Stabilis December 2017 STABILIS December 2017 | Page 5

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sTaBILIS
STABILIS Grey Kollege Sekondêr Desember 2017
[Kultuur]
sTaCCaTo
The African theme ensures a colourful
experience for a jam-packed theatre
5
Nedbank Music Festival once again lives up to expectations
2017 was a year full of successes in all
aspects of the Grey College activities, but
once again, it can be said that the Music
Festival was one of the highlights of the
calendar year.
The 2017 Grey College Music
Festival took place from the 27th until the
29th of August and as always did not
disappoint with star-studded performan-
ces by some of South Africa's greatest
talents. The school had the privilege to
play host to award-winning artists
Refentse, Corlea Botha and Oddo Bam.
As in previous years, the school was lucky
enough to obtain the services of an artist
like Refentse in the same year that he won
numerous awards for his music.
The stars were also accompanied
by brilliant performances by some of the
Grey College cultural groups, including
the Grey Choir, Indomitus vocal ensem-
ble, Gumboots, Marimbas, Boereorkes,
Grey Band, Drumline and Ensemble.
Many weeks of preparation paid off in a
spectacular and high-class show, which
was sold out for all three performances.
The theme of this year's Music
Festival was 'Africa' and with vibrant
performances and colourful effects along
with a wild African atmosphere, it is safe
to say that the theme for this year's Music
Festival truly did fit the bill. The school's
unique Gumboot group was in their
element, producing a vibrant and
energetic performance.
The creative use of lighting,
together with the use of pyrotechnics,
created a magical ambience, adding
greatly to a spectacular show. Mr Hattingh
Davel, organiser of the Music Festival,
says, “We appreciate the fact that we can
work with the same professional people
annually. They understand what we want
to do with the show and add value in an
unimaginable way.”
He referred to support staff such
as Mrs Petro Müller (director of the
show), Ms Michelle Hetzel (stage
Connell Cruise reaps
the rewards
The mass choir provided a fitting climax to another spectacular show.
manager), Renier Horn (lighting) and
Sean Bezuidenhout (sound). The Grey
College technical team also made matters
a lot easier in managing the stage.
The cultural department at Grey
College once again proved that it is able to
combine the diversity of traditional
African sounds with the flare and talent
of the Grey boys. Mr Davel says, “We find
every year that the boys enjoy working
with a variety of artists from different
walks of life, while adding their own
unique touch to the event.”
Not only was this year's Music
Festival a great success in the perfor-
mance aspect, but also in the support
aspect. The three shows hosted at the
Sand du Plessis theatre were packed to the
rafters with all three shows sold out.
The highlight of the Music Festival,
however, still remains (and will always be)
the mouth-watering performance of
'Grey In Union' by the mass choir,
followed by the school song and Vive La
Grey.
Over the past few years, the Grey
College Music Festival has reached
incredible heights and it is not difficult to
Voortrekkers se Kongres fokus op groei in ledetal
Die Voortrekkers bied elke vier jaar 'n
nasionale kongres aan om, onder andere,
nuwe leiers te kies en sekere beleids-
besluite te bekragtig. Hierdie jaar is die
23ste Kongres aangebied op die
skoolgronde van Grey Kollege gedurende
die Julie-vakansie.
Mnr Pieter Wessels, adjunkhoof en
hoof van Voortrekkers by die skool, het
opgetree as die skakelpersoon van die
skool. Hy sê: “Dit was vir ons 'n voorreg
om as gasheer op te tree vir so 'n groot
geleentheid. Die kongres is aangebied in
die Reüniesaal, terwyl die kongresgangers
ook gebruik gemaak het van die drie
koshuise en Hamiltonsaal.”
Vir sommige van die kleiner
groepsvergaderings, waar daar in
komitees verdeel is om oor sekere sake te
besluit, is daar gebruik gemaak van die
nuwe wetenskap-laboratoriums, wat kon
dien as ouditoriums.
Daar is verder gebruik
gemaak van die rekenaar-
sentrums om
te verseker dat
'n elektroniese
stemming kon
plaasvind.
Die Voortrekkers het
landswyd ongeveer 12 000 lede,
waarvan 130 deel vorm van die
skool se eie kommando, die Pres MT
Steyn-kommando. Wat die kongres ook
spesiaal gemaak het by Grey, is die feit dat
die eerste hoofleier van die Voortrekkers,
dr NJ van der Merwe, self 'n oud-Grey is.
Die kongresgangers het boonop besoek
afgelê op Onze Rust, familieplaas van die
Steyn-familie.
Mnr Wessels sê: “Die hoofleier van
die Voortrekkers, dr Danie Langner, en
die hoofbestuur, was baie in hul noppies
met die geriewe en die organisasie van die
kongres. Dié geleentheid het sonder
twyfel gelei tot die uitbou van goeie
gesindheid.”
Die skool se eie komman-
do lewer intussen steeds puik
prestasies, met James
Veitch wat die Presi-
dentsverkenner-
toekenning
verwerf
het
aan die begin van die derde kwartaal. Die
toetskamp is weer vanjaar op Doornkloof
aangebied. Die toetsing sluit drie afdelings
in, naamlik Afrikanerskap, Christenskap
en Burgerskap (ook bekend as die ABC).
Vroeg in die vierde kwartaal het die
graad 8-span 'n kamp op Doornkloof
bygewoon, waar hulle aan drie kentekens
gewerk het. Deur die loop van die naweek
het hulle ook kennis gemaak met die
geskiedenis van Doornkloof en 'n
dagmars gehou, waartydens die hele plaas
platgeloop is. Daar is besoek afgelê by die
ou fort op die
plaas, sowel as
die bekende
Leghoya-
ruïnes, wat
alreeds vir
meer as 300
jaar op die
plaas bewaar
word.
Daar is twee
belangrike begraaf-
plase op Doorn-
kloof: die Cilliers-
familiebegraafplaas,
waar Sarel Cilliers en
s y t we e d e v r o u
begrawe is, sowel as
die leierbegraaf-
plaas, waar dr NJ
van der Merwe on-
der andere te ruste
gelê is. Enige besoek
aan Doornkloof is
altyd die moeite
werd. Vir diegene wat nie weet nie,
Doornkloof is min of meer halfpad
tussen Kroonstad en Lindley.
Daar word uitgesien na 'n blink
toekoms vir Voortrekkers by die skool.
- DIRKIE LAAS
Photo: Supplied
see why. If the 2017 edition is anything to
go by, the Music Festival is set to be the
highlight of the calendar year for many
years to come.
As is the case every year, every
Music Festival aims to surpass the success
of the previous year. On a creative level,
the production team comes up with
something new and fresh every year.
Organisation for the 2018 Music
Festival is already well underway. Parti-
culars of the artists and theme will be
announced in due time.
- VALERIO CIRELLI
The Nedbank Grey College Music
Festival is undoubtedly one of the
highlights of the annual programme
and 2018 will certainly be no different.
We will be joined by one of South
Africa's young, rising talents.
Johannesburg-born Connell
Cruise has been playing piano since
the age of four. He was a participant in
SA Idol during season six. Unfazed by
his early departure from the compe-
tition, Cruise continued to capture the
attention of executives from David
Gresham Records with his demo
recording. He impressed with his
unique style and fresh appoach.
His debut hit Not Just Friends
took South African radio stations by
storm and earned him three SAMA
nominations ("Best Adult Contem-
porary Album," "Male Artist of the
Year," and "Record of the Year.")
He has since topped the South
African charts with 13 hit radio singles.
The release of his highly anticipated
song Into the Wild introduced him to
the global music scene and his
popularity has skyrocketed since then.
This ambitious singer-song-
writer has a simple goal for the future:
to take over the music world. Shortly
after his move to the USA scene, he
had the following to say regarding the
challenges of being a musician during
his interview with litnet.co.za: “I think
the only ceiling is the one you create
for yourself. Creativity should always
be unbounded.”
We look forward to welcoming
Connell into the wild: our one of a
kind wild. He will definitely add value
to the flair of the Nedbank Grey
College Music Festival.
- BERLOU MYBURGH