Vocal Ensemble (4-9 voices)
Friday 1st August 2025
* More than two entries per school are allowed in this discipline, providing the total number of Friday entries does not exceed FIVE per school.
VENUE – All sections will be held at St Paul’s Lutheran Church – See Eisteddfod Venues page
CONVENOR: Sally Cowan
ADJUDICATOR: Jonathan Bligh
Jonathan Bligh is the Founder and Artistic Director of the internationally award-winning male-voiced a cappella group, the Festival Statesmen Chorus (two-time Champions of the World Choir Games, Auckland 2024). He is a Conductor, Vocal Coach, Ensemble Singer and Music Educator.
Jonathan holds a Master of Voice Pedagogy with Distinction from the Westminster Choir College (Rider University, Princeton, USA), a Bachelor of Music (Elder Conservatorium, Adelaide), Graduate Diploma of Education (University of Adelaide) and a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (London). Jonathan regularly coaches a cappella groups all over Australia and recently returned from South Korea as guest conductor for the Asia Pacific ‘APAC’ Youth Choral Festival in South Korea.
Jonathan was Head of Vocal Studies and Classroom Music Teacher at The Scots College (Sydney) and previously worked as a Senior Music Teacher in the Selective Entry Performing Arts Program at Charles Campbell Secondary School (Adelaide). Outside of choral directing and teaching, he has also directed a number of musicals including Footloose, Gypsy, Les Miserables, and Spring Awakening.
GENERAL DISCIPLINE INFORMATION
Entrants MUST read the Syllabus Notes for Friday for detailed information and the Rules & Conditions of Entry
Ensembles consist of 4-9 voices only. An interchange of 2 members is allowed as long as there are no more than 9 on stage at any one time.
SEE SYLLABUS page for details on how to enter.
Vocal Ensemble Sections:
Depending on number of entries, some SECTIONS may be divided, combined, cancelled or have entries CLOSED EARLY when capacity is reached
Junior Vocal Ensemble – Year 6 & under
Intermediate Ensemble – Year 10 & under
Senior Vocal Ensemble – Year 12 & under
ANNOUNCE VOCAL ENSEMBLE CHAMPION
(BILL HEWETT MEMORIAL AWARD)
ANNOUNCE SA COUNTRY CHORAL ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD
For full Friday details click HERE
(See the Program page for full program)
BILL HEWETT MEMORIAL AWARD
(Vocal Ensemble 4-9 Champion)
WILLIAM ARTHUR HERBERT HEWETT
01.11.1927 – 11.03.2011
Bill, or “Kamaru” as he was known to members of the Scouting movement, was a dedicated community member most remembered as the local 1st Balaklava Scout Leader and ‘Barossa and Light’ District Commissioner. Life Membership was awarded in 1990 for his many years of service to Scouting.
His greatest passion however was choral singing. He was a member of the Gawler Choral Society, the Gawler-Barossa Oratorio Choir, Balaklava Music Lovers’ Choral Society, Balaklava Community Arts and the Adelaide Plains Male Voice Choir. He sang in choirs for over 70 years under 46 different conductors. Bill was renowned for singing bass in perfect pitch and was a valued member of the Adelaide Plains Male Voice Choir for many years. He reluctantly retired from the Adelaide Plains Male Voice Choir in 2008 but continued to enjoy choral performances.