2023 Toowoomba Eisteddfod: Meet the talented performers
Several students have showcased their musical talent on stage at the opening day of the 77th City of Toowoomba Eisteddfod. Check out our photo gallery here.
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Nothing has helped Ella Davis in her life like dance and one day she hopes to pass it forward by teaching the art form to other young people professionally.
The 11-year-old student who attends the Base Performing Arts studio in Ipswich, first began dancing almost a decade ago with jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop and funk on her resume.
Performing a group lyrical routine to Elton John’s Your Song at the City of Toowoomba Eisteddfod this year, Ella said it was a particularly special routine for the studio.
“A lot of us have been dancing since we were little and this will be the last time for some of us who are moving on,” she said.
“When I’m backstage I get a bit nervous but as soon as I hear the music start playing I calm down and just try to have fun.”
Ella said she was “really excited” to return to Toowoomba after previously taking out first place at the Eisteddfod in a solo.
Despite her love for expressing emotion through lyrical routines, the dancer said her favourite genres were jazz and tap because of the strong movements involved.
Medals galore for talented trio
While all the performers who showcased their speech and drama skills amazed judges in section 24 of the 2023 City of Toowoomba Eisteddfod, there were three young lads who left the audience speechless.
Harry Ryan, and brothers Lawson and Patterson Plumbe, not only delivered notable performances, but also left wearing a medal for every category they competed in.
Lawson took out first place in both the Impromptu Storytelling and Slam Solo poetry categories – something he attributes to his love for reading and vivid imagination.
In fact the 11-year-old even based his Slam Solo poem on his favourite pastime.
“It was called You Must Read and Write by Sir Readalot – that’s the character I played,” Lawson said.
“Reading is fun and it means I get to zone out from everyone else in my entire house and not listen to them.”
Performers were then asked to choose from three pictures and had three minutes to make up their own story based on the image and perform it to the audience.
Both Lawson and Harry selected a picture of a woman surrounded by leaves in an apartment.
Section winner Lawson wrote about a woman who stole leaves from her friends and entered an international leaf competition, only to come home to discover her friends had played a prank on her and filled her apartment with leaves.
While runner up Harry’s story was a little different, he said he really enjoyed the process which taught him to be more confident, go with the flow and apply all his ideas into one.
The 11-year-old also took out second place in the Slam Solo category, but received the gold medal for the Primary Mime Solo – a tricky form of drama without the luxury of speaking.
“For my mime, I did a story about painting a picture in the park when a whole flock of birds come in and started trying to steal my lunch … in the end they pooped in my eye,” Harry said.
“Most people think telling a story is about what you say, but it’s also about your facial expressions and how you use your body to position yourself.
“I get do get nervous but when you’re up on stage it’s so fun to give it a crack and it’s always good to see my friends win too.”
Meanwhile the youngest of the trio Patterson, 10, placed third in both the Slam and Mime Solos.
Passionate about protecting the earth and “dogs” Patterson wrote a poem called Litter Can Kill for his Slam performance, encouraging others to put their rubbish in the bin.
The young performer plans to be a professional stunt person when he’s older and said he will avoid hurting himself by “landing properly”.
Meanwhile Lawson hopes to become an astrophysicist because he enjoys research involving science and space and Harry wants to apply his mathematical skills to a career as an architect, scientist or engineer.
Meet the musically gifted teens following in fathers’ footsteps
Following in the footsteps of their dads are Elise Sack and Eva Young – two teens who were both inspired by their parents to pick up the violin for the first time almost a decade ago.
The Toowoomba pair have more than their love for music in common, with both 14-year-olds performing solos at the Eisteddfod this year.
“Dad introduced me to classical music at a very young age,” Elise said.
“My favourite piece was Adagio For Strings by Samuel Barber because I loved the sound of the violin and it made me want to play.”
Meanwhile Eva plays her dad’s old violin – an instrument which has been a special part of her family’s lives for decades.
“I wanted to play the violin because dad did and he’s pretty proud of me,” she said.
“He got (the violin) when he was around my age so for me to now be playing it is pretty cool.”
Both musicians received a Highly Commendable for their performances and intend to continue playing as a hobby when they finish school.
Elise said she hopes to become a lawyer so she can help others, while Eva plans to become an architect so she can combine her creative and mathematical skills in the one profession.
World is Darcy the explorer’s oyster
Some children dream of being doctors, artists or football players but for 10-year-old Darcy Martyr, she believes honesty is the best policy.
“(My dream job would be) something that earns a lot of money and is fun, but doesn’t take up too much of my time,” she said.
“I like drama so maybe I could act … but that’s a lot to give up you know … I wouldn’t be able to go to school or have a social life.”
The young performer who delivered a solo in slam poetry at the 2023 City of Toowoomba Eisteddfod, said one thing about her future was certain – she planned to travel the world.
Despite her young age, Darcy said she had already visited several countries with her family including Canada and Japan, as well as parts of Europe.
Darcy worked alongside her drama teacher to write a poem for the performance based on three things the drama student loved and hated.
While she could not remember the full list, Darcy said Harry Potter was at the top of her list.
The ‘Potterhead’ even designed her own wand, based off the Ollivander’s store from the fictional wizarding world.
“I painted an old aluminium foil box bronze, filled it with tissue paper, made a sticker label and finished it off with a wax seal,” she said.
“For the wand I used a stick I found in the backyard but I made it look so pretty.”
Receiving a Highly Commended award for her Eisteddfod performance, Darcy said she improved in her pace based on the judge’s critique but was encouraged to work on her voice projection for next year’s competition.
Outgoing and energetic, Darcy who is the youngest member in her family, said her older siblings “teasing” her “but in a funny way” had helped to build her confidence levels when performing, as well as her parents who she said were adventurous and knowledgeable.
2023 Toowoomba Eisteddfod: Future ecologist steps onto stage
Few people would have hobbies as incompatible as classical music and snakes but Nathan Green is one of a kind.
The Toowoomba Grammar School student has been playing the violin for the past five years after he was spurred on by his parents.
“My mum plays the oboe and my dad used to play the trumpet,” he said.
“I really like bringing pieces together or playing music from movies and television shows.”
When the 12-year-old student is not playing classical music by the world’s most celebrated composers, he’s listening to his favourite Japanese rock band Man With a Mission.
Nathan made his very first appearance in the City of Toowoomba’s Eisteddfod this week with two solo performances including a rendition of Prelude by Mary Cohen.
While he still intends to play the violin after school for fun, Nathan hopes to become an ecologist – a scientist which studies how plants, animals and the environment interact.
“I have a big interest in animals … especially reptiles,” he said.
“My pet jungle carpet python snake is named Kaa after the character in The Jungle Book.”
The Eisteddfod will run at the Empire Theatre Auditorium until August 6.
How The Wiggles helped the ‘string sisters’ to flourish on stage
Music has always been an integral part of the Reinhardt family with Audrey, 12, and Ruby, 13, looking back fondly on memories spent singing tunes by The Wiggles, with their mum.
The pair were two of several performers who took to the Empire Theatre stage on Thursday, on the first day of the 77th City of Toowoomba Eisteddfod.
Young Audrey began playing the viola at the age of eight after she was inspired by her big sister Ruby’s skills on the cello.
“I love how it allows you to express yourself and if you’re ever feeling down, you can use those feelings to channel something through your music,” Audrey said.
“(The Eisteddfod) isn’t about winning for me – I think of it as a learning opportunity to practice performing.”
Meanwhile Ruby, who has been playing the cello for five years and has performed at four Eisteddfods, received a Highly Commended award for her first performance of the day.
Despite her stage experience, the 13-year-old said she still gets nervous to this day.
“You just have to try and black out the rest of the theatre, focus on the music you’re playing and listen to the accompanist,” Ruby said.
“I’ve always finished the piece I’m performing and always feel proud at the end.”
Although Audrey is still undecided on her future career path, Ruby said she wants to become an aeronautic or chemical engineer and fly planes in the Australian air force.
“My dad has always flown helicopters and planes in the air force and Army,” Ruby said.
“We always go to the open day events with him and looking at all the planes has always really amazed me.”
It seems musical skills run in the family with the pair’s youngest sister Scarlett now playing the violin.
“Our mum wanted a string trio,” Audrey said.
The Eisteddfod will run at the Empire Theatre Auditorium until August 6.
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