 |
CAPITAL COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION |
||||
|
|
|||||
|
The Capital Country Music Association is a community based group of folk who not only love country music but enjoy the nurturing and promotion of particularly young talent by supporting them with performance workshops and monthly showcases with many special opportunities to perform at shows promoting country music and supporting the community. The CCMA is a non-profit organisation. Email info@ccma.net.au |
Cancellation – 2008 Junior Winter Talent Quest The 2008 Junior Winter Talent Quest set to be held in Tamworth, Country Music Capital, this coming July has had to be cancelled due to lack of entries. The January National Talent Quest will be held as usual and hopefully the Junior Winter Talent Quest in 2009 will also be staged. 2007 Winter Junior Talent Quest The 2007 CCMA Winter Junior Talent Quest was held on July 6 and 7 with around 50 individual entrants from all over Australia and New Zealand competing in more than 200 individual sections. Melanie and Kris – overall winners Melanie Dyer and Kris Wason have taken out overall honours at the 2007 Capital Country Music Association Junior Winter Talent Quest.
Melanie won the Juvenile Overall Winner title while Kris won the Junior Overall Winner crown. The pair took out the prizes from around 50 competitors from all parts of Australia and New Zealand. Mitchell King (above right) was named winner of the Winners Concert Overall Best Performance prize which, when added to the fact it was his birthday, made the Saturday of the Talent Quest Grand Final a special day for the now 18 year old. All three key winners were graduates of this year's Tamworth Camerata junior school of country music. Part of Kris' win is a scholarship to Camerata 2008. Friendly rivalry in 14th annual Junior Winter Talent Quest Staged over two days at The Family Hotel, a unique event was held for the 14th time, and for the seventh year as part of the 2006 Hats Off to Country Festival in Tamworth.
Other competitors travel from right around the state and further afield to attend. This quest is staged during the mid year school holidays, making it an attainable trip for many from distant parts. It’s interesting to note the major placegetters were all 2006 Tamworth Camerata graduates, and, being the best of friends, they really didn’t relish competing against each other. Who wants to beat your best friend in competition? But that’s the spirit of this contest for amateur performers 17 years and younger.
As all competitors are 17 or younger, they don’t have to compete with performers older or more experienced, which makes for an extremely level playing field – a major factor in the long-running quest’s growth and success story. Professional judges are sourced locally and from other districts, and throughout the event the Capital Country Music Association committee members work tirelessly to ensure scores are accurately tallied, microphones function on cue and things run smoothly for the “country stars of the future”. This event is proudly sponsored by Kensell Holden, NBN Television, The Family Hotel and The Pub Group Tamworth. Photos, top: Tiffney Stroh, left, and Hannah Cosgrove – the junior and juvenile overall winners, with their trophies. Right: Emma Roberts with The Pub Group's Joan Douglas. Click on the photos for larger images. CCMA 14th Winter Junior Talent Quest – RESULTS Junior Male Vocal: 1. Kris Wason 2. Patrick Brown 3. Trent Holder Junior Female Vocal: 1. Tiffney Stroh 2. Sarah Roberts 3. Sinead Burgess Junior Gospel: 1. Sinead Burgess 2. Sarah Roberts 3. Olivia Hally Junior Duet: 1. Sinead Burgess & Kris Wason 2. Olivia Hally & Kiera Smith 3. Tiffney Stroh & Makaylie Foodey Junior Country Rock: 1. Paige Jeffrey 2. Kiera Smith 3. Victoria Darke Junior Aust Country: 1. Tiffney Stroh 2. Sinead Burgess 3. Kris Wason Junior Instrumental: 1. Olivia Hally 2. Tiffney Stroh 3. Trent Holder Juvenile Male Vocal: 1. Mitchell Murdock 2. Thomas Ritchie 3. Shayne Lenord Juvenile Female Vocal: 1. Hannah Cosgrove 2. Sarah Roberts 3. Timara Maree Pollicina Juvenile Country Gospel: 1. Hannah Cosgrove 2. Kiara Rodrigues 3. Melanie Dyer Juvenile Country Duet: 1. Hannah Cosgrove & Kiara Rodrigues 2. Emma Roberts & Melanie Dyer 3. Timara Pollicina & Bonnie Riley Juvenile Country Rock: 1. Hannah Cosgrove 2. Kiara Rodrigues 3. Rebecca Ritchie Juvenile Aust Country: 1. Melanie Dyer 2. Timara Maree Pollicina 3. Emma Roberts Juvenile Instrumental: 1. Emma Roberts 2. Shayne Lenord 3. Mitchell Murdock Songwriting: 1. Kris Wason 2. Makaylie Foodey 3. Caitlin Harnett Group: 1. Three Divas 2. Sarah Roberts Group 3. The Boogie Boys Junior Encouragement Award: Belinda Puntoriero Juvenile Encouragement Award: The Ritchie Family Gentleman Geoff Brown Memorial Award: Paige Jeffrey Ray Somerville Award: Emma Roberts Luke Newland Memorial Award: Paige Jeffrey Junior Overall: 1. Tiffney Stroh 2. Sinead Burgess 3. Kris Wason Juvenile Overall: 1. Hannah Cosgrove 2. Emma Roberts 3. Kiara Rodrigues Family Hotel Performance of the Night: Emma Roberts CCMA 2005 Winter Junior Talent Quest The Capital Country Music Association (CCMA) 13th Annual Winter Junior Talent Quest was held during the Hats Off To Country weekend/NSW school holidays - Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9, with the presentation of awards and concert evening on the Saturday night. The Douglas family continued their generous support of the Quest with The Family Hotel sponsoring both days of the event in Tamworth, Australia's Country Music Capital. Licensee Craig Power is pleased to have so many young country music performers and their families coming to The Family for the Talent Quest. "The Bridge Street hotel has for many years been a hotel for 'the working man' alone, however, The Family has become a great local meeting place," he said. President of the CCMA Rod Hazell said he, his committee and club members were extremely grateful to the Douglas family for their continued support to the association.
Click here to visit our new photos page Junior Winter Talent Quest 2005 Another successful Junior Winter Talent Quest was held in Tamworth in July, 2005 with Bendigo multi-instrumentalist Penelope Somerville taking home a total of eight trophies.
She then won the Jazzer Smith Talent Quest, gaining her second scholarship to Camerata and now she's won her third scholarship by being named Junior Overall Winner of the CCMA Winter Talent Quest 2005. This will allow her to attend Camerata for the third time next July. "I've been coming to Tamworth for the January festival for eight years and coming in July for six years," Penelope told the Northern Daily Leader. "I love Tamworth, it's like my second home." It's no surprise then, with her love for Tamworth and her many awards, that Penelope's dream is to pursue a career in country music. "It's definitely my biggest dream to play for Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt or Keith Urban," she said. The awards are likely to keep coming and she is well on her way to achieving her dreams, with a finalist berth in last year's Telstra Road to Tamworth, after winning the Bendigo heat. Penelope has again been selected among the 12 performers in the Telstra Road to Tamworth Bendigo heat later this month. Photo: Penelope Somerville with her eight awards from the CCMA Winter Junior Talent Quest. Photo: Geoff O’Neill, NDL. Full results... Overall Junior Winner – Penelope Somerville, Victoria Second Overall Junior – Jared Scott, NSW (Tamworth) Third Overall Junior & Luke Newland Memorial Award Winner – Tiffney Stroh, South Australia Winner, Junior Instrumental & Gospel – Penelope Somerville Winner, Junior Female Vocal & Country Rock – Tiffney Stroh Winner, Junior Male Vocal & Australian Country – Jared Scott Junior Duet Winners – Alicia Cummins & Sarah Roberts, NSW (Tamworth) Overall Juvenile Winner & Highest Score Overall receiving the Gentleman Geoff Brown Memorial Award – Anna McDonald, New Zealand Second Overall Juvenile – Bart Thrupp, Queensland (Toowoomba) Third Overall Juvenile – Natalie Butcher, NSW (Dubbo) Winner, Juvenile Male Vocal & Country Rock – Bart Thrupp Winner, Juvenile Female Vocal Australian Country Gospel – Anna McDonald Juvenile Instrumental Winner – Natalie Lizak, NSW (Ulladulla) Juvenile Duet Winners – Natalie Butcher & Bonnie Riley, NSW (Dubbo) Family Hotel Performance Of The Night – Tiffney Stroh (Backing Band on the night, The Palmer Bros featuring Golden Guitar winner Robbie Brown, Dave "Stixy" Adams, Russell Dick, Duncan Toombes)
The number of entries in this year's Winter Junior Talent Quest was similar to last year however there was a switch in the popularity of sections due to new rules changing from 12 years and under to 13 years and under allowing many more young people to enter in this section. Of the nine winners, six are graduates of the Tamworth Camerata. Penelope Somerville from Victoria has been entering CCMA Talent Quests for six years and her family makes an incredible effort to travel here every year. Two years ago, Penelope's dad suffered a massive heart attack and died in the Tamworth Base Hospital... and, because of this, you may from time to time find members of the Somerville family in quiet reflection. Penelope was the Winner of Instrumental and Gospel Sections and was the Overall Junior Winner and awarded the Tamworth Regional Council Scholarship to attend the 2006 Tamworth Camerata….her second Scholarship from the Tamworth Regional Council! If there were a character award, it would have gone to Toowoomba teenager Bart Thrupp who won the hearts of everyone but most importantly the Country Rock and Juvenile Male Vocal receiving the Overall Juvenile Award. Calrossy schoolgirls Alicia Cummins and Sarah Roberts recently performed in the Calrossy School’s presentation of the Wizard Of Oz and carried their acting skills over to their great version of Beccy Cole’s Sorry I Asked with Alicia in multi-costume changes much to the amusement of the appreciative crowd. South Australian teenager Tiffney Stroh topped off her fabulous week at Camerata winning the Female Vocal, Country Rock, third Overall Junior as well as receiving the Luke Newland Memorial Award and the Family Hotel Performance Of The Night Award. Tamworth’s Jared Scott proved that his years of involvement in and his performance opportunities with the CCMA and his twice participation in the Tamworth Camerata saw him achieve the Australian Country and Junior Male Vocal. New Zealand's Anna Macdonald receiving the Female Vocal and Australian Country Gospel taking out the Overall Juvenile Winner's prize. She was awarded the Gentleman Geoff Brown Memorial Award with Geoff's son Gary Brown of Hilltop Recording Studios Tamworth sponsoring the award with Anna now having the opportunity to record a spot on Gary's new website, a music programme which will be recorded live once a month in Tamworth and uploaded to the web www.tamworthlive.com. Gary sees this opportunity to introduce and promote artists live from Tamworth – Australia’s Country Music Capital – to the world, a vision of Geoff’s to see Australian Country Music grow worldwide. Natalie Lizak of Ulladulla won the Juvenile Instrumental playing the fiddle and young Natalie Butcher and friend Bonnie Riley of Dubbo won the Juvenile Duet with Natalie receiving the trophy for third Overall Juvenile. Talented musicians brothers Ace and Cruise Schuldt, the Lizak Sisters Natalie and Tarlay and Bart Thrupp won the group section which is always loads of fun. The Palmer Bros had a new line up this year and featured Duncan Toombes and Russell Dick who enjoyed a whole new experience backing the young performers and regulars Robbie Brown and Dave Adams. The CCMA Talent Quest isn’t the same without the history and knowledge of media personality Alan Clement from 3MFM Inverloch, Victoria who compered the evening. President Rod Hazell congratulated his small team of helpers including Rene Bonomo, Di Walmsley, Cathy Cummins and Debbie Farrer. Long term Vice-President Peter Izod was presented with an award for Life Membership for Outstanding Contribution to the Capital Country Music Association. Former CCMA Winter Junior Talent Quest Winner Aleyce Simmonds, the 2005 Telstra Road To Tamworth Winner, performed for the first time in front of her Tamworth home crowd since arriving back from her Nashville experience. Photo: this year's Talent Quest Finalists. Click on the image for a larger photo. Click here for 2004 winners |
||||
See results of the 2005 Quest below.
Last year's Overall Junior Winner Julieanne Handcock (left) and Overall Juvenile Winner Emma Roberts (right) received placement into the Tamworth Camerata through generous sponsorship by the Tamworth Regional Council. As the Overall Winner Julieanne has a special performance spot on the Concert.
Penelope is no stranger to accolades, having been the Juvenile Overall Winner of the CCMA Winter Junior Talent Quest when she was 12 and winning her first scholarship to Camerata.
© Copyright 2006, Capital Country Music Association, Tamworth