CHAPLAIN’S REPORT
valuable
contributions
During Term 3, Mr David Gething,
School Organist and Director, Chapel
Choir, was away enjoying well-deserved
long service leave. During his absence we
were able to arrange for three organists to
fulfil some of his duties; pleasingly each of
them was a former student of the School.
Mr Jangoo Chapkhana (Be 1976-1981)
played for all our Monday and Tuesday
Senior School House services as well as
the two Preparatory School services in the
Chapel. He played for most of our Sunday
boarding services and when not available
Mr Andrew Brown (Wb 97-06) played.
Mr Simon McDowall (SG 13-18), who was
Senior Organ Scholar last year, played the
organ for all the Congregational Singing
sessions in the Senior School, leaving
Messrs Evans, Benzie and Father Philip
to introduce the hymns. It was a worthy
reminder of the great contribution our
School and our Chapel makes to the wider
world; our three guests all play regularly at
churches throughout Perth. That our Chapel
has a very fine organ which is regularly
played and very well maintained by the
School means that with the direction of Mr
David Gething we can encourage students
to learn the organ and be organ scholars.
In reflecting upon the contribution of
former School organ scholars it is only
fitting that in 2019 we should acknowledge
the outstanding contribution to Australian
chamber music which Mr Carl Vine (Wb
67-71) has made, having retired this year
from being the Artistic Director of Musica
Viva, a position he has held since 2000.
Musica Viva is the largest presenter of
chamber music in the world. Mr Vine
continues to compose, being Australia’s
leading contemporary classical music
composer.
During Term 3 in attending the Anglican
Schools Association in Hobart I had the
opportunity to meet the new Chaplain at
Perth’s St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls,
the Rev’d Jonathan Cornish (Fr 79-80). It
was a great joy to discover that Mr Cornish
is also an Old Guildfordian.
In reflecting upon the contributions all of
these men have, and are having, in the life
of the Church and in music in Australia I
was reminded that the influence of the
Chapel of St Mary & St George and the
message of Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom
for which it stands is ongoing. There are
probably many people involved in various
roles and ministries of the Church who
gained a grounding in that Faith while at
School. One is reminded of those people
who willingly as students read the Bible
passages at services, lead the Prayers of
the Faithful, are members of the Guild of
Servers or the Chapel Choir, or perhaps
simply sit in the pews, quietly contemplating
all they hear, say, sing, or see.
Regularly, our School rightly acknowledges
those former students who subsequently
make significant contributions to the
corporate, professional, academic, political,
artistic and sporting life of Australia; we do
well to remember all those who in various
and greatly appreciated ways have an
impact on the quality of life in Australia and
the values it holds as important, by their
regular participation in, and leadership of,
the Church.
The Rev’d Canon Dr Philip Raymont
Senior Chaplain
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