Skevington was the outstanding winner of a violin made from Australian timbers by Czech luthier Michal Prokop; the Joan Levy Memorial Award of $4000; a special award for the winner (the family of the late Dr Peter Lee) $500; Audience Choice Award $500 (Pentimento North Haven); Best performance of Bach $500 (Gillian Appleton) and the prize for Excellence in Performance of the Sonata $600 (anonymous in memoriam Richard Pollett).

Huning won $500 for the Best Performance of an Australian work (*Kendall Services & Citizens Club). 

Adjudicators Elizabeth Hollowell (NZ), Carl Pini (NSW), and Charles Stegeman (USA), were delighted by the high standard and the Kendall School of Arts with its marvellous acoustics. It is extraordinary this small village hosts the finals of such a major competition which is highly regarded nationally and internationally. Volunteers, led by president and artistic director, Assoc. Professor Goetz Richter, work tirelessly; the Forestry Corporation of NSW is the major sponsor; and KNVC is supported by the Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce and Bill and Lyndal Coote.

The finalists’ performances included the premiere of Paper Boats by young composer Emma Greenhill, winner of the Watermark Composition Prize. The audience and adjudicators were full of admiration and Mr Stegeman is even going to make it a compulsory work for his students. He has also commissioned Greenhill to compose an entry for a 2020 competition marking the centenary of the women’s vote in the USA.

The celebration concert on Sunday, featured Skevington; Live Music Sydney - directed by Goetz Richter, and featured Jeanell Carrrigan, KNVC official accompanist; and Sydney flautist Suzanne Sherrington. There was even a rendition of Happy Birthday for past KNVC president Elaine van Kempen’s 80th.

Sponsored by the Kendall Community Op Shop the music continued on Monday in interactive performances at the Kendall, and Herons Creek public schools and community Preschool.