CONTENT COURTESY MUSICA VIVA
Musica Viva has the great privilege of announcing the grand finalists of Strike A Chord, the very first National Chamber Music Championship for secondary school ensembles. After an intense period of listening and deliberation, the jury have decided on the 12 groups, representing six different states and territories.
“Selecting just 12 ensembles to progress to the Strike A Chord Grand Final was extremely difficult, given the rich array of talent on display in the wonderful video entries we received,” said artistic director Wilma Smith, who was joined on the panel by first round jurors Elizabeth Sellars and Stefan Cassomenos.
“It’s been an extraordinary process and along with our two stupendous first round jurors, I was bowled over by the quality and moved by the genuine joy and enthusiasm for music-making from students all over Australia.”
The Grand Finalists are:
Cellolujah (Cello Quartet, Melbourne, VIC)
Cousin Quartet (String Quartet, Sydney, NSW)
Esperanza (Chamber Choir, Adelaide, SA)
JPMS Ensemble Animato (Percussion Ensemble, Brisbane, QLD)
JPMS Ensemble Brillante (Percussion Ensemble, Brisbane, QLD)
Lammoyip Trio (Piano Trio, Sydney, NSW)
The Lashavi Trio (Piano Trio, Sydney, NSW)
Magnolia Quintet (Wind Quintet, Sydney, NSW)
The Millenium Trio (Piano Trio, Perth, WA)
Open School Trio (Piano Trio, Canberra, ACT)
Piccolo Piano Quartet (Piano Quartet, Sydney, NSW)
Serendipity Quartet (String Quartet, Sydney, NSW)
“They, their teachers and parents are to be congratulated for keeping music alive and thriving during this topsy-turvy year,” Wilma says. “I can’t wait to share the extraordinary diligence and talent of these young musicians with a wider audience via our special online broadcast on Saturday, 12 September.”
Hosted by ABC Classic presenter Ed Ayres, the very first Grand Final of Strike A Chord will be live streamed across Australia at 2pm AEST thanks to presenting partner the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall. All 12 groups will have a performance featured during the online concert, with either a live performance from a satellite locations, or for those groups impacted by lockdown restrictions as a result of COVID-19, a broadcast of their pre-recorded entry video.
Each of the 12 ensembles will be eligible for the prize pool totalling more than $40,000 worth of cash and development opportunities. Audiences at home will also be invited to vote for their favourite performance on the day. The Audience Prize of $2,000, generously supported by the Druce Family, will be announced live alongside all the Major Prizes, including The Robert Salzer Prize of $5,000 for the winning ensemble.
The inaugural Strike A Chord competition is a new initiative developed by Musica Viva Australia for its 75th anniversary in 2020, with support from Creative Victoria and presented in partnership with Melbourne Recital Centre and the Australian National Academy of Music. The Championship will be held annually and is open to secondary school aged chamber ensembles of between three and eight players in any vocal or instrumental combination. First round auditions were submitted via video submission, with all ensembles required to submit a 4 to 12-minute performance of an entire work, or movement from a larger work.
You can register to watch the live stream on the Musica Viva website. Read more about Strike A Chord and its online conferences for music educators in our interview with Monica Curro.
In addition to the Grand Finalists, Musica Viva is pleased to announce the following prizes:
WOODWIND PRIZE
Bellissimo Flute Ensemble, QLD
Brisbane Girls Grammar School Harp Trio, QLD
Churchlands Senior High School Year 12 Wind Quintet, WA
Pimlico State High School Saxophone Quintet, QLD
The King’s School Clarinet Quartet, NSW
Trinity College Senior Clarinet Ensemble, SA
BRASS PRIZE
Dry Your Tears, ACT
St. George Brass Band Junior Quintet, NSW
PERCUSSION PRIZE
Desmosedici Percussion Ensemble, QLD
JPMS Ensemble Energico, QLD
STRING PRIZE sponsored by the Australian String Teachers Association (AUSTA)
Cairns State High School String Quartet, QLD
Opus Quartet (Barker College), NSW
Pirulí String Quartet, SA
Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) String Quartet, NSW
SPIRIT OF CHAMBER MUSIC PRIZE in memory of John and Lesley Sellars
Brisbane Girls Grammar School Year 12 String Quartet, QLD
VOCAL PRIZE
Barockers, SA
The Illegal Choir, NSW
Vox Crucis, QLD
KEYBOARD PRIZE
Brisbane Girls Grammar School Piano Trio, QLD
MLC School Senior Piano Trio, NSW
Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) Senior Piano Trio, NSW
The Waterford Trio, WA
JUNIOR PRIZE
The Artemis Trio, NSW
Barker Cello Quartet, NSW
Bradford Trio, VIC
Trio Mignon, QLD
AMEB EMERGING ENSEMBLE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD
Fort Street High School Saxophone Quartet, NSW
INNOVATION AWARD
St. Andrew’s Cathedral School Bolling Quartet, NSW
Strike a Chord
Grand Final: 12 September, 2020
Lockdown Legends
Entries close: 5 November, 2020
Final Round: 6 December, 2020
Content courtesy Musica Viva.
