Musical standard impresses judges
Talented children shine in eisteddfod spotlight
THE 2015 annual Port Rex Lions Eisteddfod is in full swing and this year a new category has been introduced to cater for more contemporary bands.
Shirley Corrigan, a member of the Eisteddfod committee, said there was a need to make the event appealing to musicians who play contemporary instruments such as keyboard, marimba and drums which was why they introduced the new category.
“For now it is still an experiment but we are very excited about it and cannot wait to see how it goes; maybe then other provinces will follow suit,” said Corrigan.
Nathan Johannisen who heads the event’s marketing and PR liaison said the event was in its 30th year.
This week the programme wrapped up the vocal section of the programme.
The event runs until May 18, and then again on July 27 and 28 which is when the contemporary category will be adjudicated.
Referring to the standard of music this week, Johannisen says: “I can see the teachers have put in a lot of hard work with their school musicians. The standard remains high and the adjudicators’ remarks indicate that East London would be able to compete against the Western Cape and with a chance of beating them. They were very impressed with the presentation of our vocalists and choral performances.”
The event is divided into six categories: piano, vocals, instrumentals, choral, orchestra and contemporary.
Johannisen said most of the solo acts in the vocal category earlier this week had walked away with gold certificates.
In the choral section Clarendon Senior Primary choir won the Fowler medal at the senior primary choral recital; Clarendon Preparatory choir won the Elsma medal in the junior primary choral recital and Cambridge High School won the Lee Gold medal in the high school choral recital division.
Clarendon Primary Chamber choir won the Evertse medal and Stirling High chamber choir won the Musica Viva medal.
Adjudicator André Serfontein who adjudicated high school entrants in the vocal section said it was his first time at the East London Eisteddfod and he was impressed by the standard.
“To be quite honest, I really did not know what to expect, but reports from colleagues were so favourable, that when I was approached I gladly accepted.
“Now, in retrospect, I can honestly declare that from all the 32 different eisteddfods that I have been involved with, this is one of the best organised and has the most clearlystated regulations of what is expected of the candidates that I have ever had the honour of being connected with,” said Serfontein.
He said East London’s vision to include the contemporary category was a fantastic expansion on art forms and that if it worked out, other provinces should follow suit.
When it came to judging the different age groups he said it was difficult to compare young participants with teenagers – “the bottomline is that all performers must know their work regardless of age”.
The next weeks of the Eisteddfod will be dedicated to the piano, instrumental and contemporary categories.
To keep up-to-date with the programme visit the Port Rex Lions Eisteddfod Facebook page. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za Special mention – 90%+ Zenile Jongilanga Henry Janse van Rensburg Lutho Ndamase Candice Nyemba Lea Heyns Lihle Sidelo
Gold certificate – 80% to 89% Xhantilomzi Mancotywa Caitlyn Jones Azi Mahlangeni Amy Butthardt Joel Hanner Alex Slater Usisipho Clay Mihlali Mgwebi Dominique Plaatjes Mia Donald Bathandwa Mtebele Casey van Heerden Buhle Gombela Kirsten Price Charne Taylor Emma Bell Stephin Hammond Kerwin Jacobs K-Zukhanye Nonose Phumelele Nkomazake
Tuesday, May 5 (Day 2)
Special mention – 90% + Lutho Ndamase Candice Nyemba Lea Heyns Lihle Sidelo
Gold certificate – 80% to 89% Armani Schaba Dayna Benge Swazi Sibam Ntsika Yothando Anke de Ridder Kyle Terwin Khanyisile Bomeni Alizwa Fipaza Zomzi Njamela Sinokuhle Mpondwana Megan May Morgan Deutschman Athule Ntoyano Georgie Girls – Primary Merrifield Primary choir Stirling Primary senior choir AW Barnes Primary senior choir Selborne Primary senior choir Hudson Park Senior Primary choir
Clarendon Primary choir – winner of Fowler medal, in the senior primary choral recital event
Wednesday, May 6 (Day 3)
Junior primary and choral recital event Gold certificate – 80% to 89% Clarendon Preparatory choir winner of ELSMA medal
Cambridge High choir – winner of
high
school
– Special mention – 90% + Daniel Anderson Shayla Oberem Senior primary choir event: Clarendon Primary chamber choir – winner of Evertse medal and high school chamber choir event: Stirling High chamber choir – winner of Musica Viva medal
Gold certificates – 80% to 89% Hannah Moerdyk Ethan de Beer Sinelizwi Hole Simanye Gxobole Mason Schwulst Sizukiwe Vimbani Megan Oostuizen Courtney Barnes, Zomzi Njamela Caitlin Fourie Courtney Barnes Stirling Primary chamber choir Only Boys Aloud Hudson Park Primary choir Canto Armonico De Novo Serenata
chamber