SPECIAL AWARDS

 

ALEX RATHGEBER

WIMMERA EISTEDDFOD PATRON 

Credit : Marnya Rothe Photography 2026

Hi everyone, and a mighty warm welcome to the 2026 Wimmera Music Eisteddfod!

Whether you’re here as a participating musician or as a music-loving audience member supporting someone who’s performing, you’re part of a long history of music-making brought to life through this wonderful Wimmera event.

Every year, this Eisteddfod ‘takes a village’, as they say. So, first things first, a huge thank you and congratulations to all the dedicated facilitators, volunteers, teachers, adjudicators, parents, family members, and friends who make this event possible… not to mention all the passionate musicians courageously taking to the stage. It’s the incredible contributions of every individual involved in events like this that make Horsham and the Wimmera such a fantastic community.

Music features in our lives in a multitude of different ways. Oftentimes it’s the main attraction, other times it’s in the background, providing underscoring as we move through our days. In an instant, music whisks us into certain moods. It ignites within us memories of the past, and aspirations for the future. Music’s power is something truly phenomenal, and universal. It creates bridges between cultures like nothing else can, allowing us to understand one another beyond the boundaries of any language.

As technology continues to infiltrate our lives, I believe it’s more important than ever to come together in real life to create and share live music. Because it’s through live music that we share what it means and feels to be human. Technology can’t replicate the pure, visceral human exchange that live music offers. When an artist takes to the stage to perform a piece of music live, they’re all-at-once interweaving the composer’s intentions with their own unique skill and perspective, as well as the energy of the audience. It’s a moment-by-moment balancing act of technical craftsmanship, personal expression, and a palpable sense of presence and exchange with the audience.

Indeed, part of the true magic of live music is that it’s ephemeral – it exists purely for those present, for those finite moments, and then it’s done. But what makes live music truly magical is when it stirs within us something profound that lives on beyond those moments. Something all-at-once unexplainable and confirming. Something transcendent. Something that makes us feel more fully alive.

So, from whichever angle you’re experiencing the live music-making of this year’s Eisteddfod – whether you’re a maker, facilitator, or appreciator – may you savour that elevated sense of connection that only live music makes us feel – with ourselves and with each other.

To finish on a personal note (pun intended!), I will never stop feeling the deepest gratitude for the introduction I was given to music and performance through this great Eisteddfod as a youngster. As a result, my professional career has taken me to stages across Australia and around the world, where I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with brilliantly talented, hard-working, and inspiring artists from all sorts of musical backgrounds. With every new opportunity, and all the practice I keep up between gigs, I’m always learning. Music is without question one of the greatest gifts of life, a never-ending journey of discovering, sharing, and growing.

So, I hope everyone thoroughly enjoys the experiences of making, hearing, feeling, and savouring the music long after the final notes that are played and sung at this year’s Eisteddfod. And may music continue to be a big and uplifting part of your life everywhere you go!

 

alex rathgeber CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT

VOCAL OPEN solo

Alex Rathgeber: “Presenting 3 contrasting songs within 12 minutes gives each performer a great chance to fully explore their individual range of vocal and performance ability, to showcase their unique taste in different styles of music, and to really challenge their own personal boundaries as a performer.

It's exciting to think of the diverse combinations of songs everyone will come up with, and how each different performer will inhabit the stage in their own way for those 12 minutes.”

ANN ADLER MEMORIAL Event

PIANO OPEN solo

2 contrasting pieces of own choice. A minimum time limit of 10 minutes and 12 minutes maximum must be adhered to.

This section is for a more advanced repertoire and students keen to challenge themselves.

The Adler family: “This event is in memory of our mother Ann, who taught piano throughout the Wimmera for many years with much of her career being at the Horsham Music Academy from 1989-2009.

Throughout this time, she demonstrated the love of music to many young musicians, some of which have gone on to become performers and educators themselves.

Ann was a revered senior piano teacher; she had high expectations and many of her students were encouraged to complete AMEB exams and to compete not only in the local Eisteddfod but also other performance opportunities throughout Victoria.

Ann’s ability to connect to her students was one of her greatest strengths, her insightful nature giving added wisdom in repertoire selection, and this helped her students shine, she loved seeing the growth and success of each of her students.

It is with such joy the Adler family can support this award in honour of Ann – an amazing and gifted musician and educator.”