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AROUND THE SCHOOL

Interviews with our very talented Music Department

The Music Department is a diverse and committed group of musicians who work across the Preparatory and Senior Schools sharing their love of music . To learn more about some of the staff , we asked them a few music related questions and got some interesting and surprising answers !
Kieran Hurley Head of Music
Your chosen instruments : I would love to choose them all , but I can only play the brass instruments – although I do an awesome version of Can You Feel The Love Tonight on the guitar !
How did you come to choose these instruments ? I had a doctor ’ s appointment and was therefore not there when the instruments were handed out in my primary school . I desperately wanted to play the trumpet , but by the time I got back to school they had all been given out ! My music teacher proceeded to pull a trombone out of the cupboard , play a slidey , flatulent note on it , and I was hooked . When I got home and proudly played the exact same note to my Mother she famously said “ Can you take it back ?”. Are you a part of any band , orchestra or ensemble ? If so what is the name and where do you perform ? I perform as a freelance musician around Perth and have performed with artists such as James Morrison , Frankie Valli , Josh Groban , Kate Ceberano , Marcia Hines , Hugh Jackman , Debbie Reynolds and Jerry Lewis . I also play with the Perth Symphony Orchestra , the Nueva Salsa Orchestra ( run by Marty Pervan !), Straight Ahead Big Band , Manteca ( Jazz Fusion Band ) and lead my own group , The Classic Album Orchestra . There have also been shows in Pit Orchestras – mainly The Boy From Oz , Les Misérables and South Pacific .
Your most memorable performance ? I have no idea , as they are all so much fun , although Frankie Valli in front of 10,000 people in Kings Park is pretty hard to beat !
The first album you ever owned ? Hooked on Classics – which is a great source of shame to myself and my family .
The last album you bought ? Angels Greatest Hits or Supertramp live in Paris .
Describe yourself in five songs ! 1 . Happy by Pharrel Williams - self explanatory
2 . The Ability to Swing by Thomas Dolby – you gotta have the ability to make it groove and keep it interesting !
3 . Cream by Prince – A pity that I am lactose intolerant !
4 . Alright , OK , You Win by Watts / Wyche – my attitude towards my wonderful wife and family
5 . I ’ m Too Sexy For My Shirt by Right Said Fred – Need I say more ?
Amelia Peachment Teacher , Instrumental Music
Your chosen instruments : Violin and viola .
How did you come to choose these instruments ? I was learning violin from a wonderful viola player and when I went to her house for lessons I would have to wait until she had finished practicing before we started . It wasn ’ t long before I wanted to have a go myself .
Are you a part of any band , orchestra or ensemble ? If so what is the name and where do you perform ? Thanks Classic Album Orchestra , Camerata 1685 and St Mary ’ s Catholic Church for special occasions .
Your most memorable performance ? Any concert with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra of which I was a member for five years .
The first album you ever owned ? Duran Duran ’ s Rio .
The last album you bought ? Paul Kelly ’ s latest Album , Seven Sonnets and a Song .
Describe yourself in five songs ! Too hard ! My interests range from Renaissance Music to Funk and Rock .
Quentin Edmonds Music Teacher
Your chosen instruments : Guitar , predominantly contemporary and Jazz styles . In a past life as a student at Guildford Grammar School , I played clarinet and saxophone , eventually gaining entry into the UWA Bachelor of Music program on both !
How did you come to choose these instruments ?
Dad owned a clarinet , so this was the easiest ( and cheapest !) option when first offered the opportunity to undertake music lessons . My clarinet / saxophone studies at UWA were constantly hampered by broken or dislocated fingers from playing rugby and eventually I dropped out of my performance studies and transferred to a composition degree . I began playing the guitar for fun in the meantime , with no intention of achieving anything more than to impress at parties !
Are you a part of any band , orchestra or ensemble ? If so what is the name and where do you perform ? I am currently the guitarist in an 80s cover band called ‘ 80s Inc ’, which have regularly and consistently played to full-houses at both The Charles Hotel and The Civic Hotel over the past two years . If anyone would like to have a laugh at my expense , please pay the band website a visit ! I am one of two guitarists for the recently formed Classic Albums Orchestra , which also features fellow Guildford Grammar School Music colleagues Kieran Hurley , Amelia Peachment , Jon Tooby , Simon Styles and Marty Pervan . I am also a part time guitarist for the Greg Schultz Band , who regularly perform at a variety of corporate events in WA .
Your most memorable performance ? Far too many to mention , and some of them far too long ago to remember clearly ! As far as recent performances go , it ’ s difficult to go past playing classic 80s hits to six hundred or more crazed 80s fans at The Charles Hotel .
The first album you ever owned ? Bruce Springsteen ’ s Born In The U . S . A , my first purchase as a member of a cassette club . I did , however , have access to my father ’ s extensive record collection for a long time prior to this . Jeff Wayne ’ s War Of The Worlds and Pink Floyd ’ s The Wall were on constant rotation for years .
The last album you bought ? Soundtrack to the movie The Revenant . Sublime movie scoring , highly recommended !
Describe yourself in five songs ! 1 . It ’ s A Long Way To The Top ( AC / DC ) 2 . Dumb Things ( Paul Kelly ) 3 . Livin ’ On A Prayer ( Bon Jovi ) 4 . Eat It ( Weird Al Yankovich ) 5 . The Coffee Song ( Frank Sinatra / Cream )
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