Scotch College

Music has charms to soothe a savage beast

I'm sure the author of this had never been to a Foundation Day singing rehearsal.

The lead up to the Foundation Day Concert is woven into the busy fabric of Scotch life and eagerly anticipated by the Scotch family and the student body; especially the Year 12 boys.

The talent that abounds within the school seems never ending and Foundation Day is a perfect opportunity to showcase Scotch boys at their best. This year, the 148th Foundation Day Concert was no exception. Set in the magnificent surrounds of the Concert Hall, we were treated to Oliver Ng, a brilliant young pianist in Year 11, performing Rachmaninov's 'Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini'.

The Senior Choir under the direction of Mr Andrew Hunter was tremendous. The harmony and polish presented by the boys was enjoyed by all. The Junior School Choir followed with their version of 'The Rainbow Connection' which had the audience humming along.

It isn't a Scotch College event without the Pipe Band and the Military Band. Their performances grabbed the audience's attention after the interval, especially 'The Garb of Old Gaul'. The Show Band with Roger Schmidli always pleases, there were even a few people around me singing along.

The Symphony Orchestra's, 'Carnival of the Animals' by Saint-Saens, gave the opportunity for Stephen Liew, Ye-Lian He, Igor and Emil Stojanovski and Derek Choy to perform solos, reflecting a variety of different animals.

Then, the 'School in Song', seven hundred boys singing a selection from 'West Side Story'. The performance was added to by the inclusion of a group of PLC girls, playing the roles of Maria and the Puerto Rican girls.

The time and effort invested in music at Scotch is overwhelming and praise must be given to John Ferguson, the Director of Music and the dedicated staff of the music school. Foundation Day is such a public performance and with so many students involved, it is a credit to the school that a high professional standard can be achieved.

'Well done Scotch'! the boys are calling.

Mr Paul Runting