Important Information & Program

Welcome and thank you for your interest in the inaugural Gunnedah Online Music Eisteddfod 2020!

With COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of many of Australia’s arts and cultural events in 2020, the Gunnedah Eisteddfod Society sought to provide a performance and competition outlet for musicians young and old. And with that, the Gunnedah Online Music Gunnedah Eisteddfod 2020 was born.

It’s a great incentive for musicians to keep practising hard, and to work towards short-term milestone goals – both for fun, and for those embarking on AMEB exams later this year. 

In keeping with the government’s current restrictions, most sections this year are only for solo performers. We also have a great variety of special new sections for golden oldies (65+), pre-schoolers, performers with special needs, sibling duets, Indigenous Australian music, and the fabulous ‘Family/Household Entertainment’ section where you can get creative with everyone in your home – and be in the running to win some great prizemoney! Entries will be via video submission onto Dropbox (with a link in your submission form) for our Adjudicators to assess (instructions will be made available on our website).

In 2020, we warmly invite and encourage musicians from across Australia to enter. Our capacity will of course have its limitations, but we will do our very best to accommodate as many entries as possible! 

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our generous local sponsors and volunteers for their continued support, acknowledging that the success of our long-running Eisteddfod and our ability to have an alternative event up and running in 2020 is largely due to the support of local businesses and families.

To our wonderful Gunnedah locals, regular attendees from across north-west NSW, and to those of you whom we haven’t met before – we are delighted to host you at the Gunnedah Online Music Eisteddfod 2020, and we hope to welcome you to our beautiful town in person in the years to come.

Marg Amos, Katrina King and Lucy Ravenwood
Convenors
Gunnedah Online Music Eisteddfod 2020
Gunnedah Eisteddfod Society Inc.

On behalf of the Association of Eisteddfod Societies of Australia Incorporated I wish to congratulate you on being the First ONLINE EISTEDDFOD in Australia.  At a time when the world is on its knees in a desperate attempt to find a cure for the dreaded COVID-19 and Eisteddfod festivals have cancelled or postponed their annual event for 2020, the Gunnedah Eisteddfod Society will not be conquered by this and has introduced the first Online Eisteddfod in Australia and possibly a world first.

I am very proud of your initiative and foresight to venture outside the box to give young people and competitors the opportunity to perform in their chosen discipline in the Performing Arts.

When my wife Jan and I were in Sri Lanka where I had the honour of being the guest speaker at the inaugural ceremony of the First Eisteddfod in Sri Lanka we were also asked to light the “Oil Lamp”, a symbol of something new and done for the first time in their country.  So we will light a candle showing that the Gunnedah Eisteddfod is a light for other Eisteddfods to follow in Australia and around the World. 

We would have loved to be there with you on this momentous occasion.

Wishing you well and that it is a great success.

Tony Kemper OAM
President
Association of Eisteddfod Societies of Australia Inc.

On behalf of the Gunnedah Eisteddfod Society, it gives me great pleasure to welcome all participants to Australia’s first online music eisteddfod. We are thrilled to bring this new concept in performance into your living rooms.  

A stalwart of the community, the Society has provided a meeting place, a creative space for the young and young-at-heart since 1953. As we move to a new platform this year, our objectives of education, opportunity and enjoyment remain unchanged. Once again, the people of the Gunnedah district have demonstrated their resilience and adaptability as we continue to work together to build friendship and community during challenging times.

The collaborative effort that has brought this project to fruition will bring our eisteddfod into an exciting, innovative future. Our sincerest appreciation to all the contributors for turning a great idea into reality. 

Meryl Hennessy
President

Online Registrations Open:
Monday 20 April 2020

Online Registrations Close:
Wednesday 13 May 2020

Online Video Submissions Open:
Wednesday 10 June 2020

Online Video Submissions Close:
Sunday 21 June 2020

Winners Announced & Results Distributed:
Wednesday 1 July 2020

President Mrs Meryl Hennessey
Vice President Mrs Marg Amos
Vice President Mrs Leonie Harley
Secretary Mrs Marg Kersley
Treasurer Mrs Julie Glover
Public Officer Mrs Meryl Hennessey

Mrs Marg Amos 0427 421 099
Mrs Katrina King 0427 423 554
Mrs Lucy Ravenwood 0428 421 099
Email gunnedaheisteddfod@gmail.com