13.8.2007

Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics will be representing Australia at the inaugural Malaysian International Fireworks Competition to be held in Putrajaya, near Kuala Lumpur Malaysia in August 2007.

A team of four of Howard & Sons experienced crew will have three days to set up the twenty minute fireworks display that has been designed and programmed by acclaimed pyromusical designer Stuart Bensley.

Celebrating their 85th Anniversary, Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics are privileged to open the inaugural Malaysian International Fireworks Competition with their unique pyrotechnic creation, ‘Aurora Australis’. Inspired by the words of Dorothea Mackellar’s ‘My Country’, Howard & Sons have designed a pyromusical that brings the rich textures and hues of the Australian landscape to the shorelines of Putrajaya. From the emptiness of the outback, sweeping mountain ranges, rugged coastlines through to the tranquillity of our rainforests, Howard & Sons have carefully crafted pyrotechnic scenes accompanied by sweeping soundscapes that reflect on the breathtaking diversity of the Australian landscape. Using a vast palette of pyrotechnic colours and effects including many new devices, designed especially designed for MIFC, Howard & Sons plan to take their unique form of artistry and showcase our very own Southern Lights in the skies over Putrajaya......Aurora Australis!

Howard & Sons display will erupt at 10.00pm on Wednesday 22nd August 2007 and other participates (Japan, Malaysia, Italy) displays will take place up to the Grand Finale Ceremony event on Sunday 2nd September at which the inaugural winner will be announced.

Judging Criteria & Procedures

Evaluation of fireworks whose minimum duration must be twenty minutes, excluding spoken texts introducing the segment of the display.

Each segment is judged on

• The general concept: presentation, structure and scale of display;
  
• The choice and variety of colours;
  
• The originality of the display units: manufacturing and utilization;
  
• The display production: rhythm of fire; volume of effects and quality of construction;
  
• The correlation between fireworks and music: choice of music, synchronization of effects and adaptation of moods