6 March 2013
Dear fellow accompanists and Guild members,
I hope I live long enough to see the day when accompanists are treated with the dignity that they deserve! … I played for a number of students in school recitals last year, and hardly at any time was the accompanist properly introduced or acknowledged. Some schools’ extension recitals provided a printed program of items, where I received some thanks in small letters at the bottom of the last page. In one instance, on the occasion of a Showcase Recital by a well-known private school, performers and audience were welcomed verbally but no mention was made of the accompanist, and naturally it would be too much to expect the students to turn around and acknowledge their supporting pianist! At the conclusion of the concert, the Music Director no less, got up to thank people providing the venue, the performers and their teachers, the Mums and Dads who brought refreshments, the people who set up the chairs, and … oh, yes (after a whispered reminder by a teacher present) – there was an accompanist too!
How often has a similar situation happened to you? … We still have a long way to go to attract more respect and recognition. This is one of the reasons the Accompanists’ Guild is in existence and your support and membership is so important!
This year, the Guild’s major initiative will be the presentation of a Master Class for Young Accompanists, which will take place in early August. We have decided to concentrate on instrumental accompanying, and this year will focus on violin repertoire. Selected accompanists will be given the rare opportunity to play with a professional artist who will coach them and comment on their performance. Application forms and details will be released soon but if any member knows already any competent and interested school-age pianists, please contact the Secretary without delay, as the number of participants will be limited.
You would have received recently by email a list of accompanist members of the Guild in a form which can be easily downloaded and printed. Although the website has complete details of all financial members, this is in response to requests for a more compact list of names, and is issued in lieu of the Membership booklet produced a few years ago. Thanks go to Juanita for preparing and producing this list.
We have had a few new members joining us since December last year. We welcome them all, and hope they will benefit from their association with the Accompanists’ Guild of Queensland. To all our members, we wish a successful and busy year.
All the best from the Committee!
Regis Danillon – President Accompanists’ Guild of Queensland