HEADLINERS
- FAA Convention May 13-15 Woodford, last call for ideas
- Young Folk Award finalists announced
- FAA AGM to be held at The National Festival
- PM’s message of support for the Illawarra Folk Festival
- Illawarra Folk Festival and the Festival Train
- Festival Reviews
FAA Convention - last call for ideas and thoughts for programming
Bill Hauritz, Chairman of the Committee organizing the FAA Convention says:
“Programming is well advanced for the Convention in May but there is still time for people to email me with their ideas and their thoughts about what they would like to see on the program. Could I please hear from you before the end of January?
The convention will commence on Thursday evening 13th May and continue through to late Saturday evening the 15th May. We are hoping those of you in traditional employment may take the Friday off work and head up on the Thursday late afternoon. We will be running shuttles directly from Brisbane airport. More than anything else, I think it’s important to have a wonderful social event where all of us involved in any part of our folk movement can trade in a very old-fashioned commodity called goodwill.”
The Committee organizing the Convention is planning to make an announcement about the program in February and ideas for programming can be sent to Bill Hauritz using email: bill@woodfordfolkfestival.com
Folk Alliance Australia has announced that the ten finalists to perform compete for the Youth Award and perform in the Showcase Concert at the National Folk Festival are:-
Pria Schwall-Kearney (Vic)
Hannah Foley (Tas)
Jenny McKechnie and Hilary Glaisher (Vic)
Maggie and Elsie Rigby (Vic)
Siobhan Owen (SA)
Tom Richardson (Vic)
Sarah McGuire (SA)
George Jackson (Q)
Samuel Shepherd (Q)
Acoustic Elements (Brendan Wright and Scott Jolley Vic)
Una McAlinden, One of the panelists and also Director of the National Celtic Festival in Portarlington Vic. said that the finalists "represented an amazingly high standard and diversity of instrumental, vocal as well as song and tune writing.”
Felix Meagher, FAA National Co-coordinator said "that the final and showcase concert at the National Folk Festival should be an exciting event and the state of the folk arts in Australia is surely in a good place with young artists of this quality."
FAA AGM at National Festival
The next Folk Alliance AGM will be heAld on Good Friday April 2 at Building 73 at the National Folk Festival from 5pm to 9pm. Nomination form will be posted shortly. Anyone wishing to nominate for the committee, please let us know at faamember@folkalliance.org.au and will place you on the notification list.
PM’s wife a keen bush dancer, Kevin picks up the banjo.
Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, issued a statement of support for the Illawarra Folk festival held over the weekend of Jan 14-17 2010. "This promises to be an exciting event with much for lovers of music and performance to look forward to and participate in," Mr. Rudd said. "Now in its 25th year, the Illawarra Folk Festival makes a valuable contribution to the cultural life of the Illawarra region. I am honoured to accept the No. 1 ticket for this season and wish everyone a very enjoyable weekend of music.” The Prime Minister also congratulated the volunteers of the festival. "I would also like to congratulate your many volunteers who make the event possible," he said. "Best wishes for a successful and fun-packed four days of festival, fun and celebration of music and the performance arts." Mr. Rudd lists folk music as one of his musical interests and his wife, Therese Rein, was a keen bush dancer in her youth. A digitally enhanced photo features Kevin Rudd posing with fellow musicians and a banjo.
The Illawarra Folk Festival scored another publicity success with an article in the Irish Echo about its carriage of Irish musicians who travelled to the festival in a train departing from Central Station in Sydney. Irish musicians featured at Illawarra were Edna Kenny and Rant, the Paddy O’Neill Award winning band from the Lake School in Koroit, Vic.
Jamie McKew, Director of the Port Fairy Folk Festival attended the Woodford Folk Festival QLD and said, “It was a great festival and a great event. The music and the performances saw were wonderful and amazing, and ex Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, was a star performer. One non musical highlights was the “state of the art” recycling system which was trialed for the first time, and is one of the first of its kind in Australia. “
Steve Gadd - the Cygnet Folk Festival TAS –
“Exuberant! Colourful! Friendly! A host of international acts plus 100 Tasmanian acts representing every sub-genre of folk. Concerts, choir, street parade, workshops and themed multi-media concerts fully attended. Record attendance and the organizers, media and audience deemed the event a great success!”
Theresa Gregory from the Illawarra Folk Festival NSW said,”
“Fantastic! The best festival we’ve ever had. Wonderful community feeling with a wonderful expression of Australian tradition.”
Bob Campbell from Gulgong NSW reported about the Gulgong Folk Festival over New Year. “There was dancing in the street and singing in the rain. The Festival program was the best yet, and there were good audiences at every venue including the historic Prince of Wales Opera House.” Katoomba musician Johnny Duffy, “It’s a beautiful town on the eye…Its fabulously historical. Not like any other town.”
Margie Brophy texted in a report about the Tamar Valley Folk Festival in Georgetown, TAS – “ Great range and mix of music, ages and talent over three short days the venues were bursting with music, music, music. “
Mark McDonnell said of the Lake School in Koroit VIC – “a wonderful Lake School this year. There were so many positives and happy students…the team of tutors are first class!”
Regards, Felix Meagher for FAA.
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