SENIOR SCHOOL
One of the undoubted highlights of the year was the performance of the Guildford Grammar Symphony Orchestra and the students of the East Kalgoorlie Primary School Choir on Telethon 2016 . Our performance of I Am Australian – Wongutha Version was broadcast on the morning of Sunday 16 October .
So – how do we top this in 2017 ?
Our first concert in 2017 will be a large public concert on Friday 15 February on the lawn between the Boat Shed and Woodbridge House . This concert will be in two halves , and will feature G-Jazz and the Guildford Grammar Symphony Orchestra .
The first half will see G-Jazz performing alongside Australian Jazz legend , Mr John Hoffman . John is one of Australia ’ s preeminent Trumpet and Flugelhorn players , who has toured with the Buddy Rich Big Band , The Woody Herman Herd and the Glenn Miller Orchestra , just to name a few . John has also performed alongside jazz luminaries such as Sammy Davis Jr , Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald and has been recorded on many albums and soundtracks , including the soundtrack for Moulin Rouge .
The second half of the concert will see the GGSO playing ‘ pop ’ numbers to back Mr Courtney Murphy . Courtney was the third place winner on the second season of Australian Idol and fronts the band ‘ Murphy ’ s Lore ’, one of the hardest working bands in WA ! Courtney has also performed in many shows and with other groups , including guest spots with WA Fusion favourites , Manteca , and fronting The Classic
Album Orchestra . This will be a fantastic event that simply cannot be missed !
We will also be touring the musicians and the Boodjar Bidi Dancers in July 2017 . Our tour will take us to Brisbane , where we will be performing concerts in the Brisbane City Mall , The Queensland Conservatorium of Music , Roma Street Parklands , Southbank Parklands , St Paul ’ s School and Stafford Heights Primary School . We will then go to the Gold Coast where we will perform a special concert in Byron Bay – the home of the aforementioned John Hoffman ! The students will have a chance to go to Warner Brothers Movie World , Ripley ’ s Believe it or Not , Wet ‘ n ’ Wild , a Brisbane Broncos Home game and , of course , eat a world famous Yatala Pie .
Our collaborations with the Drama Department will continue , as we perform one of the best loved musicals of all time , Jesus Christ : Superstar by Sir Andrew Lloyd- Webber . This rock musical will be a perfect vehicle for our rock students to really flex their muscles . The music is catchy , the songs are awesome and this will be a must on the 2017 calendar !
We will , of course , be hosting our normal range of concerts including Rock Nights , Jazz Nights , Choral evenings and everything in between . Our Season 2 concert for the GGSO is yet to be decided , but I am fairly confident that pieces such as Finlandia by Jean Sibelius may get a guernsey !
I would like to take this opportunity to farewell Mrs Lyn Hopkins , who retired from the School in June of this year . Lyn worked very hard for the Music Department and her legacy of caring for the students is one that will live on as we move forward .
We welcome Mrs Annie Boehm as our new Music Administrative Assistant . Annie has had many years ’ experience working in Music and Arts Administration ( as well as having worked with me for five years !) and is already making her mark on the department . The lights , programs and organisation of the Jazz Soiree and Rhapsodies in Blue were all hers !
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Music program here at Guildford Grammar School . It is our pleasure to provide our students with the best education and the most memorable experiences possible .
See you all in 2017 !
Mr Kieran Hurley Head of Music
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