The Mietta Song Recital Award 2004, 2005

The Mietta Song Recital Award is named in celebration of one of Australia's most influential figures in arts and hospitality, Mietta O'Donnell who was co-founder and driving force of the national art song competition from its inception in 1995 until her death in January 2001. Patrons of the Award are Dame Joan Sutherland OM AC DBE, Yvonne Kenny AM, Mietta's mother, Maria O'Donnell and Richard Bonynge AO CBE.

The Mietta Song Recital Award encourages the performance of art song through a series of master classes followed by a two day competition and provides a prizes package worth in excess of $25,000 for the competitors, with a package of cash, scholarship and language courses worth over $15,000 for the winning singer and a $5000 award for the winning pianist, as well as cash prizes for the finalists and participation awards for the other competitors.

The competition is the pre eminent competition for art song in Australia and is an enduring testament to Mietta's vision and contribution to the arts. The next competition will take place in April 2006.

The Mietta Song Recital Award 2004 took place in October 2004 as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival in its year of the Voice. An excellent series of master classes was given by artists including counter tenor Graham Pushee, soprano Marilyn Richardson and pianist and teacher Stephen McIntyre. The winner of the Award was Sharon Zhai. Sharon is now based in Sydney and comes originally from China. Thanks to the Mietta Song Recital Award and the prize donated by the Institute of Italian Culture, Sharon is already in Italy studying Italian and will follow this with language study in Germany donated by the Goethe Institut.

For the artist the Mietta Award offers the chance to participate in a program of master classes followed by a professionally staged competition requiring the artist to perform a mini recital, providing an excellent springboard for future recital programs. The benefits of the Award are recognised by all the artistic participants and the Award continues Miettta's support and encouragement of emerging artists. See attached appreciative feedback from this years competitors.

The Award provides the audience with a delightful, absorbing and intriguing chance to follow the development of the singer and the artistic partnership between piano and voice through the series of master classes to the performance during the competition, allowing the audience a glimpse into the mind of the artists as they develop their skills and repertoire. Copies of the program for the Award 2004 are available tonight as background to the competition.

Plans for 2005 include:

• Presentation of a professional development workshop for singers and pianists covering issues such as professional presentation, choice of repertoire, recording technique and preparation and presentation for audition
• Recital performances by past winners of the Mietta Song Recital Award

Mietta's vision to promote art song and to encourage and develop emerging artists continues.

The next Mietta Song Recital Award will be held in 2006.