Tait Performing Arts Association – Page 4

Founding Patrons of the Tait Memorial Trust

The founding Patrons of the Tait Memorial Trust were Viola, Lady Tait AM, Dame Joan Sutherland AC OM DBE, John McCallum AO CBE and Googie Withers AO CBE.

The Tait Memorial Trust was formed in 1992 by Isla Baring OAM, in memory of her father, Sir Frank Tait and his four brothers. The Tait brothers ran the biggest theatrical group in Australia; called J.C. Williamsons, often referred to as, “The Firm”.

British Pathe tribute to the death of Sir Frank Tait

Manager of the ABC, Sir Frank Tait, Marion Anderson, USA Consul, Town Hall concert, Melbourne, 1962 Part of Lady Viola Tait collection — Manager of the ABC, Sir Frank Tait, Marion Anderson, USA Consul, Town Hall concert, Melbourne, 1962
Part of Lady Viola Tait collection

They owned theatres in all states and theatres in New Zealand,, their base of operations was Her Majesty’s ( or His Majesty’s for a period ) in Melbourne,. They employed local artists and international artists such as Pavlova, Chaliapin, Melba, Danny Kaye, Gracie Fields, Laurence Olivier, Sybil Thorndike, Margot Fonteyn, Vivien Leigh, Percy Grainger and many more.

They maintained offices in London and New York to ensure that they could book the best talent to come to Australia, JC Williamson’s famously acquired the Australian performing rights from the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company for all of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

: Dame Nellie Melba, Soprano

They put on most American musicals from Annie get your Gun to My Fair Lady. Sir Frank’s last enterprise, the crowning glory of his long career was the Sutherland-Williamson Opera Company in 1965. A company formed the previous year with no subsidy and brought opera to Australia, on tour. A true laurel in the crown of JC Williamson’s and Sir Frank Tait.

images — Googie Withers AO CBE & John Macallum AO CBE, Founding Patrons of the Tait Memorial Trust

Viola, Lady Tait, the widow of Sir Frank Tait, wrote, ‘A Family of Brothers’, a wonderful book and vivid account of the growth of the Tait brothers theatre business culminating in the golden days of JC Williamson’s Theatre Company and the Sutherland-Williamson Co. of 1965. Viola, Lady Tait’s zest for life was inspirational. She was a champion of new and emerging talent, adjudicating numerous scholarships and awards both in Australia and overseas. As an adjudicator for The Shell-Mobil Quest in 1950, Viola Tait was famously instrumental in launching Joan Sutherland’s career.

: Lady McKell and Viola Tait at opening of the ballet, ca. 1950 Part of Lady Viola Tait collection 1850-1976. National Library of Australia Archive

It became Sir Frank’s ambition to present Joan Sutherland to the Australian public after her international acclaim. The Sutherland Williamson Grand Opera Company opened in Melbourne in 1965 heralding her triumphant return to her homeland. It was a season never to be forgotten. Joan Sutherland sang some of the best performances of her career while on this tour. She performed in five of the eight operas along with the young Pavarotti.

In Richard Bonynge’s words:

“Sir Frank Tait has done the greatest service to Australian Theatre and to the arts of anyone we know.”

More information on the Trust history can be found on our website. www.taitmemorialtrust.org

Tait History (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)

Tait Memorial Trust website

John Amis Award

As we prepare for John Amis’ funeral on Tuesday 20th August the idea of a legacy, a tangible way to remember John has been at the forefront of our thoughts. A life, such as his is a rare occurrence and deserves our very best efforts to remember and celebrate.

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’.

We have created a JustGiving page in the name of John Amis which is attached to the main TMT page. Any money donated via John’s page will go directly to fund this new award.

John Amis

Six weeks in a bank was enough for him to decide to live by and with music. Selling records and writing about them for a high-class gramophone shop, working with London Philharmonic, Symphony and Royal Philharmonic, organising concerts for Myra Hess at the National Gallery and for Michael Tippett whose secretary-dogsbody and friend he was, concert manager for Beecham, music critic for The Scotsman, organiser of the Summer School of Music with William Glock at Bryanston and Dartington for 34 years, broadcaster on radio and TV for 40, during which time he interviewed some 500 of the most famous and interesting musicians, Hindemith to Bernstein, Cage to Swann, Stravinsky to Stockhausen. He has narrated parts in Façade, Peter and the Wolf, Enoch Arden and Babar the Elephant.

John Amis speaking at the Malcolm Arnold Festival 2011

For his 70th birthday made a CD with friends Leslie Howard, Steve Race, Malcolm Arnold, Donald Swann, Jeffrey Tate and Ian Wallace. His books include an autobiography,Amiscellany, an anthology Words about Music and My Life in Music 1945 – 2000, A Photographer at the Aldeburgh Festival (Nigel Luckhurst) and Musicians on Camera(Lelia Goehr).

John was a very active blogger. His site John Amis online has a selection of his reviews going back to 2001. http://johnamismusic.blogspot.co.uk

The Archive of over 500 priceless interviews with the leaders of Western music and the Arts is being collected. Watch this space.

John Amis – Critic, Broadcaster and Patron of the TMT (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)
A Farewell to John Amis (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)
John Amis obituary (theguardian.com)
John Amis (en.wikipedia.org)
John Preston Amis ( 17 June 1922 – 1 August 2013 ) (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)
John Amis (telegraph.co.uk)
John Amis: Music critic and broadcaster who graced radio’s ‘My Music’ for two decades (independent.co.uk)

Lauren Fagan, Soprano. Opera course at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2013

Lauren Fagan has been in Banff, Canada for the past 5 weeks singing the role of Mrs Coyle in Owen Wingrave. This was the Canadian premiere of this opera, conducted by Dominic Wheeler and directed by Kelly Robinson. GSMD took across 6 singers from the opera course for the production where they got the chance to work with the original Owen, baritone, Benjamin Luxon.

Listen to Lauren’s lovely voice here

Lauren is about to start her second year on the opera course at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In the first term Lauren will be singing the role of Lia in Debussy’s L’enfant prodigue at the Barbican and in the second term, Lauren will sing the role of the Blue Fairy in Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio

Lauren’s website:

Lauren’s award is supported by the Michael Whalley Foundation

Biography

Australian born soprano Lauren Fagan is a young artist at the outset of a promising career. Initially completing a Business degree, Lauren has recently moved to London to accept her scholarship on the Opera course at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the tutelage of Susan Waters. In August this year Lauren will be singing the role of Mrs Coyle in Britten’s Owen Wingrave as part of the Banff Summer Arts Festival in Canada. In Guildhall’s Opera scenes she has been featured as; Micaëla Carmen, Jenůfa Jenůfa, Marschallin Der Rosenkavalier, Natasha War and Peace, Vitellia La clemenza di Tito, Alice Falstaff, Fiordiligi Così fan tutte and First Lady Die Zauberflöte. Other operatic roles performed include Frasquita in Carmen at The State Theatre and Chorus in the Australian premiere of Dead Man Walking.

Lauren was runner up in the 2012 McDonald’s Operatic Aria Final, with finalists from around Australia and New Zealand. In 2012, she also placed third in the National Joan Sutherland Richard Bonynge Vocal Scholarship and won the Operatic Aria Final at the Ryde Eisteddfod. She was awarded ‘The Dame Nellie Melba Scholarship – ‘Patrick and Vivian Gordon Award’ from ‘The Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust’ in 2011 and 2012. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Dame Nellie Melba she performed a solo recital on 3MBS FM, Melbourne as part of Ann Blainey’s radio interview, ‘I am Melba’. Her performance of “Depuis le jour” was later selected for the 3MBS Alive CD (2012).

She has developing experience as a soloist; performing for The Opera and Arts Support Group, Clonter Opera, Artsong NSW, Opera on the Beach, Joan of Arc – Voices of Light Oratorio, Carols in the Domain, World Youth Day Opening Ceremony and Australian Idol Grand Final.

Over the last two years Lauren has had the opportunity to work with Dennis O’Neill, Christine Brewer, Liane Keegan, Sylvia Greenberg, David Aronson, Cheryl Barker, Eilene Hannan, Yvonne Kenny, Sharolyn Kimmorley, Glenn Winslade, Anna Sweeney and Chuck Hudson.

Lauren’s continued development is generously supported by The Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust, The Opera and Arts Support Group, The Tait Memorial Trust, Ars Musica Australis, The Donnelly’s, Opus 50 Charitable Trust and The City Livery Club London.

Cast of Owen Wingrave, Bannf, Canada. August 2013

Phoebe-Celeste Humphreys, Soprano, Masters student at GSMD

Since relocating to London, young soprano Phoebe-Celeste Humphreys (22) has gone from strength to strength. Phoebe recently completed a Master of Music at The Guildhall School Of Music and Drama, London under scholarship and received a distinction in her final recital. In 2013/14 Phoebe will undergo an additional year of study at The Guildhall to complete a Masters in Performance under the tutelage of Marilyn Rees.

Originally from Sydney, Australia, Phoebe has been on the classical singing scene for many years having won numerous Australian competitions and prizes, including:

Winner of Operatic Aria Open Final (Woolongong 2012)

Winner of Operatic Aria (McDonalds Performing Arts Challenge 2012),

French & German Award (McDonalds Performing Arts Challenge 2012)

Winner of the prestigious Dame Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonygne Scholarship in 2009, selected by Maestro Bonynge.

Fourth prize in the National Aria Final (Australian National 2011)

In 2012, during her time at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Phoebe’s roles have included: Mimi La Boheme, Elvira L’italiana in Algeri, Polisenna Radamisto as well as Chorus Le Portrait de Manon. Externally, her roles this year include Lauretta Gianni Schicchi. Phoebe was recently invited to take part in the Young Artist program with Des Netherlandes Opera working on the role of Eve in Stockhaussen’s Montag aus Licht.

Phoebe has enjoyed a fruitful summer that included travelling to North Yorkshire with Ryedale Festival Opera covering the role of Pamina The Magic Flute followed by travelling to Wales to perform the role of Miss Wordsworth Albert Herring with Mid Wales Opera Young Artist Program.

Phoebe has also had the opportunity to sing at a number of concerts throughout the year, one highlight was to sing as soprano soloist for the LSO Song day performing Brahm’s Ein deutsches Requiem.

For the upcoming academic year her aim is to focus on performing a number of recitals within London, including one focussing on the works of Australian Art Song composers, to spread the intelligence and beauty of Australian classical compositions, as well as being actively involved in all performance opportunities offered at college as well as taking part in a number of external engagements.

With the ongoing support of The Tait Memorial Trust Phoebe has been able to experience her new life as a London based singer to the fullest and looks forward to what the next year has to bring.

Morgan Pearse interview on eastsid fm 89.7 Sydney

Fascinating interview given by Sydney born bass baritone, Morgan Pearse. It really is a must listen for all aspiring young singers here

Morgan Pearse website

Isla Baring OAM, Chairman of the Tait Memorial Trust

Isla Baring OAM

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.

Tait History (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)
Sabina Im, Concert Pianist – Royal College of Music, Master of Piano Performance Degree (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)
Jayson Gillham to play for Tait Performing Arts Association (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)
Sky Ingram, A young soprano on her way (taitmemorialtrust.wordpress.com)

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 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

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.

Sky Ingram, A young soprano on her way

Tait Awardee, Australian Soprano, Sky Ingram has just completed a year at the prestigious National Opera Studio. Highlights included the Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera residencies, the song project with Ian Burnside, and working with Keith Warner and Nicholas Cleobury on the Contemporary Opera Scenes – where she was lucky enough to work with composer Jonathan Dove; who re-wrote the last 2 bars of one of his pieces for Sky to better suit the opera scenes!

Sky is now preparing to work as a principal soprano at Opera North. Her roles will include Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Festival of Britten, and then again in 2014 as the cheeky Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème.

We are delighted to hear that Sky has signed with the agency Ingpen & Williams and English National Opera have engaged her on a cover contract for 2013 .

Wonderful news Sky.

Website: www.skyingram.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sopranoskyingram?ref=hl

Sydney Chamber Opera, Owen Wingrave

The new production of Benjamin Britten’s television opera, Owen Wingrave is getting rave reviews from the press in Sydney.

Above a lovely article from the Sydney, Daily Telegraph and a review from Limelight here

The cast includes Tait Awardees, Morgan Pearse and Simon Lobelson. We are delighted to read the attached reviews and look forward, hopefully, to hearing a recording(?)

Morgan returns to London to sing at Wigmore Hall later this month. Bravo

OWEN WINGRAVE

Opera in two acts, Op. 85 by Benjamin Britten
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper

Australian Stage Premiere

Benjamin Britten is the most important British composer of the twentieth century, and is the greatest composer of opera in English. Based on a Henry James ghost story, Owen Wingrave is a statement of Britten’s lifelong pacifism. Composed during the Vietnam War, it is the story of a young soldier from an eminent military family whose anti-war instincts lead him to rebel against his upbringing. Desperate to keep his would-be bride and prove he isn’t a coward, he is forced to confront the ghosts of his ancestry.

The music is Britten at his refined, luminous best, with influences ranging from Gamelan to twelve-tone techniques. Imara Savage returns to Sydney Chamber Opera to direct the work’s Australian stage premiere.

Photography: Samuel Hodge

Conductor
Jack Symonds
Director
Imara Savage
Set & Costume
Katren Wood
Lighting Design
Conductor
Jack Symonds
Director
Imara Savage
Set & Costume
Katren Wood
Lighting Design
Ross Graham
With
Morgan Pearse, Georgia Bassingthwaighte, Rowena Cowley, Emily Edmonds, Paul Ferris, Pascal Herington, Simon Lobelson, Kornelia Perchy, boys’ choir, orchestra, and male movement ensemble
Date & Time
7.30pm Sat 3, Mon 5, Wed 7, Fri 9, Sat 10 August 2013
Venue
Carriageworks Bay 20, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh
Tickets
$60/$30 available here

The above details from the Sydney Chamber Opera site

Morgan Pearse site

Simon Lobelson site

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