Afternoon Tea in Support of The Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition and Festival

Patron of the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition, the Honourable Ian Callinan AC; Chairman, The Honourable Andrew Greenwood and the Board of Directors; CEO, Mr Matthew Farrell; corporate partners; donors and supporters; competition finalists; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands on which we gather, and their connection to land and community. I pay my deepest respects to Elders past, present and emerging – especially during NAIDOC Week – a week that celebrates our rich Indigenous heritage and honours the resilience, pride, and vibrant culture of our First Nations communities.

Graeme and I take great delight in welcoming you here this afternoon.

As Patron of the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition, it is a pleasure to be associated with such gifted musicians and those who organise for them to showcase their talents to such a wide audience.

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of The Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition and Festival and for that I congratulate all those involved in maintaining the exceptional standards for which this competition is renowned.

Celebrating excellence and supporting the achievements of participants from across Australia and New Zealand provides not only a wonderful viewing and listening experience for us as an audience, but also valuable and important opportunities for these talented musicians to perform – and demonstrate their exceptional skill as they come ‘to fully realise their potential.’  

Reaching these dizzying heights no doubt requires much time and effort.

A determination to succeed and a love for the instrument is important. However, the ability to connect and move others through your efforts is central to the uplifting nature of music.

We applaud all competitors and appreciate your contributions to the festival. The hard work has paid off – you are on your way to bigger things, no matter the outcome at Friday’s Finals. I am so looking forward to celebrating your achievements and witnessing your live performance and fine musicianship and wish you all the best.

While the performers are most definitely the stars of the competition, we also need to highlight the importance of venue partners and financial supporters to the success of the festival.

We all know that the competition provides a platform for competitors to play, to learn, to refine their craft and to connect with an audience, and we also know that it takes others to make this happen for them. To the masterclass and workshop presenters, and to the principal sponsors and the many supporters – thank you.

To the Board, Artistic Directors, Natasha Vlassenko and Oleg Stepanov, jury and judges, we also appreciate the work you do in staging this highly anticipated event, and the difficult decisions that you will make in deciding who the winners will be. I don’t envy you that task at all!

Before Graeme and I invite you to join us for some afternoon tea, I would like to present this Certificate of Patronage to your Chair, the Honourable Andrew Greenwood, and thank you once again for the wonderful work that you do in honouring the legacy of Lev Vlassenko.