​THE
CITY OF SHOALHAVEN
EISTEDDFOD

Glenda is a graduate of the Scully Borovansky School of Ballet completing the R.A.D. syllabus to the Major Advanced level. After forty two years as Principal of her ballet school in Sydney's Hills district, Glenda now resides in the Shoalhaven. Essentially her school offered Classical tuition but embraced al genres of dance. Many pupils became teachers, others, ballerinas of the World stage - however she prefers to number her successes amongst the 100's of children who danced for the sheer joy of it. She juggled the demands of family life while still running her own school, producing a b-i annual concert and designing hundreds of costumes and producing items for community events. Liturgical dance also came to be a great love. Glenda is honoured to have been a foundation member of Australian Dance Vision where she assessed pupils in Ballet, Tap and Jazz from Beginners to Advanced levels. Also training assessors and adjudicators and co-opererating in the writing of syllabi and a balletic French term manual.

Samuel Dharma is an Australian pianist known for his “powerful” performance with "an artistic sincerity and intensity compelling as well as rare. He is the recipient of numerous piano prizes in Australian and international competitions, including first prize in the Rex Hobcroft Piano Competition (Sydney, Australia), finalist in the Knigge Music Competition (Vancouver, Canada), and the Publikumspreis in the International Klaviersommer (Bad Bertrich, Germany). Samuel is on the piano faculty at Conservatorium High School and Sydney Grammar School. His private studio in the Hills District of Sydney is honoured to have been named AMEB NSW’s 2023 and 2024 Most Outstanding Private Teacher (Grade 7 to Licentiate – Keyboard Category). In 2025, he is teaching at the Autumn Piano School hosted by the New England Conservatory in Armidale. Previously, Samuel served as a teaching assistant at both the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory (Toronto, Canada) and Rice University (Houston, USA). His principal teachers include Margaret Hair, David Louie, John Perry and Dr. Robert Roux. He has performed in masterclasses given by some of the most important artist teachers in the world, including Leon Fleisher, Robert McDonald, John O’Conor, and Jacques Rouvier. He has also received chamber music coaching by the Philharmonia Quartett Berlin, violinist Cho-Liang Lin and cellist Peter Wiley (Guarneri String Quartet).

Jill holds a Licentiate with Trinity College and a Teaching Diploma and Certificate of Communication with ASCA.  She has experience adjudicating at both small and larger eisteddfods over the past years including Taree twice as well as Leeton twice, Maryborough Qld, Narrabri, Wellington, Wollongong, Cowra, Eisteddfod on the Bay in Melbourne, Goulburn, Orange and Gaul in Sri Lanka. Jill is also an Examiner with the Australian Speech & Communication Association, examining students for their yearly exams. She has been part of the City of Wagga Wagga Eisteddfod Committee for the past 25 years and is a member of both the Speech & Drama Association of NSW and the Australian Speech & Communication Association and is a Teacher of the Year Award recipient. 

Clarissa is an award-winning soprano and one of Australia's most versatile artists. Known for her exceptional performances across various genres, including opera, music theatre, and classical crossover, she has captivated audiences around the world with her pure angelic voice. She has performed in principal roles for Opera Australia’s National Tour including Frasquita in "Carmen" and Papagena in "The Magic Flute.” She has also covered significant roles like Musetta in "La Bohème" and Maria in "West Side Story" for Opera Australia’s Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. She has also performed in School Tours Principal roles including Pamina, First Lady and Papagena in The Magic Flute, Gretel in Hansel & Gretel, Rosina in Barber of Seville and Cinderella/Tisbe in Cinderella. In 2025, Clarissa was featured as a guest artist in the live performance of "Australia Day Live!" on the ABC, Carols in the Domain in 2024 for Channel 7, The Morning Show in 2023 on Channel 10, The Voice Quarter Finalist 2020 for Channel 9, All Together Now (judge) 2018 for Channel 7, and A Farmer wants a wife (guest artist performer) in 2009, for Channel 7. Winner of many awards, Clarissa is the recipient of Opera Foundation Australia’s Lady Fairfax New York Award, The Royal Overseas League Bursary Award, The Dame Joan Sutherland Encouragement Award. 
 

Merrin was awarded an OAM in 2021 in recognition of her “service to the performing arts”. As a High School music teacher for over 30 years, Merrin organised and rehearsed many school choirs and vocal groups, spending time preparing for both school, community and regional performance events such as Southern Stars. In the latter part of her career Merrin was selected as a state Regional Arts Coordinator, giving her an active developmental role with talented performing arts students across the Illawarra and South Coast at camps and performance events. She was a staff member and vocal tutor with the Illawarra and South East Performing Arts Ensemble for a number of years, selecting and teaching a wide variety of a capella and mixed style vocal charts to thrill audiences. As Vocal Co-ordinator and Musical Director, Merrin helped organise and rehearse the auditioned vocal featured artists for Southern Stars. In these roles she also enjoyed working with mass choir students, and teachers preparing their students, organising choral workshops with some renowned vocal coaches, including Jonathon Welch and Marty Rhone. Associated with Albatross Musical Theatre Company for 30 years, Merrin has acted as Musical Director for numerous shows; been a long-standing member of Committee; elected as President, and recognised as a Life Member. Her vocal work brings excellence to shows. Cinderella is the current AMTC production scheduled in July, and she is delighting in teaching the melodious vocal parts to the cast of 50.