Rotary Youth Music Awards

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (15:14): On Saturday night, I attended the third Unley Rotary Youth Music Awards at the Goodwood Theatre and Studios on Goodwood Road. The Rotary Youth Music Awards supports emerging musicians aged between 10 and 21 years in our South Australian community. The initiative, led by Rhonda Hoare and her subcommittee of the Rotary Club of Unley, is supported by Tabor College. It aims to encourage, nurture and foster the musical talent of young people here in South Australia.

The awards include a range of categories from solo artists, original or cover songs, ensembles, digital music and a specialist percussion section in a supportive environment. These awards provide easy access to music resources, masterclasses to help applicants' performance techniques and the opportunity to perform at the Goodwood Institute in front of a paying audience.

There are a range of prizes including cash, music store vouchers, professional music photography, recording sessions, instruments and more. The awards and the opportunities they present for young people demonstrates how the Rotary Club of Unley values the arts and the importance of music and creativity in our society. A big thank you, too, to the sponsors, because of course these community events cannot happen without generous sponsors such as Derringers Music, Billy Hyde Music, Harrison Music, Winston Music, Anaconda, Size Music and Officeworks.

Although it was predominantly a locally organised event, the first act was a band called Exit Plan from Murray Bridge High School and they played an original composition. Then Plato Minyaeva from St Ignatius College performed a waltz from Blizzard on the piano. Mia Huang performed a classical piece in the year 7-9 category, again on the piano. Xiaoyun Zhang in the year 7-9 instrumental category, also performed a solo piece on the piano. Anika Hiriyanna from Pembroke School performed Home (Wonderland) Music in the year 7-9 vocal category.

Holly Westbrook from Loreto College also performed a vocal piece in the year 7-9 vocal category. Andrew Kim from Prince Alfred College performed two movements of Winter on his violin and that was a stunning performance. The Loreto College Quintet also performed, and Molly Silvey from Loreto performed her own composition in the year 10-12 original music category. Iris Nissen from Cabra Dominican College also performed an original piece. Kelly Ramsay from Tabor performed another original piece, and Chayse Larsen from Nuriootpa High School performed Soldier's Eyes on guitar and vocal.

Antonia Pajor from Cabra Dominican College performed her piece in the year 10-12 vocal category. Amber Hallett from Loreto College sang Once Upon a Time by Charles Strouse in the year 10 vocal category. Antonia Mazzone from Loreto College performed Alegria by Renee Dupere in Italian. With her Italian heritage, she had no trouble singing in Italian, and she was very proud of her heritage on that night. Jack Elms was in the year 10-12 vocal category from Prince Alfred College, and Mia Luppino was in the year 7-9 vocal category from Loreto College. A big thank you also to Timothy Frahn, Bachelor of Music, who for the third year in a row has been the adjudicator and had the tough job of being on the panel to determine the winners, the runners-up and the other prize holders.