Annually for the last 28 years the City of Boroondara has presented the Boroondara Eisteddfod, supported by a volunteer advisory committee, as well as a number of benefactors and supporters. Indeed, it would not be possible without the team of dedicated volunteers who commit their time to assist in the running of the competitive sections. Spanning over six weeks of competition and events, musicians of all ages come together to showcase their skills and share in the joy of performing.
All the classic Boroondara Eisteddfod sections will be back again in 2019, including the highly-anticipated Boroondara Piano Concerto competition. An additional range of new events this year will include non-competitive sections, events for Concert Bands and Brass Bands, and Masterclass workshops aimed at VCE students. All events are held at the Hawthorn Arts Centre.
Eisteddfod, a Welsh term dating back to the 7th century, refers to a cultural festival that includes musical and dramatic competition. The National Eisteddfod of Wales began in 1176 when it is believed the first Eisteddfod was held. Lord Rhys invited poets and musicians from all over Wales to a grand gathering at his castle in Cardigan. A chair at the Lord’s table was awarded to the best poet and musician; a tradition that prevails in the modern day National Eisteddfod. However, with the decline of the bardic tradition, the event fell into abeyance. The current format owes much to an 18th century revival arising from a number of informal eisteddfodau. The closest English equivalent to eisteddfod is “session”; the word is formed from two Welsh morphemes: eistedd, meaning “sit”, and bod, meaning “be”. In some countries, the term eisteddfod is used for certain types of performing arts competitions that have nothing to do with Welsh culture.
The Boroondara Eisteddfod has been a major stepping stone in the artistic development of many young artists. Applicants are provided with the valuable opportunity to gain performance experience, as well as insightful feedback from the Eisteddfod adjudicators, all of whom have extensive professional experience. Anyone can enter and the Boroondara Eisteddfod has a range of sections with different age limits, including some open age sections.
For more information, contact us at eisteddfod@boroondara.vic.gov.au
