Beverley Harvey’s experience on the Executive of other organizations, and her willingness to help in any capacity, has made her a valued member of the Eisteddfod committee over her 11 years of membership.

Her involvement with the “Eisteddfod by the Bay” (formerly known as the Mordialloc Eisteddfod) was through her membership of Beta Sigma Phi, a women’s organization has been very supportive of the Eisteddfod for 26 years. Beverley has held the position of President, vice-President and Secretary, many times, during her 37 years of membership in Beta Sigma Phi.

Her interest in the performing arts, and in particular Senior Vocal, has led to many years of annual visits to Ballarat to attend the semi-finals of the Aria in the Royal South Street Competitions. This is always followed by her enjoyment of the Final Night of the Herald-Sun Aria held at Hamer Hall, and is the reason behind her enthusiasm for the Classical Vocal Section of this Eisteddfod. There are quite often singers in the semi-finals in Ballarat who have competed just a few weeks earlier in the Mordialloc Eisteddfod, now to be known as “Eisteddfod by the Bay”.

Beverley is a member of the Herb Society of Victoria and an active and supportive member of the National Trust.

Her main love is sailing and after a period as Secretary, she was Commodore of the Hampton Sailing Club for 3 years.

Over the past 9 years Beverley has extended her commitment to the community by working with Family Life as a Family Support Worker and because of her broad interests she will continue her contribution to all these organizations.

andrcraw@optusnet.com.au

I joined the Eisteddfod by the Bay (formerly Mordialloc Eisteddfod) committee in 1994 as Convenor for the Speech and Drama Section.

For the past nineteen years I have been teaching Speech and Drama at Korowa Anglican Girls School.

​In 2012 I was appointed to be on the board of the Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA) and have been examining students entering the ASCA examinations.

​I have also adjudicated at Eisteddfods including the Burnie Eisteddfod Tasmania, West Gippsland Eisteddfod, Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod, 25th and 26th Ainger Public Speaking Awards for Rotary, Mt Gambier Eisteddfod and in September 2014 & 2015 I was very excited to be invited to Sri Lanka for their first eisteddfod.

I am passionate about providing a platform for young performers to develop their performance and communication skills in a non-threatening and positive arena.

I am a tenor and I sing in three choirs – Victorian Trade Union Choir, Vivace Voices (a U3A choir) and a church choir (St. Louis de Montfort’s). I have sung in many regional areas (Portland, Warrnambool, Geelong, Shepparton, Wodonga and Sale) and in venues as different as the National Folk Festival (Canberra) and the Melbourne Recital Centre. I have been fortunate to sing with Australian choirs in Cuba (twice), in New Zealand (a five-concert tour) and in Timor Leste (singing in Tetun and Portuguese).

A few years ago, I began solo singing lessons and in 2014 I entered the Senior Vocal section of the Eisteddfod By The Bay and I was fortunate to win 2nd prize in the Song by an Australian Composer sub-section. So, I know first-hand just how hard our Section Convenors work in putting together every year this long running Eisteddfod!

As your Treasurer, I have had over 40 years’ experience in administration, including over 25 years as a Business Analyst and as a Bookkeeper. I was Treasurer of the Victorian Trade Union Choir for over ten years and I was a volunteer Bookkeeper for both Community Music Victoria and for the New International Bookshop for over three years. While my predecessor has done an outstanding job as Treasurer, a key focus for me will be to improve the clarity of our financial reporting. I look forward to the challenges ahead of me.

Having a piano education assessed and examined through the London College of Music to ALCM standard, has given me a solid understanding and love of music in particular classical music. Indeed an interest in all forms of the Arts both visual and performing has coloured my life and made me the person I am to-day. Singing in junior choirs and performing in local productions of ‘The Messiah’ has given me an ongoing interest in Choral performance.

Above all my love of the human voice has fostered my appreciation of the benefits of all forms of singing both for those performing and those being entertained.

Retirement from a long career in Secondary Teaching in the area of Visual Arts has afforded me the opportunity to give back to my community in a volunteer capacity. I have served on the Mentone Parkdale Village Committee for in excess of ten years, with several terms as Chair, and was invited to serve on the board of ‘playUP’ a contemporary youth performing arts group, sponsored by The City of Kingston.

Currently I am a committee member of The Mordialloc & District Historical Soc Inc. and Chair of the Friends of Mentone Station & Gardens Inc. (A ’State Heritage’ listed site) The Station Gardens precinct is often used as a community space for pocket popup performance, singing and dancing.

The opportunity to become Choral Convenor for the Eisteddfod by the Bay will bring a new direction to my love of singing and enable me to encourage young singers with their performance skills and love of the Art of the voice.

Katrina Pezzimenti is an experienced singing teacher who presently teaches at St Leonard’s College and in her private studio. Trained at Melbourne University and Victorian College of the Arts, she has a Bachelor of Music and an Associate Diploma of Arts in Opera. She has performed with Opera Australia and the Victoria State Opera and performs as often as she can in recitals and musicals. Katrina also specialises in teaching Suzuki Voice and has taught and trained teachers around the world. She has many fond memories of singing in eisteddfods herself and is pleased to be joining the Eisteddfod by the Bay as the Junior Vocal convenor.

Vanessa has over 20 years’ experience in the performing arts and is a specialist speech and drama teacher. She shares her knowledge with young people as Speech and Drama Coordinator at a private school in Bayside. Her experience and skills range from teaching, curriculum development, writing, producing, directing and adjudicating. Her students have enjoyed success in amateur and professional performance and have also successfully auditioned for entry into tertiary study of performing arts at leading institutions including VCA and WAAPA. Vanessa attained a Bachelor of Arts from LaTrobe University with honours in Theatre and Drama along with qualifications from Trinity College London and Melbourne University. Vanessa has lead hundreds of students through the external examination process from initial grades through to performance diplomas in Musical Theatre, Public Speaking and Speech and Drama. Vanessa has a musical background and studied violin and classical voice. She is passionate about youth theatre and the life applicable skills that the performing arts offer.

Keellee has been working as a Voice & Speech teacher and classroom Drama teacher in Melbourne for the last 6 years. Prior to that, she taught Speech and Drama in Perth for 8 years and was secretary of the Perth Speech and Drama Festival. In her early years as a teacher, Keellee toured Italy twice as a performer and has written, directed, choreographed and produced her own plays for students. Keellee enjoys helping students improve their confidence and competence in performing and public speaking.

Anne was a teacher and Assistant Principal in primary schools for 30+ years before retirement. Since then she has been heavily involved in activities for seniors through U3A, both at state level and at our local U3A Kingston. She brings strong organisational skills and a deep interest in learning and education to all her endeavours.

Ann-Thu Nguyen is an emerging Melbourne based Pianist and is currently working as a director and piano teacher of her music school, ‘Melbourne Music Education’. Ann completed her studies at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music with an Honours degree in 2016, then a Master of Music Performance in 2018, again obtaining First Class Honours. During these years she was awarded five prestigious scholarships for excellence: the Francis Quinn Arts Encouragement Award (2014), the DW Gardiner Fund Award (2016), Florence Menk Meyer Prize (2016), Madeleine Orr Scholarship (2017) and the Grace Funston Scholarship (2018). Ann has performed and continues to perform as concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.

Caitlin is a Melbourne-based English, music, and drama teacher, as well as a passionate classical and musical theater fan. Since participating in the senior vocal section for the first time nine years ago, she has enjoyed musical directing, vocal coaching, producing, and directing theater for young people in both school and non-professional environments. Caitlin previously worked as an administrator and assistant producer for Melbourne Fringe, and she enjoys the friendly and competitive atmosphere of Eisteddfod by the Bay.