Author: taittweets2013
Jayson Gillham
A blog post from Tait Awardee, Jayson Gillham
Letter from Lauren Fagan – Soprano
Dear Friends and Family,
It has been awhile since I last wrote with an update on things happening in London so hope you enjoy some of my news and developments.
It seems like a long time ago now but less than a month ago we had the performances of my final opera at Guildhall ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’. We were lucky enough to have Jonathan Dove the composer come to many of the rehearsals and also to work with Eilene Hannan on the English as they riskily decided to have no surtitles for the performances. Overall the opera was very well received as it was the first time a conservatoire had performed it. I have included some photos from the show – the Blue paint was very hard to get off every night and my elbows have only just come clean.
Glyndebourne chorus rehearsals started two weeks ago, I have moved from London to the beautiful town of Lewes (the main town closest to Glyndebourne).
I am living in a big house with my friend Josh, another singer from Guildhall – although there are lots of singers all scattered around the town.
We each have our own room and big living space but share the house with an older couple. I’m very glad I chose to live in Lewes as it makes it possible to go in early to practice and also spend time with all the other singers (however in saying that, it is just over an hour to get back into London by train so will be going back most weekends to keep singing lessons up).
The first opera I am a part of is Eugene Onegin – last week the main challenge was working on all the Russian but it has all come together very quickly and the sound is very impressive already. Shortly we will begin work on La traviata (where I will be covering one of the small roles ‘Annina’) and then later on Don Giovanni.
A few days ago The Royal Opera House announced the coming season for next year. I have been giving some nice little roles that will allow me to ease into the intense year coming up.
My biggest role will be singing Giulia in Rossini’s ‘La scala di seta’. This opera won’t be on the main house stage but is a chance to perform with the other new Young Artists and with orchestra. I have already started working hard on this role as Giulia rarely leaves the stage and the role involves a fair amount of coloratura (fast passages of notes), which my voice is currently not particularly attuned to doing!! I’m feeling very motivated to develop this technique as I think if I can master this role a whole new area of repertoire will be opened up to me and I also want to make a good first impression.
For the Opera house main stage I’m very excited to be singing Papagena in Die Zauberflote and will also be one of the ‘Girls’ in The Rise and Fall of Mahagonny.
The roles that I will be covering include Gianetta in L’elisir d’amore, Oskar in Un ballo in maschera and Jemmy in Guillaume Tell – there are a lot of big names singing the lead roles in these operas so will be great to see them at work.
Here is more information about the season if of interest: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/opera-and-music-201415
Just before heading to Glyndebourne I had the Jette Parker Induction week. The other 4 young artists selected had come from all over to be there; it was a funny experience to be the only girl with four extremely tall boys but I’m sure I will get used to it 🙂 It was also nice to see the two other Australian’s Sam and Sam who I know well from my time with the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust
We launched straight into a week of sessions to give us a taste of the various coaches and services we have access to – now and for the rest of our lives!
Over the week we were involved in sessions including Stage Fighting, Media and Interviews, Stagecraft, Movement, Alexander technique, Vocal Coaching with a number of regarded teachers (including Yvonne Kelly), and Mind Skills – which I found particularly interesting as the woman taking the session is able to help with things from organisation, to calming nerves, building adrenalin and switching off after performances to fall asleep.
So far I am loving my first real taste of singing work – although sometimes it’s hard to think of Glyndebourne as work when you are singing in such a beautiful environment.
Hope all of you are well, and would love to hear any news from back home.
Love Lauren
The Trust are thrilled for Lauren and for the two Sams, Sam Sakker and Sam Johnson, for gaining 3 of the 5 coveted positions at Covent Garden. They will be joining Australian soprano Kiandra Howarth and stage director Greg Eldridge in the programme.
Photos are copyright to Clive Barda
Yelian He wins the Australian Cello Awards Competition
We are thrilled to hear that Yelian He, Tait Awardee 2009, has been awarded the inaugural Australian Cello Awards. Congratulations Yelian. Yelian was the recipient of the Allen-Evans Scholarship, the Grand Prize of the inaugural Australian Cello Awards Competition, the Audience Prize as well as the Sydney Symphony concerto prize.
Yelian performs with Yasmin Rowe in their Cello and Piano duo Y2QUARED. Listen to them performing the Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Cello in F here
It is our great pleasure to be able to let you know that Yasmin and I performed at the finals of the inaugural Australian Cello Awards Competition on the night of 30th March 2014. We were incredibly fortunate and privileged to be selected by a jury of eminent Australian musicians as the Grand Prize winner as well as the recipient of the Audience Prize and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Concerto Prize. (Yelian will be back in Sydney to perform a concerto with the Sydney Symphony in 2015/16)
Needless to say, we’re both over the moon – we both love Australia very much for it’s weather – people – and food. We thought you’d be interested to know as you are an important part of why we were able to achieve this, so thank you very much for your support and we look forward to being able to give you more good news as the time goes by.
Yelian & Yasmin, 2nd April 2014
More here from the Sydney Morning Herald
The website of the Australian Cello Awards
Australian Cello Awards | Home
Great success for Tait Awardee, Yelian He
Tait Friends at Stoke Lodge 18th March 2014
On Tuesday March 18th the Trust invited our Friends to the home of the Australian High Commissioner, Stoke Lodge. The evening was hosted by Sasha Carruozzo, wife of Mike Rann CNZM the Australian High Commissioner, and by Tait Memorial Trust Chairman, Isla Baring OAM. The Trust are terribly grateful to Mike and Sasha and want to publicly thank them for their generosity in allowing us to use their home to entertain our guests.
We were delighted to welcome many of our most valued and generous supporters, the Deputy Australian High Commissioner, Mr Andrew Todd and his wife, and the Agents’ General of Western Australia, Queensland and Western Australia.
Awardees present included: Greta Bradman, Soprano; Benjamin Mellefont, Clarinet; Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, Violin; Sophie Moffatt, Ballet; Kevin Penkin, Composition (2013/14 Tait Scholar); Calvin Richardson, Ballet and Adam Szabo, Cello.
Joining us was Sam Sakker, a young Australian tenor who is to sing at the Royal Opera House in their Jette Parker Young Artist Programme from September 2014, who sang Lehar’s classic, Dein is mein ganzes Herz and the Australian National Anthem all a capella. He has the most thrilling voice with the richest/warmest tone. Adam Szabo, Tait Awardee 2013, played some selections from JS Bach’s cello suites…incredibly beautifully.
Tait Friends
We launched our new Friends scheme which includes a new initiative called, Adopt a Performer. The scheme would link a donor, or a group of donors, to one awardee for three years ( the length of the typical undergraduate degree or course) For a minimum subscription of £75 Tait Friends receive discounts to Tait events and an invitation to an annual reception. The greatest benefit to all donors is the knowledge that they are making a tangible difference to the life of a young Australian performing artist. More information about our new Friends scheme can be found here
Julian Gavin, new Tait Patron
Our new Patron, Australian international tenor, Julian Gavin was introduced to our Friends and has agreed to join our Music Board (the selection process for the 2014/15 awards begins soon. Applications for music awards close on Monday 31st March. More info here
The Leanne Benjamin Awards
An honoured guest was Australian principal ballerina, Leanne Benjamin OBE. Recently retired from The Royal Ballet after a 21 year first class career with the company, Miss Benjamin has agreed to join us to create a new award(s) in her name which will help fund the studies of young Australian dancers in the UK. Called The Leanne Benjamin Awards the Trust are producing a gala reception with a masterclass taken by Miss Benjamin and Australian senior teacher at the school, Mark Annear, at The Royal Ballet School, Floral Street, Covent Garden. This fundraising event will be held in the Linden Studio at The Royal Ballet School on Thursday 12th June. We are very grateful to the staff and students at the school for allowing us to use this excellent venue for our event.
Tickets to this special Tait event are available here
