Scotch College

Melbourne International Festival of Brass

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(From left) James Doidge, Jeffrey Ge, Barry Tuckwell, Jonathan Hunt and Mond Qu

In the first week of August, Scotch College was represented by two of it’s Senior ensembles at the Melbourne International Festival of Brass. The Scotch Horn Quartet and Scotch Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble both took part in master classes run by world-famous hornist Barry Tuckwell. This was an extremely prestigious invitation for the boys and they performed at a very high standard in front of an appreciative and discerning audience. Barry Tuckwell (pictured with the Horn Quartet) was highly complimentary of the boys’ skill and musicianship. He was very excited by the quartet (being a horn player himself) and the Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble impressed all with their blend and choice of repertoire. The tubas were ably directed by their teacher, David Martin, and the boys performed for a room full of music educators who looked on in disbelief at an ensemble that included no less than five tubas and four euphoniums. In musical circles this is a great rarity indeed! Scotch College can be proud to have had two groups featured at such a major event in Melbourne’s cultural calendar.

Students involved were (Horn Quartet) Jonathan Hunt, Mond Qu, Jeffrey Ge and James Doidge; (Tuba and Euphonium) William Borthwick, Nicholas Johns-Wickberg, Christopher Docker, Vincent Soon, Rowan Harbison, Nicholas Yared, Max Lippiatt, Andrew Silagy and Richard He.

ROGER SCHMIDLI
Head of Brass

Concerto Concert

The annual Concerto Concert took place on Sunday, 19 June in the Ian Roach Hall. This concert is one of the biggest concerts given by the orchestra. It included a most enjoyable performance of the Weber Bassoon Concerto, with Edwin Chow, LMusA, as the soloist. Edwin displayed musical maturity coupled with sensitivity and dexterity, and delighted the audience with this slightly quirky and jaunty work from that operatic composer. The other concerto was the ever popular A Minor Piano Concerto by Grieg. Oliver Blake, Dip ABRSM was the soloist. Known more for his prowess as a percussionist and as an oboist, our somewhat larrikin Captain of Music displayed drama, security and a real sense of energy in his interpretation of the work. The cadenza was particularly impressive – full of flair and passion. The orchestra responded superbly, and the real essence of the work was conveyed with conviction. Matthew Ng, AMusA, is in Year 11, is principal viola in the orchestra, a fine pianist, and a particularly prolific composer. His Quartet for Clarinet, Piano and Strings was performed by Johnson Yu, AMusA (Clarinet) with Christopher Woo (violin), Myles Chen (cello) and the composer at the piano. A work of considerable complexity and sophistication, it is arguably the most mature writing I have heard from a student of his age. Other movements from the same work delighted the audience in Belgium in January, and I look forward to hearing his Fantasy for Piano, Two Horns and Two Violins at the Chamber Music Dinner. The final work of the program was Brahms’ 2nd Symphony. The orchestra managed the work with considerable stylistic understanding, and coped effectively with the technical demands. Particularly notable was the famous long horn solo at the end of the first movement, played beautifully by Mond Qu.

JOHN FERGUSON
Director of Music

Eton College

At Easter, the Scotch community was treated to a choral concert given by the world-famous Eton College Chapel Choir under their conductor, Ralph Allwod. The visit from Eton was greeted with enthusiasm, particularly as our Choir and Orchestra had performed in the Eton College Chapel at the end of our European tour last January. The Eton Choir performed to the School in assembly, and even added extra spirit to our rowers by singing a very famous boating song! That evening, Eton presented a full concert in the Ian Roach Hall to a virtually full house. The Choir was joined by the Scotch orchestra for the final item, Sir Hubert Parry’s immortal ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’.

JOHN FERGUSON
Director of Music