Share your pics via our Facebook or Instagram @illawarramerc with #WE2016 or send them to desiree.savage@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Monday July 11
Results from the final week of competition are still being confirmed by organisers. Watch this space!
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
* * *
The Wollongong Eisteddfod is done and dusted for another year after three months of competition including instrumentals, song, dance and theatre.
The final week saw around 4000 performances by dance troupes and soloists at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre.
The eisteddfod committee are looking forward to a three week break at commencement, before the whirlwind to get the 2017 competition organised begins again.
Monday July 4
It’s the busiest week of the Wollongong Eisteddfod as the competition rounds out its final days.
Ballet slippers and jazz shoes have taken over the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre for around 4000 performances, ending with the scholarship prizes on Saturday night.
Eisteddfod president Tony Purdon said while the three month event was a tiresome effort for the committee, they never tired from the fun of it all.
He said the competition teachers competitors skills in performing and music, builds their confidence and “builds better citizens”.
“I always reckon that those children who have grown up in the arts become more contributing citizens and succeed in life,” he said.
Mr Purdon grew up in a dancing family in Wagga and used to travel to Wollongong to compete in the tap dancing sections of the eisteddfod during the 1960’s. In 1966 he was proudly awarded the Junior Tap Champion trophy.
The now 61-year-old had a strong interest to pursue dance as a career but says he was “born too early” as the times weren’t as accepting of male dancers as they are today.
But that hasn’t stopped Mr Purdon from putting on his tap shoes every week to keep the rhythm in his feet.
He said once he noticed a girl aged around 14 skipping along the backstage corridor at the IPAC during the eisteddfod and she became embarrassed because she was “caught”.
“I explained to her that no matter how old we get we will continue to skip and shuffle forever because the rhythm and the beat never leave the feet,” said Mr Purdon.
The eisteddfod committee are looking forward to a three week break at commencement, before the whirlwind to get the 2017 competition organised begins again.
Sunday June 26
The inaugural Steel City Strings Concerto competition, sponsored by the the Sutherland family, went to violinist, Olivia Kowalik from Mount Annan on Saturday night.
Second prize being awarded to Stephanie Tam of Wahroonga, performing on the cello. Dr Sutherland was on hand to present the prizes to the winners.
The Eisteddfod now takes a few days off before commencing the dancing sessions next Saturday with Troupes Weekend.
Friday June 24
Eisteddfod president Tony Purdon said the two groups from Fairy Meadow Demonstration School were “fabulous” on the IPAC stage on Thursday.
“The skill and maturity levels also shown by the students from the Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts was outstanding,” he said.
“They too were extremely pumped to be able to perform on the big stage in the IMB theatre at the IPAC tackling a number of current social issues in their work.”
Thursday June 23
The Wollongong Eisteddfod will host it’s first ever strings concerto competition this Saturday night with eight young contestants ranging from age 14 to 20.
The winner of this section will be invited to perform as a featured soloist with the Steel City Strings Orchestra for their first concert in 2017.
The Orchestra will also accompany each contestant.
Eisteddfod president Tony Purdon said it’s an innovative effort to promote emerging musicians and attract younger players.
Performers:
1 Mitra Ahmadi-Pirshahid, Keiraville
2 Siobhan Mewes, Bowral
3 Stephanie Tam, Wahroonga
4 Ken Noonan, Chatswood
5 Stephanie Ryan, Heathcote
6 Cara Crinnion, Tarrawanna
7 Alisha Dunstan, Kanahooka
8 Olivia Kowalik, Mount Annan
The Steel City Strings Concerto Performance solo, sponsored by the Sutherland family, 6:30pm Saturday June 25 at Wesley Church Hall.
Wednesday June 22
Tuesday June 21
It was a battle of the wind sections on Friday and Saturday, as well as the Instrumental Ensembles night on Saturday at Wollongong Town Hall.
Eisteddfod president Tony Purdon said the successful ensembles night, with players from “very little guys” to teenagers and adults, drew a crowd of around 500.
“Not only did these people share their music but they shared their love of music with the audience,” he said.
“We also witnessed a special camaraderie and friendship which also included a sharing of resources like instruments and music stands between the groups which made it easy to forget we were having a competition not a grand concert.”
Tuesday June 14
Joshua Han, 14, from Beaumont Hills in Sydney took out the coveted Senior Piano Scholarship of $5,000.
That completes the piano sections and the eisteddfod will recommence this Friday June 17 with the wind instruments sections.
Monday June 13
Robyn Letham and her sister Christine Wilkins (members of the Parsons family) were on hand to present the Junior Piano Championship Parson Family perpetual trophy to the winner, Yifei Shi, of Wollongong.
All sections were played on a new piano in Wesley Church which was officially named “Betty” at the close of the day in honour of Mrs Betty Parsons and her commitment and dedication to music.
Mrs Parsons gave more than 40 years service to the Eisteddfod and at the age of 92 still actively engages in music and song!
Saturday June 4
Eisteddfod competitors will have a break from the glitz and glamour until next Friday June 10.
Wesley Church will host the junior piano sections then the big senior piano weekend at the Wollongong Con on Saturday and Sunday.
Friday June 3
Thursday June 2
Alana Nicastri, 13, of Figtree won the crowd’s attention on Thursday in the Musical Theatre in Costume Solo for 13 years only.
Her mother Natalie said she first encouraged her daughter to take drama and singing classes from five years of age really helped her confidence blossom.
The Encore Performing Arts student said it was her first time performing musical theatre at the Wollongong Eisteddfod, but having many friends in the audience helped calm her nerves.
Friday will see more musical theatre performances and solo’s from special needs children.
Friday May 27
Wednesday May 25
Tuesday May 24
Tuesday saw Wesley Church’s hall filled with hairspray and pre-teens with stunning costumes, ready to perform notable songs from musicals.
Olivia Laurich, 10, from Farmborough Heights had been practicing her number from Wicked for five months and nailed Section 40, “Musical Theatre in Costume Solo” for 10 years and under.
The Southern Lights Vocal Academy student has big dreams not just to be famous, but to be “known”.
“I don’t want to become famous-famous like Katy Perry, I want to be known. Like I want people to know me and know what my songs are and sing them. But if I don’t get that then I want to be a singing teacher,” she said.
Bow-ties, sequins and chiffon will be popular fashion around Wollongong for the coming weeks, as contestants hit venues across the CBD for the 122nd Bluescope WIN Wollongong Eisteddfod.
The seven week competition is officially underway with several winning sashes awarded in the last few days.
Sing Sarah Wang won the first event of the eisteddfod. the “French Art Song: solo performance, open age”.
Youngsters will take to the stage in the “Pop, Junior Vocal/Musical Theatre” categories from May 24 to 26 and again from June 2 to 3.
However the competition is not all about singing.
Competitors of all ages and travelling from far corners of the Illawarra and NSW will be vying for trophies and ribbons for musical ensembles, piano and flute solos, quartet performances, drama, spoken verse and dancing.
The Wollongong Eisteddfod concludes on July 9.