement of Bryan Adams “Heaven”). Pre-Sale copies will be personally signed and include a free gift. Copies can be pre-ordered at www.paultabone.com and will be available for worldwide purchase on May 2, 2020 via all online music platforms including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and Itunes.

FOR ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Australia

Jayne Ambrose

Ambrose Management Sydney

TEL (+61) 02 8383 9500 (+61) 0415 221 470

EMAIL jayne@ambrosemanagement.com

FOR ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES: United Kingdom

Michelle Blair

Michelle Blair Management

TEL (+44) 0203 664 9897

EMAIL press@michelleblairmanagement.co.uk

Stars of Covent Garden in Recital at Australia House

Australian soprano Lauren Fagan sings ‘Sleep’ by Sergey Rachmaninoff

With the full, and generous support of the Australian High Commissioner we were given permission to film several concerts in July 2020 in the beautiful surroundings of the Exhibition Hall of the Australian High Commission, London. The concert series was sponsored by Australian international logistics company, Voyage Control.

New Zealand – Tongan tenor, Filipe Manu sings ‘La Ricordanza’ by Bellini

The second concert featured Royal Opera House Covent Garden soloists, former members of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, Lauren Fagan, soprano; Kiandra Howarth, soprano; Filipe Manu, tenor & Samuel Sakker, tenor accompanied by Sergey Rybin.

PROGRAMME-NOTES-TTaH-Covent-Garden

Hosted, and with the full support of the High Commissioner, His Excellency the Honourable George Brandis QC, the ‘High Commissioner – outstanding Australians & New Zealanders in Performance Series’ of online concerts was a major step forward for our Tait Tuesdays at Home series. The series Musical Director was Australian international conductor, Jessica Cottis in concerts featuring outstanding performing artists from Australia & New Zealand from Opera, Musical Theatre and the Concert platform.

The four concerts were:

Joseph Tawadros AM – The Art of the Oud – Joseph Tawadros AM

Stars of Covent Garden in Recital – Lauren Fagan, Kiandra Howarth, Filipe Manu & Samuel Sakker accompanied by Sergey Rybin.

Leslie Howard & Friends – Quintets – Morgan Goff, Leslie Howard, Naoko Keatley, Bridget O’Donnell, and Tim Walden

Golden Age of Musical Theatre – Embla Bishop, Corinne Cowling, Morgan Cowling, Jeremy Kleeman, Josie Lane, Brenton Spiteri, Chad Vindin

Photos by Hannan Images

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Financial Assistance for Artists affected by the COVID-19 crisis:

The Tait Memorial Trust has established an Emergency Relief Fund for Australia/New Zealand Artists to assist our talented young artists who overnight lost 6 months or more of work.

CAF Bank Ltd

Tait Memorial Trust

Sort Code: 40 52 40

Account Number: 00033630

CAF donate: https://bit.ly/CAF_TaitERF

PayPal: https://bit.ly/PayPal_TaitERF

To book: http://taitmemorialtrust.org/events/

Joseph Tawadros AM performs at Australia House

With the full, and generous support of the Australian High Commissioner we were given permission to film several concerts in July 2020 in the beautiful surroundings of the Exhibition Hall of the Australian High Commission, London. The opening concert featured internationally acclaimed Oud virtuoso, Joseph Tawadros AM. Joseph was recently announced as the 2020 winner of the 2020 ARIA Awards World Music category. This is his 5th win of this prize. Attached is a recording of Joseph playing his composition, ‘Dreaming Hermit’.

Hosted, and with the full support of the High Commissioner, His Excellency the Honourable George Brandis QC, the ‘High Commissioner – outstanding Australians & New Zealanders in Performance Series’ of online concerts was a major step forward for our Tait Tuesdays at Home series. The series Musical Director was Australian international conductor, Jessica Cottis in concerts featuring outstanding performing artists from Australia & New Zealand from Opera, Musical Theatre and the Concert platform.

The four concerts were:

Joseph Tawadros AM – The Art of the Oud

Stars of Covent Garden in Recital – Lauren Fagan, Kiandra Howarth, Filipe Manu & Samuel Sakker accompanied by Sergey Rybin.

Leslie Howard & FriendsQuintets – Morgan Goff, Leslie Howard, Naoko Keatley, Bridget O’Donnell, and Tim Walden

Golden Age of Musical Theatre – Embla Bishop, Corinne Cowling, Morgan Cowling, Jeremy Kleeman, Josie Lane, Brenton Spiteri, Chad Vindin

The-Art-of-the-Oud_Notes_280720

“One of the most impressive musicians to emerge in Australia … with a dazzling technique dispensing hair-raising tempos… His writing displays a real depth of emotion …revelling in a zest for life and celebration.”

THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER

Photos by Hannan Images

Joseph Tawadros, oud

At 35, Joseph Tawadros is established as one of the world’s leading oud performers and composers. A virtuoso of diversity and sensitivity, Joseph performs in concert halls worldwide and is known for his brilliant technique, deep musicianship and joyous style of performance. His drive to push musical boundaries has led to many collaborations with significant performers and a solid repertoire of innovative, original music. He has recorded 14 albums – Storyteller, Rouhani, Visions, Epiphany, Angel, The Prophet: Music Inspired by the Poetry of Kahlil Gibran, The Hour of Separation, Band of Brothers, Concerto of the Greater Sea, Chameleons of the White Shadow, Permission to Evaporate, Truth Seekers, Lovers and Warriors, World Music, Live At Abbey Road and The Bluebird, the Mystic and the Fool. Joseph has received 12 nominations and achieved five ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Awards – in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2020 for Best World Music Album – and as a contributor to the Ali’s Wedding soundtrack album in 2017. Joseph’s 2018 album is The Bluebird, The Mystic and The Fool. He recently released his album with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Northey. Born in Cairo, and a resident of Sydney since he was 3 years old, Joseph was nominated for Young Australian of the Year in 2014, received the NSW Premier’s medal for Arts and Culture in the same year and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (AM) for his services to music and composition in 2016. Joseph is acknowledged for expanding the oud’s notoriety in mainstream western culture and has also been recognised in the Arab world, appearing on the judging panel of the Damascus International Oud competition in 2009, and taking part in Istanbul’s first Oud festival in 2010. He has toured extensively, headlining in Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East, and has collaborated with celebrated artists such as Zakir Hussain, Sultan Khan, Béla Fleck, John Abercrombie, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Richard Bona, Roy Ayers, Joey DeFrancesco, Howard Johnson, Jean Louis Matinier, Ivry Gitlis, Camerata Salzburg, Christian Lindberg, Neil Finn, The Grigoryan Brothers, Kate Miller-Heidke and Katie Noonan. He has performed and recorded with Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and the Academy of Ancient Music in London, making him the first and only Australian composer whose music has been performed by this prestigious orchestra. He has regularly performed with the Sydney, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony orchestras. Joseph is currently based in London, UK but travels often to perform including Australian tours each year. Highlights include performing his own works with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms in Dubai and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s premiere Joseph’s Concerto for Oud & Orchestra.

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Financial Assistance for Artists affected by the COVID-19 crisis:

The Tait Memorial Trust has established an Emergency Relief Fund for Australia/New Zealand Artists to assist our talented young artists who overnight lost 6 months or more of work.

CAF Bank Ltd

Tait Memorial Trust

Sort Code: 40 52 40

Account Number: 00033630

CAF donate: https://bit.ly/CAF_TaitERF

PayPal: https://bit.ly/PayPal_TaitERF

To book: http://taitmemorialtrust.org/events/

Tait Tuesdays back catalogue

Since lockdown began we have produced a weekly online concert featuring our Awardees, or in some cases notable Australians or New Zealanders in the Arts in the UK. The concerts have entertained our Friends and supporters and also provided greatly needed income for the artists. We offer a simple split of the net box office with 80% going directly to the artists, and 20% to the Tait Memorial Trust Emergency Relief Fund for young Australian/New Zealand performing artists resident in the UK* who have lost all their work due to the ongoing pandemic.

Upon buying a ticket you are sent a link to view the recital at any time for a period of 6 months from the first broadcast!

To join the Tait Memorial Trust Email List for information about future events, click here

To those of you who have supported these concerts we can’t thank you enough.

To see the concerts available to view now:

The ‘in conversation’ with Simone Young AM, Leanne Benjamin AM OBE and Steven McRae was first broadcast May 26th and is unique amongst our catalogue of recordings as it is an open conversation between 3 giants from their respective artforms.

The direct link to book is here. You only have a few days left to see it as it goes offline on December 1st.

*At the moment the fund is available only to Tait Awardees and to the artists who performed for us in the Bushfire concert in March. If more money comes in we may be in a position to broaden its scope. 

Kiandra Howarth wins Bel Canto Award

We are all thrilled for 2019 #TaitAwardee Kiandra Howarth for winning this years AUD$30,000 Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award and Foundation #BelCantoAward which was recently announced in Sydney. Kiandra was also awarded the AUD$1000 Audience Choice Prize, and was also placed third in the Elizabeth Connell Prize for Aspiring Dramatic Sopranos, winning $5000.  The Gold Coast-born soprano holds the distinction of being the first finalist to ever participate in both competitions, Kiandra is a former member of the Royal Opera House’s Jette Parker Young Artist Programme,

Kiandra secured her Bel Canto Award win with a performance of Dove sono from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Ch’il bel sogno di Doretta from Puccini’s La Rondine. In the Elizabeth Connell Prize, the soprano sang Das war sehr gut, Mandryka from Strauss’ Arabella and Senza Mamma from Puccini’s Suor Angelica.

Second place in the Bel Canto Award was awarded to New Zealand soprano Eliza Boom who won the AUD$10,000 Richard Bonynge Award, while Australian soprano Michelle Ryan received the AUD$5000 DECCA Award & the Tait Memorial Trust Award for placing third.

Earlier this year Kiandra and fellow Tait Awardee, Krystal Tunnicliffe, piano delighted our Tait Friends singing, “We’ll Gather Lilacs” by Ivor Novello at our annual Friends event at Stoke Lodge, the official residence of the Australian High Commissioner, London. We thank the High Commissioner, His Excellency the Hon George Brandis QC most sincerely for inviting us into his home for such a special occasion.

To learn more about the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation please click here