November 2009 Newsletter

What a year for PACANZ! The Mazda Foundation National Young Performer Awards held in October received high praise from adjudicators and competitors alike. Enquiries for 2010 in Invercargill are already rolling in, and the adjudicators are almost confirmed for next year’s Ballet, Pianoforte, Vocal and Tap.

Carrie Green from Melbourne will adjudicate Tap Dance in 2010, while appointments for the other art forms are pending.

Photos of the Mazda Foundation National Young Performer Awards are available on-line at www.southernexposures.co.nz. Even if you don’t wish to purchase any photos, it’s worth looking at photos of your nominees in action, or viewing the awards presentations and place-getters receiving their prizes.

2009 Mazda Foundation NYPA Results

Instrumental

First: Hilary Hayes,

Second: Thomas Hutchinson

Third: Heather Lewis

Speech and Drama

First: Christian Thurston

Second: Taylor Frost

Third: Emma Griffith

Highland and National Dance

First: Emma Cropper

Second: Jayden Withington

Third: Ellena Soper

Modern Dance

First: Katie Rudd

Second: Kieran van Bunnik

Third: Viva Foster

Potential Prizes:

Highland, Leighton Terry; Instrumental, Oscar Lavën and Anna Kiriaev;

Modern Dance, Stephanie Vos

Speech and Drama Annaleise Booth

Prize for unplaced Modern Dance finalists:  Cameron Fulton; Sydney Crocker; and Rebecca Lee.

APRA Savings for Member Societies

In September, board representatives and I met with APRA (Australasian Performing Rights Association) to negotiate our contract for societies. We are pleased to say that the existing percentage rate for door takings will continue. The arrangement between PACANZ and APRA continues to reap benefits for societies who make significant savings and save much hassle by running their competitions under the PACANZ – APRA agreement.

Running the PACANZ section of your competition – key points for 1010:

o   Read the enclosed “Guide to running a Mazda Foundation NYPA nomination”

o   Place the Mazda Foundation National Young Performer Awards advertisement (this is available by emailing admin@pacanz.co.nz) and criteria in your syllabus. Show clearly the date and location of the Final competition.

o   The Mazda Foundation National Young Performer Awards  must be clearly stated so nominees know the title of your event

o   Read the criteria for your art form rules and ensure this is followed

o   Nomination forms will be mailed out in January but they are also available on the website and by email from admin@pacanz.co.nz

o    

Early entries for 2010 and beyond

o   To ensure efficient processing of nomination material for the programme administration, in 2010 your board will be calling for September nominations to come in earlier. This may mean that some competition societies will need to run their competitions a couple of weeks earlier and others may run nominations a year ahead as do the Alexandra Musical Society and Dance Southland. Sue Patterson will be in touch with those societies to discuss this further.

Entry Levy and APRA payments

Please check these are paid-up. Sue will be following up on late payments shortly.

2011-2012 Venue for National Young Performer Awards

Your board is calling for bids to run the 2011 Awards. A bid document is enclosed. You may also ask for this as an email attachment by emailing Sue on admin@pacanz.co.nz. Society applications to host the 2011 awards must be in to the board via the Executive Officer, Sue Patterson, P O Box 2455, Wakatipu 9340, Queenstown, by 1 March, 2010

AGM and Conference, March 27, 2010, Commodore Airport Hotel, Christchurch

Your AGM and Annual Meeting will be on Saturday 27 March in Christchurch at the Commodore Airport Hotel, Memorial Ave, Christchurch. The conference fee of $50 covers meeting room,  and equipment hire, lunch, morning and afternoon  tea. Accommodation is optional at $145 per room or $169 for room and breakfast. Conference booking forms were mailed with this newsletter, and include the option of joining other PACANZ members for a three-course dinner.

The conference will give members the opportunity to contribute to criteria changes for 2011 Instrumental, Modern, Highland/National and Speech and Drama. This will be in the form of group criteria discussions, with feedback to the board who confirm the suggested changes at their next meeting.

The conference will start with a 9.30am morning tea allowing for late comers who need to fly in. The AGM will follow at approximately 10.30am, then after lunch there will be two short presentations. These are likely to be a guest presenter advising on “How to Source Funding”; APRA representatives explaining APRA and how it works for our societies. Following the meeting and 3.30pm afternoon tea, delegates will attend a pre-booked 15 minute appointment with the funding advisor, who will be available for 8 appointments until 5pm. Appointment time requests will be sourced in January. Those who don’t manage an appointment but are interested, will receive follow-up from Sue Patterson.

AGM and Conference Format, 2010

A draft criteria form (based on 2008 criteria) has been mailed and is to be used as a guide for your committee discussions and recommendations for changes to criteria.

PACANZ is now calling for remits for the AGM on 27 March. These must be in to Sue Patterson, Executive Officer by 1 February.

Registrations and payments must also be in to Sue by 10 February.

Societies are invited to submit a brief report highlighting 2009 and any exciting developments in their festivals or in their administration. These may be emailed to admin@pacanz.co.nz or mailed to Sue Patterson by 10 February, 2010.

Societies may be represented by three delegates, all of whom have speaking rights, but only one delegate has voting rights (rule 7.5 (i) which was amended at the 2008 AGM.

 Any societies unable to send a representative may appoint another person/society to represent them by proxy.  You must submit a notice to of a proxy vote in writing, to the Executive Officer by 10 March 2010.

Membership contact details and society competition dates for 2010

Membership information forms (enclosed) are to be filled-in and completed once your 2010 dates are confirmed. These details go on our website, so the earlier they are completed the better. A full membership directory is available from Sue Patterson at any time, and an updated one is available on request after the 2010 AGM.

Running the PACANZ section of your competition – key points for 2010

• Read the mailed “Guide to running a Mazda Foundation NYPA Competition.
• Place the Mazda Foundation National Young Performer Awards advertisement and criteria in your syllabus (these are available by emailing admin@pacanz.co.nz). Show clearly the date and location of the Finals competition.
• The Mazda Foundation National Young Performer Awards must be clearly stated in your syllabus so nominees know the title of your event.
• Read the criteria for your art form rules and ensure this is followed
• Nomination forms will be mailed out in January but they are also available on the website and by email from admin@pacanz.co.nz

Early entries for 2010 and beyond

·         To ensure efficient processing of nomination material for the programme and administration, in 2010 your board will be calling for September nominations to come in earlier.

·         This may mean that some competition societies will need to run their competitions a couple of weeks earlier and others may run nominations a year ahead. Sue Patterson and/or your area representative will be in touch with those societies to discuss this further.

Calling for bids for the 2011-2012 awards venue

Next year’s 2010 awards will again be in Invercargill. However, your board is calling for societies to bid to host the 2011 and 2012 awards. A bid document was mailed with this newsletter.  You may also ask for this as an email attachment by emailing Sue on admin@pacanz.co.nz. Society applications must be in to the board via the Executive Officer, Sue Patterson, P O Box 2455, Wakatipu, 9349, Queenstown, by 1 March, 2010.

Mailed with this newsletter were:

·         Bid document for hosting 2011 awards

·         Draft 2011 Criteria form for discussion at March conference

·         NYPA flier for 2010 for insertion in your society syllabus

·         Society membership information form

·         Guide to nominating performers for PACANZ

·         AGM and conference booking form

·         Souvenir copy of 2009 National Awards programme and Final Night Programme

·         Complimentary Finals Night DVD

·         2009 awards souvenir poster

Katharine Watts, Singing Adjudicator

Katharine Watts says she is “always happy to adjudicate throughout NZ for singing competitions. NEWZATS is very concerned that the standard of singing adjudication should be high.”

There is ample biographical material about Katharine on the website below: www.wattsandwatts.co.nz She most recently judged Tauranga and New Plymouth competitions.” wattses@ihug.co.nz 09 5342445, 29 Charles Dickens Drive, Howick, Auckland

Press Release: Mazda Foundation National Young Performer Awards 2009

Southern audiences gorged on a feast of technical brilliance and stunning programmes as young performers aged 15 – 21 years competed for national titles in Modern Dance, Speech and Drama, Orchestral Instrumental and Highland and National Dance. Nearly 140 competitors displayed their talents in the Mazda Foundation National Young Performer of the Year Awards held at Invercargill’s Civic Theatre and Repertory House over the weekend.

The final concert on Sunday night showcased a weekend of thrilling expertise as finalists vied for $40,000 in prizes.

The Modern Dance section of 64 performers involved a workshop with the adjudicator, Bradley Chatfield from Sydney and two stage performances, one in Jazz and one Contemporary.

Highland Dance adjudicator, Sue Gill from Christchurch said the section of 19 was the largest line up of performers at a Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand (PACANZ) national competition.

While the Speech and Drama section, adjudicated by Pam Logan from Blenheim, enthralled audiences with poetry, characterisation, prose and an impromptu section.

Instrumental adjudicators, Australians Antoni and Ruth Bonetti, said they had been astonished at the level of competition. Mrs Bonetti said, “It’s wonderful to hear such musicianship from such a wide range of instruments, many seldom heard on the recital platform”, Ruth Bonetti, co-Instrumental Adjudicator. “We are especially enthralled by those whose technique is servant to exquisite musicianship”, said Mrs Bonetti. Mrs Bonetti said it was a shame the competition was not being filmed and broadcast on national television as New Zealand deserved to see just how good the competitors were.

I wish you all a festive holiday season and a wonderful Christmas. Thank you for your continued support through the year, and I look forward to a promising performing arts year in 2010.

Sue Patterson

Executive Officer