Great Scot - The Scotch Family Magazine - Issue 151 September 2017 GreatScot_Internal_Sept_2017_FA | Page 46
Senior School
Music
Many events and impressive
performances
For our musicians, the year started with the
various sections of the department cranking up
and getting into gear for another fulfilling season
of lessons, recitals, concerts and trips. Within a
week or so 50 ensembles were timetabled, along
with the 1000 lessons taught each week by some
84 staff. There is always a feeling of excitement
among the musicians (staff and boys) as the new
ensembles come together and the music starts
to flow.
The first major event of the year was the
inaugural Festival of Brass. Mr Chris Farrands
devised an exceptional festival that involved the
brass department from Melbourne University,
principals from the Melbourne Symphony
Orchestra, and some great performances from
staff and students.
The festival culminated in a performance of
Nigel Westlake’s The Glass Soldier, for brass
ensemble, chamber choir and narrator. Derek
Guille, former ABC presenter, narrated the moving
account of a World War I soldier from a Ballarat
stained glass factory who lost his sight in battle,
only to have it restored in the 1960s, enabling
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him once again to see his work in churches and
cathedrals across Australia.
The Choir Camp involved almost 200 boys,
and was one of the most successful ever, as
we rehearsed in the beautiful autumnal setting
of Rutherford Park, near Daylesford. This is an
important camp leading into the Autumn Season,
and the choir, conducted by Mr Andrew Hunter,
delighted the audience at the Autumn Season
concert a week or so later.
Other delights in the Autumn Season included
John Athan’s (Year 11) dazzling performance
of Arutunian’s trumpet concerto. The Autumn
Season features all 15 large ensembles over two
nights, involving more than 500 boys, and it is
always sold out.
Three long trips occurred during the first
half of the year. The first was by the senior jazz
ensembles to the annual Generations in Jazz
competition at Mount Gambier. The Show
Band, under Ms Megan Philip’s direction,
won division two, competing against some
thousands of students – a notable achievement.
Our percussionists, led by Miss Jude Hallum,
competed in the National Percussion Eisteddfod in
Sydney, and the pipers went to Scotland as usual.
The Winter Concert, the Symphony
Orchestra’s annual complete concert, was
particularly impressive this year. Debussy’s Prélude
à l’après-midi d’un faune (with notable solos from
Yuki Goh (Year 10), harp, Tian Tian Lan (Year
12), violin, and Philipp Eversheim (Year 12), flute,
was followed by Prokofiev’s third piano concerto,
brilliantly performed by Edward Buckland (Year 12).
The second half comprised an impressive
performance of Tchaikovsky’s mighty fourth
symphony. The horns opened the first movement
with great authority and precision. The second
movement featured beautiful playing from the
principal oboe, Isaac Zhao (Year 10), as well as
some exceptional playing from principal bassoon,
Angus McRae (Year 12). The last movement was
a triumph – and resulted in that great rarity at
Scotch, a standing ovation!
JOHN FERGUSON – DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Great Scot Number 151 – September 2017