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Lismore Eisteddfod

May we introduce to you the Lismore Musical Festival Society? The aim of this society, established in l908, is to encourage children and adults of amateur status in the Performing Arts to further their skills by providing them with stand up stage space and to have their work tested by skillful, qualified adjudicators. Each year more that 4,000 amateur performers are involved through dance studios, schools, individual students of various teachers in piano, woodwind, string, brass, vocal, dance, spoken word, school choirs, bands, choral speech and creative class work. Their ages range from 4 years to 50 plus.…

The Impact of Covid-19

Our nation is in the grip of a pandemic called Covid-19. To lessen the threat to our lives our Government, national, state and local council have set in place a wide closure of social activities and businesses which action affects our every day life; Absolute Essentials are the only exceptions. We may have to cancel the 2020 Eisteddfod. We can always live in hope. I am by nature an optimist - and even if the Eisteddfod does not go ahead this year, then we will most certainly be ready for 2021.

It is interesting historically, because 100 years ago a pandemic of the Spanish Influenza was raging world wide and there was no Festival of Grande Annual Competitions held that year. None had been held since 1915. Tragedy was widespread, for so many young men from this area had been killed in WW1. All the money the society had raised at the 1915 Festival had been given to the Red Cross.

But in 1921 optimism had arrived to Lismore, renewing sleeping energies. A new theatre had been opened - The Star Court Theatre - and this was where the Society held its 9th Grand Annual Festival of Competitions.

Great joy came from vocal solos and choral singing, items in piano, violin, woodwind, with the full on poetry speaking of classical and Australian verse. Graceful Dance was introduced - with petals and much draped crepe de chine.

We sincerely hope that we hold our 112th Festival/Eisteddfod in September 2020. June 30 will be decision time. We all live in hope!! The one item left in Pandora`s box.

Val Axtens
Secretary
Lismore Musical Festival Society

Our Eisteddfod

Lismore Musical Festival Society, Performing Arts Competitions (Eisteddfod) was formed in l908. Our aim is to encourage children and adults of amateur status to further their skills and to have their works tested by skilful, highly qualified adjudicators. The Society provides stimulation for performers to prepare for public performance, have the opportunity to hear others, to benefit from professional adjudicators and to realise the value of appreciative audiences.