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May 30-June 5, 2019 Dubbo Photo News

ANNUAL HIGHLIGHT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Dubbo Eisteddfod ready to rock By YVETTE AUBUSSON-FOLEY WE will, we will, rock you! It doesn’t appear ear plugs are standard issue for adjudicators at the Dubbo Eisteddfod but for Section 3879 there might just be a call for it. The “Secondary School Rock Band� class is one of the Eisteddfod’s newest, introduced only last year. “We add or change classes in accordance to the needs. Instrumental teachers might make suggestions for example, or people might ask for certain classes and we can introduce it. If we introduce something new, like the rock bands, we trial it for three years and see how it goes,� Dubbo Eisteddfod Committee dance convenor Judy Roots said. The secondary school rock bands will raze the roof of the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre on Monday and Tuesday, June 3 and 4, as part of the school and open bands ensembles. Competitors in instrumental, dance, speech and drama and vocal classes are coming here from over 40 towns and cities. “It does bring a lot to Dubbo. In dance, some families are here for up to five nights. They love to shop in Dubbo. If they’ve got a bit of a break,

Dubbo College South Campus Year 10 elective music band “Marrow� are, left to right, Malachi Snelson, Max Moppett, Jordan Lovegrove and Brodhain Edwards on drums. The band will compete in the secondary school rock band section at this year’s City of Dubbo Eisteddfod. PHOTO: DUBBO COLLEGE SOUTH CAMPUS.

they’ll go to a tourist attraction, so it really does bring a lot into the town,� Mrs Roots told Dubbo Photo News. Dance attracts the most number of competitors vying for first place honours, but for everyone, feedback from adjudicators is also invaluable. “We don’t just get anyone. For dance for example, we try and get adjudicators that have lots of experience, who’ve worked overseas with dance schools, they’ve had their own schools, or they’ve choreographed and performed themselves. They add and give so much to the competitors and give them so much encouragement to fulfil their dreams.� For 2019, there won’t be a grand concert to show off the best of the best, however

2020 marks 50 years for the Dubbo Eisteddfod and special events are in the pipeline. “Over the last few years the attendance numbers have dwindled primarily due to the clash of other eisteddfod dates, meaning the dynamic seniors groups aren’t available to perform as they are away competing. It just wasn’t feasible,� Dubbo Regional Theatre manager Linda Christof said. “I can confirm it is not to do with any exorbitant venue fee increases as fees have only increased the standard 2.7 per cent annual increase. “It is the same reason that some non-dance sections of the Eisteddfod have been moved to other smaller venues such as the Drama Room, RSL and Macquarie Conserv-

atorium. They weren’t getting the audience numbers and it wasn’t feasible to hire the whole theatre when there was only one person on stage and four people in the auditorium,� Ms Christof said. For anyone who’s seen it, there is one class in the City of Dubbo Eisteddfod audiences hope will never change. “The nursery rhymes. We’ve got 96 this year. They’re six years and under. It’s 20 seconds of ‘just fabulous’. Sometimes it’s only 10 seconds. At other times, they’ll just stand there and the music will play, and then they’ll walk off. We just let them stand there, just get them on the stage, just give them that opportunity,� City of Dubbo Eisteddfod committee president Barbara Redgrave said.

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May 30: Lee Rhiannon, former Greens senator, 68. Wynonna Judd, country singer, 55. Cee-Lo Green, musician, 45. Matt Maguire, AFL player, 35. Antonio Winterstein, footy player, 31. May 31: Clint Eastwood, actor/director, 89. Terry Waite, British human rights activist, 80. Sharon Gless, US actress, 76. Tom Berenger, actor, 70. Tommy Emmanuel, guitarist, 64. Stephen Holland, Olympic swimmer, 61. Brooke Shields, US actress, 54. Todd McKenney, TV personality, 54. Johnny Diesel, singer, 53. Sarah Murdoch, model, TV personality, 47. Colin Farrell, actor, 43. Jun 1: Pat Boone, singer, 85. Morgan Freeman, US actor, 82. Ron Wood, Rolling Stone, 72. Jason Donovan, actor/ singer, 51. Georgie Gardner, Today show host, 49. Adam Garcia, actor, 46. Alanis Morissette, Canadian singer, 45. Heidi Klum, supermodel, 46. Justine Henin, Belgian tennis player, 37. Willow Shields, US actress, 19. Jun 2: Sally Kellerman, US actress, 82. Stacy Keach, US actor, 78. Charlie Watts, Rolling Stone, 78. Jerry Mathers, Leave It To Beaver actor, 71. Dana Carvey, co-starred in Wayne’s World, 64. Kerry Saxby-Junna, champion walker, 58. Steve & Mark Waugh, twin cricketers, 54. Tom Gleeson (above), comedian, 45. Zachary Quinto, US actor, 42. Justin Long, actor, 41. Taj Burrow, surfer, 41. Steve Smith, cricketer, 30. Jun 3: Larry McMurtry, US author, 83. Suzi Quatro, US singer, 69. Tracy Grimshaw (below), A Current Affair host, 59. Carl Rackemann, cricketer, 59. Dan Ewing, Home and Away actor, 34. Rafael Nadal, tennis champ, 33. Reece Robinson, footy player, 32. Jun 4: John Burgess, former Wheel of Fortune host, 76. Mick Doohan, motorcycle racing champion, 54. Angelina Jolie, actress, advocate, 44. Noah Wyle, US actor, 48. Kasey Chambers, country singer, 43. Jun 5: Martin Vaughan, actor, 88. Kenny G, US jazz saxophonist, 63. Brian McKnight, US singer, 50. Mark Wahlberg, US actor, 48. Toni Pearen, singer-actress, 47. Steve “Commandoâ€? Willis, ďŹ tness trainer, 43. Pete Wentz, US musician, 40. Emily Seebohm, Aussie swimmer, 27.

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