The guest judges were the head of  The Alfred Deakin High School music department and prolific musician and composer, Marian Budos and his wife Ivana Troselj. Ivana is a wonderful singer and composer. Marian and Ivana have performed together all over the world. Marian’s compositions are still regularly performed in Europe and the USA.

I’d like to give a special thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who made this competition work so well.

and the winners are…

and the overall winners from the Concert of Finalists…

Congratulations to all the winners and all the performers for a wonderful contest and concert!

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger image)

The Peter de Jager Piano Prize

This year’s Cooma Music Competition will have a new piano prize:

Peter de Jager - Concert Pianist & Composer

The Peter de Jager Piano Prize. (incudes $200 cash)

Peter de Jager lived in Cooma for a time and learnt the piano from his mother, Helen, at Cooma School of Music. Peter has gone on to achieve great success in his music career. This year he won the International Chopin Piano Competition. On seeing Peter do so well at this competition Viv Minell, a local music lover and pianist, decided to honour Peter by naming this award after him. Viv also wanted inspire up and coming piano students to new heights.

Peter de Jager used to be just another little kid going to Cooma North Primary and now he is a world class concert pianist and composer. (Click here to read more about Peter de Jager)

The Cooma Music Competition will be held this year on Sunday the 18th of September.

Cooma Music Competition 2011 is now in it’s sixth year. This year’s competition will provide an opportunity for musicians of all ages and skills to perform and compete. We hope this competition will be as inclusive as possible. The competition will be open to all instruments and voice. Although the competition will be conducted by Cooma School of Music all amateur musicians are welcome to participate not just students of Cooma School of Music.

Prizes will include trophies and cash. Certificates of Participation will be awarded to all competitors.

The Peter de Jager Piano Prize includes $200 cash and is exclusively for piano students.

For more information contact Allan Spencer:

• (02) 6452 6067
• allan@coomamusic.com.au

Peter de Jager - Concert Pianist & Composer

Peter de Jager was born in South Africa on December 1st, 1989, his family relocating to Australia in 1992. Soon after, Peter lived in Cooma with his mother Helen, his father John, and his sister Ruth until he was 7 years old.

Helen de Jager taught piano with us at Cooma School of Music. Peter and Ruth were great mates with our children Leon and Hannah. They all went to Cooma North Primary School together.

It was obvious from a very early age that Peter was a gifted child with a remarkable musical talent. He was totally in love with the piano.

In 1997, the de Jager family moved from Cooma to pursue educational and career opportunities. After moving to Melbourne, Peter studied piano for five years with Nehama Patkin, then two years with Professor Stephen McIntyre, with whom he achieved his LMusA in 2003, at 11 years of age.

From 2007, Peter spent two years in the Australian National Academy of Music’s Advanced Performance Program, studying with Rita Reichman. These years brought him into contact with many international visiting artists, and exposed him to many performance opportunities.

In 2007 Peter participated in the Lev Vlassenko Piano competition, winning the inaugural Enid Lane Memorial Prize for best performance of a work by Mozart. He has twice been finalist in the Academy’s internal concerto competition, on the second occasion performing Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand with Orchestra Victoria.

Today, Peter is 21 and has already achieved so much in music. He is not only an outstanding pianist but he is also a dedicated composer, with a great interest in early music. Currently, he is undertaking a Bachelor of Music in harpsichord and composition, studying with Ann Morgan at the University of Melbourne.

Here’s some photos from the Chopin Competition:

(Click on thumbnails for larger images)

Click here for more information about the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition

(Click here for more information)

The winners of this year’s scholarship were:

• Kayla Gay
• Karl Svenson
• Lillie Siegenthaler

The good people of the Bombala and District Country Music Association Inc. are once again presenting the Annual Talent Quest. This is their 18th year now and they’re getting pretty good at this. It’s an extremely well run event and needless to say a huge event for the Association and Bombala.

There’s heaps of different Sections including:

1. Veterans (50 and over)
2. Open Australian (must be an Australian composition)
3. Sub-Junior (12 years and under)
4. Open Instrumental
5. Junior Vocal (13-17 years)
6. Senior Gospel
7. Open Junior Gospel ( To 17 years)
8. Senior Vocal
9. Open Singer/Songwriter
10. Open Duo or Group
11. Open Country Rock

There’s cash prizes and trophies to be won.

• When: Saturday 26th February 2011, starting at 9.00 am
• Where: Bombala R.S.L Club Auditorium
• Why: Why Not!

For more information and to download entry forms click here.

ENTRIES CLOSE WEDNESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2011

Contact: M. Giles (02) 6458 2021 & Irene (02) 6458 3431

We had over 55 performances in the heats during the afternoon and 16 performances in the Finals Concert.

A special thanks again to the judges, Glenyss Allen, Matt Charlesworth, Marián Budoŝ and Ivana Troŝelj. Our wonderful Glenyss judged the solo piano heats and Matt, Marián and Ivana judged the rest of the heats and Finals Concert. Thanks too to Paul Mackay for all the great work he did on the PA system.

• Daniel Morassutti (Drums) – Frank Scott Music Award Trophy
• Annaka Dykstra (Guitar) – Russell & Jackie Fox Music Award Trophy
• Tim Clooke (Vocal) – Ron Cox Music Award Trophy
• Esa Janara  - Narrawong Classical Guitar Award Trophy

Congratulations to all the winners and all the performers for a wonderful competition and concert. This year was particularly difficult for the judges as the scores were so close (often by just one point or dead heat, even with three judges!). As a result, there was a record number of “Wild Card”entries into the Finals Concert. The judges also commented that the performances in the evening were a real improvement on the heats; the contestants had obviously put into practice some of the suggestions made in the afternoon. They were very impressed by the high standard of the performances.

(Please click on thumbnails for larger images)

Title: Cooma Music Competition 2010
Location: St Paul’s Anglican Church Hall, Commissioner Street, Cooma NSW
Description: Showcase your musical talents for Trophies & Cash Prizes.
Heats start at 12 noon
Finals Concert 7 pm
Contact: Allan Spencer (02) 6452 6067
Email: allan@coomamusic.com.au

Title: Bombala Country Music Association Talent Quest

Location: Bombala High School

Saturday 27 February 2010

9:00 am

Contact: M. Giles (02) 6458 2021

Irene (02) 6458 3431

Entries close Wednesday 24 February 2010

Open to all ages