FolkTas Grants Announced, August 2015

Well, the Folk Federation of Tasmania committee has made a song and dance about the FolkTas Grant and is pleased to announce that the Folk Tas Grant has been awarded to two quality applicants! Both projects will support and enhance our folk community, but in different ways.

The Folk Federation is proud to give support to the Ethereal Ensemble’s book of Tasmanian original music, poetry and images inspired by Tasmania’s natural world. This unique and affordable book will have a wide appeal for Tasmanians and has the potential to reach beyond, with its easy to read music scores, elegant colour images and beautiful poetry.

The committee was privy to seeing some examples of the work to be included and believe that the book will be a long lasting resource which will bring people together to play the music and still hold appeal to others with its poetry and images. The committee is very much looking forward to seeing the final product early next year. The book will be launched at a special Ethereal Ensemble concert and details will be posted as they come to hand or see www.etherealensemble.com

The other successful applicant is the Harp Society of Tasmania with an equally inspiring, but different project of folk fusion into the wider community. The Harp Society will run a free weekend of all things harp; open to the general public and held in Spring 2015. Westbury has been chosen as it is central, particularly to those in the north of the state, and is home to one of the Harp groups. Proposed are free teaching sessions, introductions to regional harp groups, a harp healing workshop, showcases of local harp makers and performers and possibly some catering.

On the Saturday evening, there will be a fundraising concert featuring the Tasmanian Harp Ensemble who will present a repertoire of Tasmanian traditional tunes at the Westbury Hall. The fundraising goes towards their trip to France in May next year to present these Tasmanian tunes at a harp festival. Further details will be posted on the FolkTas email list or contact Jenny Smith…

2014 SONG AND TUNE WRITING AWARD WINNERS

“for an original song or tune in traditional or contemporary folk style”

Just a quick follow up and announcement of winners of this year’s FFT Song competition and concert, at Wesley Hall in Hobart.

• “for an original song or tune in traditional or contemporary folk style”

  • See entry form: Folk Federation of Tas Song Writing Awards entry form 2015
  • These awards are made to encourage creative music writing in Tasmania.
  • An independent panel of judges will announce the major awards at a concert on Saturday 24th October
  • The concert will feature the finalists. The judge’s decision will be made before the night but not announced until during the concert. A People’s Choice award will be decided on the night.

  There are three categories, plus a Peoples’ Choice on the night of the concert 

  • Mike Silverwood Memorial Song Writing Award 1st $150
  • Instrumental Award 1st $150
  • Under 19 Song or Instrumental Award 1st $150
  • People’s Choice Award 1st $50

  Entries to be submitted by Saturday 26th September 2015

  Further information: ring Peter on 0409 216 752

  • Further details are on the entry form: Folk Federation of Tas Song Writing Awards entry form 2015

2013 SONG AND TUNE WRITING AWARD WINNERS

“for an original song or tune in traditional or contemporary folk style”

A big thank you to all the entrants, participants, supporters, judges, hosts etc for another successful Folk Federation of Tasmania Mike Silverwood Memorial Songwriters Award, writes Peter Hicks.

Report on Songwriter’s Concert Brookfield Margate 2013

On Saturday Nov 16^th I had the privilege of hosting  terrific collection of songwriters and instrumentalists who on hand to display their turn of phrase and creativity.  We were also bidding farewell to a fantastic centre of folk in southern Tasmania – the Brookfield, Margate.

A great mood was created by members of Ethereal who performed a short bracket including two pieces which were submitted as part of the competition.  The blend of harps, brass wind and didgeridoo is unique and this act deserves all the accolades they have coming to them .  Look out for their new CD coming soon.  Their tune Morning Delta was judged  winner of the tune award which has been renamed the Helen Lindsay award in honour of the enormous amount of effort Helen has put in to the folk scene over the past decade.

Marty Spurway-Smith launched the singer songwriters with a great bracket including Song for a Single Father  which was judged as the best song for 2013 by our Northern judging panel of Beth Sowter and Patrick Gambles.  It was a good choice although the performances from all acts was testament to the fact that any of the songwriting acts could have been winners on the night.  Rory Campbell gave us a treat with a bracket consisting of the songs he submitted and a more jolly piece – The Banana Song which had many audience members in tears – with laughter.

Anna Hebblewhite performed her thought provoking reflective pieces with amazing poise and her beautiful piano playing and singing had the crowd hushed.  Also thrilling was young Finn Clarke who announced he had only started playing piano in April and proceeded to perform three original pieces with great confidence and flair.  Shaun Pearce was accompanied by Graeme Ewing and as usual played a bracket including his entry on the Mt Lyell mining disaster which was an epic in the best sense of the word.

A thrilled audience cast their votes and waited while the organisers went to count the tally. Steve Gadd and Emily Wolfe entertained with original and traditional tunes.  The vote for People’s Choice went to the wire with two performers polling equally and voting went to preferences. But there could only be one winner and Finn Clarke walked away a worthy winner.   We are all looking forward to next year’s competition but it will be hard to find a venue that could match the atmospheric surrounds of the Brookfield.

The winners were:

FFT Song Comp winner:  Marty Spurway-Smith for song “Song for a Single Father”

Tune Award:  Winner: Ethereal for tune “Morning Delta”

u-19 winner:  Beatrice Harrison-Day for tune: “Music Teacher”

People’s choice: Finn Clarke

Commendation:  Marc Smith for song “Leaving the Land”

Commendation to :  Matthew Dames for song “Piano Girl”

•  VENUE UPDATE

  Due to the Night Owl Music Bar being closed, the Awards Concert will be held at The Wesley Hall (upstairs), Melville Street, Hobart (next to the multi-storey car-park). The concert will still be starting at 7:30 and will still have the same fantastic artists! We won’t have a liquor licence but some refreshments will be available or BYO nibbles etc. and make it a really cosy night.

  2014 FFT Song and Tune Writing Awards

   

  “for an original song or tune in traditional or contemporary folk style”

  • See entry form: Folk Federation of Tas Song Writing award entry form 2014
  • These awards are made to encourage creative music writing in Tasmania.
  • An independent panel of judges will announce the major awards at a concert at the Night Owl Music Bar, Liverpool St,  Wesley Hall, Melville Street, Hobart on Saturday 1st November, 7:30-9:30
  • The concert will feature the finalists. The judge’s decision will be made before the night but not announced until during the concert. A People’s Choice award will be decided on the night.

  There are three categories, plus a Peoples’ Choice on the night of the concert 

  • Mike Silverwood Memorial Song Writing Award 1st $150
  • Instrumental Award 1st $150
  • Under 19 Song or Instrumental Award 1st $150
  • People’s Choice Award 1st $50

  Entries to be submitted by Saturday 27th September 2014

  Further information: ring Peter on 0409 216 752

  • Further details are on the entry form: Folk Federation of Tas Song Writing award entry form 2014