T AIT M EMORIAL T RUST
T AIT T IMES S PRING 2017
T HE TAIT CELEBRATES 25 TH A NNIVERSARY Liane Keegan with Sir Andrew Davis and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Last Night of the Proms, Hamer Hall, Melbourne, 2016
I feel overwhelmed by the wonderful support and goodwill we have had over the years, from our very first concert at Australia House with dramatic contralto, Liane Keegan in 1992, to today. A major Australian scholarship holder, Liane‟s arrival in the UK in that year prompted me to think about how we might set about trying to help talented young Australians arriving to study and work in Europe, and thus the Tait Trust was born.
Over the past 25 years we, and our sister organization, The Tait Performing Arts Association, in Australia have given many of our Awardees concert platform opportunities here in London, and in Australia. I look forward to our next quarter century. How many more young artists will we support? Watch this space!
I couldn‟t have reached this Now here we are 25 years later. We have milestone without you, our gone on to support hundreds of young devoted Friends and supporters. Australian performing artists, many of Thank you. whom have gone on to successful first class international careers. I am delighted to confirm that we are now branching out to support talented young performers from NZ too. More about this Isla Baring OAM Chairman, Tait Memorial Trust exciting development on page 5.
S PECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST :
Celebrate the Trust’s 25th!
TMT to support young artists from New Zealand
Stuart Skelton sings for us
Tait Friends Member Card
Australian Charity Art Auction donates £14K
New Endowment Fund
Where are they now?
I NSIDE THIS ISSUE : G ALA C ONCERT
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T AIT F RIENDS
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E NDOWMENT
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N EW Z EALAND
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W INTER P ROM
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ACAA
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B ALLET A WARDS
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T AIT T IMES
P AGE 2
S TUART S KELTON
SINGS WAGNER
A USTRALIAN S TAR T ENOR S UPPORTED BY T AIT A WARDEES S T P AUL ’ S K NIGHTSBRIDGE W EDNESDAY 13 S EPTEMBER 2017
Photo credit Sim Canetty-Clark
Peter Grimes English National Opera Credit: C. Barda
The Tait Trust is delighted to present Australian tenor, Grammy nominee and 2014 International Opera Awards Male Singer of the Year, Stuart Skelton at a gala concert to celebrate our 25th Anniversary at St Paul‟s Church Knightsbridge, on Wednesday the 13th September at 7pm
The concert is to be presented by Richard Wagner‟s great-great grandson, Antoine Wagner, and accompanied by Richard Peirson. Catherine Carby, Jayson Gillham, Liane Keegan, Miranda Keys & Katrina Sheppeard are some of our talented awardees who will appear as supporting artists.
Stuart is arguably the world‟s leading Wagnerian Heldentenor, he is critically acclaimed for outstanding musicianship, tonal beauty and for his intensely dramatic portrayals. He has sung Tristan at the Baden -Baden Festival, English National Opera and most recently opened the 2017/18 season at the Metropolitan Opera, New York singing this iconic role.
The ultimate goal of the concert is to raise a substantial sum which will be added to our Endowment Fund (more page 4) which will fund future awards and scholarships for young Australasian performing artists.
Stuart is to make his long awaited Royal Opera House debut singing Siegmund in Wagner‟s, Die Walküre in the 2018/19 season.
www.taitmemorialtrust.org/events
This will be a very popular concert so book early as places are strictly limited.
Book now: Friends booking opens May 4th General booking from May 11th
S UPPORTING A RTISTS Catherine Carby, mezzo-soprano Jessica Cottis, conductor Jayson Gillham, piano James Guan, piano Alexandra Isted, violin Liane Keegan, dramatic contralto Miranda Keys, soprano Katrina Sheppeard, soprano “…Skelton has few rivals for the Tristan crown and boasts darker, more interesting vocal colours than a typical Heldentenor.” John Allison, Opera Magazine August 2016
Parsifal English National Opera Credit: C Workman
This concert is proudly sponsored by the Tait Trust, Friends of the Tait Trust and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
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F RIENDS U PDATE Tait Friends has enjoyed dramatic growth since we relaunched the Friends scheme in 2014. We now have more than seventy active members who all help us to help young Australasian performing artists studying in the UK.
award over 3-4 years eg Waynne Kwon (pictured) has been the Higgins Scholar for the past 4 years. His award of £5,000 pa has enabled him to continue his cello studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. This award is funded completely by the Higgins family. We thank them sincerely for their steadfast support.
Without doubt our Friends generosity is the reason we awarded £40,000 in 2016. In 2017 we plan to award £45,000+. To put things in perspective our typical awards total before 2014 was £10,000. As you can imagine this means we are helping more artists, with larger, more meaningful grants. The Adopt a Performer scheme means that a young performer receives their
New Friends Card All of our Friends will soon receive a membership card which can be used when booking for Tait Events, for special Friends discounts, and for special offers available to our Friends from our partners. Waynne Kwon
To join our Friends please email Alice at:
alice@taitmemorialtrust.org
E NDOWMENT F UND Thanks to a generous donation from the Australian Charity Art Auction, and with their encouragement, we have decided to create a new Endowment Fund with an initial deposit of £10,000. Establish your legacy by ensuring The Tait Memorial Trust can meet the needs for young Australasian performing artists for generations to come. Your gift to the Endowment Fund will enhance the income that the Fund generates, income that helps us fund studies, pay for instruments and generally support our awardees well into the future.
“A N “E NDOWMENT P ATRON ” COULD BE ANYONE WHO GIVES OR BEQUEATHS MORE THAN ,
£5,000”
We have created a new class of patron or supporter whose donations can be directed to building our new endowment fund.
An “Endowment Patron” could be anyone who gives or bequeaths more than, £5,000, and their names would be recorded against the endowment fund in our records. Endowment Patrons Anne Longden Karen Goldie Morrison Michael Whalley If you would like to add your name to our role call of Endowment Patrons by contributing to the fund, or would like to know how a bequest can be used to support it, please email James at:
james@taitmemorialtrust.org
ROSL A USTRALIAN A RTISTS - 24 TH M AY Prizewining ROSL ARTS musicians and Tait Memorial Trust scholars:
Emily Sun violin Anne Beilby viola Bernadette Morrison, cello Chad Vindin piano Are to perform a recital at the Royal Over-Seas League on Wednesday 24th May at 7pm To book: www.taitmemorialtrust.org/events
Chad Vindin
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T AIT SUPPORT OF N EW Z EALAND ARTISTS We are delighted to announce that the Tait Trust will now support young performing artists from Australia and New Zealand.
advertisement for J.C.Williamson Limited. Over the years we have supported several young New Zealander‟s due to our partnership with the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation, Bel Canto Awards, including James Ioelu and Marlena Devoe. Our wish is to provide financial and mentoring support for outstanding NZ dancers, singers, instrumentalists & composers to develop international careers at the highest level. We extend a warm invitation to Kiwi‟s living in the United Kingdom who wish to join us to help their talented countrymen. Maybe consider sponsoring an award or contribute towards our Endowment Fund.
This decision is inspired by the work of the Tait Brothers who were instrumental in the development of the Arts in Australasia in the 20th Century as can be seen in the
Please contact james@taitmemorialtrust.org if you wish to learn more about this exciting development, or would like to be involved.
T AIT W INTER P ROM 2016
The Trust has been honoured with such generous and continuing support and friendship from HE The Hon. Alexander Downer AC, High Commissioner for Australia, and his wife Nicola, who were our guests of honour at our annual Tait Winter Prom. We again formed a near all-Australian chamber orchestra, a number of whom have been supported by the Trust in their studies. Our conductor Jessica Cottis is fast gaining recognition internationally for her work, and we are so very lucky to have her inspirational guidance as we continue to support the next generation of talented young Australians who come here to complete their studies. We are also indebted to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, who have been our Principal Partner for the
past three years. We hope, as they see the important work we do for the young Australians in this highly competitive arts marketplace here, that their welcome support will continue. Chevalier Richard Gunter once again generously sponsored our venue, this time the marvellous St John„s Smith Square, and to our many individual sponsors and loyal supporters, we are so pleased to see your sponsorship growing year-on-year – we can„t do without you. “...it was a stimulating and delightful evening that thrilled its audience and most certainly should have fully rewarded the Tait Memorial Trust for their magnificent work in supporting young Australian talent.” Review: Carol Metcalf, Limelight Magazine
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A USTRALIAN C HARITY ART AUCTION
“W E THANK M ICHAEL W HALLEY , K AREN G OLDIE M ORRISON , AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE ACAA FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATION OF
£14,000”
Painting by Pro Hart - Sold at auction for £6,500. Donated by Tait Trustee, Anne Longden
The Australian Charity Art Auction, at an event held in London on 28 February 2017, offered artworks by Australian artists or which feature Australian subjects and themes to benefit charities in the UK who make an enormous contribution to the support of young Australians studying in the UK, to the promotion of educational and cultural exchanges between the UK and Australia. The artworks had been donated from private collections, principally in the UK.
and the committee of the ACAA for their generous donation of £14,000 which is to be added to our newly established Endowment Fund (refer page 4).
The auctions, and other donations related to the event, raised a total of £46,000, with a net £38,000 available to the nominated charities after all costs.
Lauren Fagan, soprano * James Guan, piano * Lisa Bucknell, viola * Jade Moffatt, mezzo soprano *
We thank Michael Whalley, Karen Goldie-Morrison,
Of this total, Tait Trustee, Anne Longden, donated the £6,500 proceeds from the sale of a Pro Hart painting. A highlight of the evening was a concert artistically directed by Yvonne Kenny AM, featuring Tait & AMF Awardees,
Tait Awardee *
T AIT P ATRON - J UNE M ENDOZA AO OBE We are honoured to have Australian portraitist, June Mendoza as a Patron of the Trust. June was born in Melbourne, with a natural talent for drawing people, or animals, anything with life in them. June Mendoza AO.OBE.RP.ROI.HonSWA is a member, amongst other art societies, of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. She is one of the world's foremost portrait painters. She undertakes commissions for portrait painting on a wide range of subjects. Her commissioned work includes a number of portraits of the Queen and members of the Royal family, foreign dignitaries and a wide range of portraits of personalities from the Arts, Music, Government, Business and the professions.
Leanne Benjamin AM OBE Patron, Tait Memorial Trust Portrait by June Mendoza
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L EANNE B ENJAMIN A WARDS - R EBECCA B LENKINSOP , B ALLET Melbourne born dancer, Rebecca Blenkinsop is one of nine students chosen to present her piece of choreography in The Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award which is held at The Royal Ballet School in Covent Garden (46 Floral St) in early May. There is a Preview of the competition on Tuesday 9 May (6-7pm) with the Award on Wednesday 10 May (6-7.30pm) in front of a panel of esteemed judges. This year the judges are: Kevin O‟Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet), Wayne McGregor (The Royal Ballet‟s Resident Choreographer); Christopher Wheeldon (Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet and Tony Award winning director of American in Paris) Royal Ballet choreographer, Aletta Collins. She started dancing at the age of 11 and was accepted into the Victorian College of Arts Secondary School in Melbourne. Now in her third year at The Royal Ballet School we look forward to watching this talented young dancer‟s career blossom over the coming years. Rebecca‟s award has been kindly donated by John Frost AM as part of The Leanne Benjamin Awards. Please contact us james@taitmemorialtrust.org if you would like to support a young Australian or New Zealand born dancer.
We are honoured to support the Tait & Sir Charles Mackerras Chair at the Southbank Sinfonia jointly with the Estate of Lady Mackerras for the next 10 years.
2017 Recipient, Bernadette Morrison
W HO WE ARE Postgraduate study in London and across the UK gives one of the very best opportunities for talented young musicians to broaden their playing experience; it‟s just so important. UK institutions have a very particular setup whereby instrumentalists and singers can really focus on developing their technique and musicality to the highest level in lessons, but also broaden their experiences in a professional setting, with unparalleled work experience opportunities, whether performing with one of the world‟s top orchestras or singing for a major opera house. Proudly supporting young Australasian performing artists in the U.K. Founded 1992 (Chaity Reg . 1042797) Principal Partner
4/80 Elm Park Gardens London SW10 9PD Office: +44 (0)20 7351 0561 Email: info@taitmemorialtrust.org Facebook: facebook.com/taitmemorialtrust Twitter: twitter.com/taittrust
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The knowledge acquired from these experiences is huge, and the professional contacts gained through the process also a necessary part of helping young musicians on their way to a successful career. Australian music education is world class, but one just cannot beat the playing experience a musician gains in the UK. For 25 years the Tait Memorial Trust, in memory of the Tait Family‟s huge involvement in the promotion of the performing arts in Australia, has been encouraging young Australian talent to flourish, by offering these young artists financial support, advice and friendship when they reach the UK. We are delighted to announce that we are extending our support to include young performing artists from New Zealand. Please read more on page 5 . Without the Tait Trust, the wonderful legacy of music making in Australia & New Zealand would be much poorer. Every supporter helps our future cultural leaders. Together, we all become vital agents of change in our communities, in Australia, New Zealand, in the UK, and ultimately across the world.
W HERE ARE THEY NOW ? Derek Welton Bass Baritone Tait Awardee 2007
Now a principal with the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Derek was a Tait Awardee in 2007. He is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, Australia, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in German and Linguistics, and of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, holding Master of Music (Vocal Studies) & Master of Music Performance (Opera Studies) degrees with Distinction. Derek has performed at the Salzburg Festival, Salzburg Easter Festival, Festspielhaus BadenBaden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Semperoper Dresden, Hamburg State Opera, Teatro dell‟Opera di Roma, Glyndebourne, Opera North, Beijing Music Festival, Opéra de Lille and many other houses in over forty roles. Derek recently performed Wotan Das Rheingold with Deutsche Oper Berlin.
Catherine Carby Mezzo-Soprano Tait Awardee 2000
Australian Mezzo-Soprano Catherine Carby studied at the Canberra School of Music and the Royal College of Music, London. Catherine was a finalist in several major competitions including the Kathleen Ferrier Award, the Richard Tauber Award and the Young Concert Artists Trust. Catherine was a Tait Awardee in 2000. Current engagements include Diana La Calisto and Cornelia Giulio Cesare for English Touring Opera, Ino / Juno Semele with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Minerva Il ritorno d’Ulisse, Spirit of Antonia‟s Mother Les Contes d’Hoffmann and Siegrune Die Walküre for the Royal Opera, London, Brangäne Tristan und Isolde at the Teatro Sao Carlos, Lisbon, Haydn Theresienmesse With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Katharina Schratt Mayerling for the Royal Ballet, London. Her recordings and broadcasts include Satanella Naxos CD, Messiah BBC, The Love for Three Oranges Chandos CD, Der Rosenkavalier Opera Australia CD / DVD & Classic 100 Opera ABC.