History

The Kendall National Violin Competition was established in 1999 in response to the generous offer of luthier Graham Caldersmith to make an annual donation of a concert violin of Australian tonewoods.  The Competition committee was established by Goetz Richter, Associate Professor of Violin and Chair of the String Unit at Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Keri Levy, founding artistic director and founding secretary respectively, of the Camden Haven Music Festival which then operated under the auspices of the Camden Haven Arts Council.

The founding president of the Competition, Elaine van Kempen, successfully sought sponsorship from Forests NSW and Australian Solar Timbers who are enthusiastic in their commitment to annual funding for administration, and from Donovan Oates Hannaford Mortgage Corporation Ltd., sponsors of an award for the finalist chosen by the audience. 

AUTONOMY
The Kendall National Violin Competition initially also operated under the auspices of the Camden Haven Arts Council and initially the Final was held in association with the Camden Haven Music Festival.  The Competition grew quickly in stature and national recognition.  In 2004, it incorporated as an autonomous organisation, severing ties with both the Arts Council and the Music Festival.  Since then the Competition Final has been held at a more appropriate time on the national music calendar.

HOME
Kendall, on the mid north coast of New South Wales, is the home of the Competition and, while the Semi-final is held as a public performance at a Sydney venue, the Final will always be held in the Kendall School of Arts.

PATRONAGE
The Caldersmith violin is central to the Competition and it was with great pleasure that Artistic Director Goetz Richter was able to display and demonstrate it for Yehudi Menuhin during his last visit to Australia.  Lord Menuhin was most impressed, commenting  ‘a great opportunity to own a real Australian violin…a wonderful instrument with a beautiful sound’.  He readily agreed to be Patron of the Competition.  Committee members were saddened by his sudden death in 1999 just prior to the first Competition Final but were delighted when the first winner, Gu Chen, later gained fourth place at the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition playing that very same Caldersmith violin.  Ms Hazel Hawke AO was also warmly welcomed as Patron from the inception of the Competition and retains the position of Patron Emeritus.  Ms Mary Vallentine AO has been Patron since 2001.

AWARDS
In addition to the prize violin and the award for the finalist chosen by the audience, an award for the best performance of an Australian composition written post 1970 has been made from the beginning.  This award is now sponsored annually by the Kendall Services and Citizens Club.  The Peter Lee Memorial Award for the winner and the Gil Appleton Award for the best performance of Bach have been added in recent years.  Each of the four special awards is $500.

SCHOLARSHIP
In 2007 Australian Solar Timbers added a major dimension to the Competition with the sponsorship of the annual TimberLay International Travel Scholarship, valued at $3500. 

Yehudi Menuhin