WILMA SMITH LEADS THE STRING PROJECT
Shostakovich, Kabelevsky and Elgar, performed by Joseph Kim( Year 12), Hugo Irving-Hyman( Year 10) and Ming Yi Wu( Year 11) respectively, there followed the premiere performance of Matthew Ferguson’ s( Year 12) Symphony No 1, Le Corbeau, which received a generous welcome from an appreciative audience. Matthew was awarded the Ian Braid prize for composition that night.
After the interval, the orchestra performed Mendelssohn’ s gorgeous Symphony No 3, Scottish, bringing mystery and anticipation to the opening movement, brilliance and contrast to the middle movements, and exceptional nobility to the finale. It was a lovely conclusion to a remarkable night.
Another exceptional project was the biennial piano festival. Teresa Lavers and Lachlan Redd performed the double piano concerto in E by Mendelssohn, and Max Foster(‘ 09) returned from the Juilliard School in New York to play Mozart’ s D minor concerto. Both concertos were accompanied by Pro Musica. This orchestra, comprising staff, other professional musicians and some advanced students, was formed in 1995, and has been an important extension of the work in the Music School. The boys had an excellent opportunity to hear their teachers and other guest artists perform, and, in many cases, to perform themselves.
A particularly special concert is the annual Chamber Music Dinner. This concert was first presented in the Cardinal Pavilion in 2002, but moved to the David Yu Family Foyer in 2005, and was renamed in honour of one of my notable predecessors, George Logie-Smith. It featured 10 chamber string quartets, piano trios and other chamber ensembles performing music from Shostakovich to Brahms. It is one of my favourite times of the year, as I walk through the department hearing Haydn, Grieg, Jacob and Schubert pouring out of rehearsal rooms as the boys prepare for this exceptional evening.
The year continued, with the annual Bands Concert, the Choirs Concert, the Strings Concert, Music Camp, and then the Foundation Day Concert at Hamer Hall, to conclude the term. The
Choirs Concert deserves particular mention. The annual Choir Camp involves over 180 boys. The quality of singing, under the direction of Andrew Hunter is a joy. Our voice teachers, Joanne Blankfield, Ruby Bunnett and led by Peter Mander, teach some 90 individual boys, a remarkable number in a boys’ school.
Term 4 opened with the orchestra accompanying a concert performance of Gilbert and Sullivan solos and choruses, performed by Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria, and, a few days later, a performance of Jupiter from Holst’ s masterpiece The Planets for the opening of the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science.
Then came the annual Jazz Cabaret. This flamboyant evening features the Big Band, the Showband and the close harmony vocal ensemble, the Cardinals. All bands performed with conviction and panache under their directors; Megan Philip( Showband) and Chris Farrands( Big Band). An annual feature is a guest performer, and this year Nina Ferro and her supporting ensemble performed. It was a wonderful opportunity for the
www. scotch. vic. edu. au Great Scot 41