Scotch College

ScotchArts series

The first half of the year contained many musical events, and presented performance and musical enhancement opportunities for literally hundreds of students.

Words: John Ferguson • Director of Music Photographer: Andrew Murdoch

The ScotchArts concert series commenced with the delightful Melbourne duo, Miki Tsunoda and Caroline Almonte, who were joined by horn virtuoso Lin Jiang (’02) in a beautiful and exciting performance of the Brahms Horn Trio.

The second concert of the series was the now traditional presentation by our two ‘extension ensembles’: ABC Victorian Choir of the Year, Concordis, conducted by Andrew Hunter, and the chamber orchestra, Pro Musica, which I conducted.

This was an opportunity to showcase two works by composer Nicholas Buc (’99) for choir and orchestra: True North (commissioned for the Combined Schools Festival of 2005 by the Music Auxiliary) and Perth Dreaming. Nicholas conducted both works superbly. Another notable work was a delightful and, at times, dramatic performance of Elgar’s glorious Sea Pictures with mezzo-soprano Lynlee Williams.

The Song Company from Sydney delighted the audience in a witty and vibrant third concert of the series, showing an amazing level of vocal and harmonic precision. Next day their director, Roland Peelman, ran a superb workshop with our choir.

Concerts four and five both featured the piano, and became part of the piano festival. Tony Gould presented a stunning concert with his new ensemble, interspersing original compositions with a few ‘standards’. The second piano concert (which also concluded the piano festival) was presented by former Scotch student Professor Ian Munro, now Head of Keyboard at Newcastle University and visiting professor at the Australian National Academy of Music. It was a lovely recital.

While the ScotchArts series is presented by top-notch professional artists, the series forms an important part of our music program. Attending high-level performances is a vital part of musical study for students and staff.

The Autumn Season

The Autumn Concert Season is the largest musical event in the first half of the year, involving more than 500 students from Years 7 to 12. The Ted Joyner Band, the Intermediate Band, Dreyfus Band, the Symphonic Wind, the strings and the intermediate orchestra all presented robust performances. The various jazz ensembles, including Saxobrass, Monday Big Band and the Show Band were all fabulous.

The 140-voice choir, back from Choir Camp, performed at a quite remarkable level – particularly the ‘Ave Verum’ by Mozart, performed with a chamber group of strings and the entire choir. The Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Cappriccio Espagnol’ was also worthy of note. These ensembles are very strong, and we are grateful to parents for ensuring that students continue to practise, and arrive for early morning rehearsals.

From Shanghai to Mount Gambier

Our annual trip to the Shanghai Conservatory Specialist Music School took place in the Easter break. It was a unique opportunity for some of our top musicians to work with their Shanghai counterparts in ensembles comprising students from both schools. The students also attended aural classes, and enjoyed trips to Hangzhou and its beautiful West Lake. A student from Shanghai is currently with us for term three, and two of our students will spend a few weeks in Shanghai later this year.

This year we took the Monday Big Band to the Generations in Jazz festival in Mount Gambier, where the boys acquitted themselves most respectably. The trip was superbly organised by Michelle Onezime and Daryl McKenzie, with yours truly fulfilling my usual role as photographer and coach driver!

Term two concluded with the Symphony Orchestra’s Winter Concert, the main orchestral concert of the year. Jeffrey Ge opened the concert in fine style with a spirited and secure performance of Mozart’s fourth Horn Concerto, followed by Michael Wang performing the delicious slow movement from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. The first half concluded with a dramatic and exciting performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 given by Max Foster.

The second half of the concert comprised a complete performance of Tchaikovsky’s second symphony, the Little Russian. The spirited finale drew spectacular applause from the substantial audience.

Piano Festival

Undoubtedly the musical initiative of the year was the inaugural Scotch College Piano Festival (21 July to 1 August), organised by James Brawn, Teresa Lavers and Nada Peacock. The festival was intended to draw attention to the piano as a solo instrument and to showcase the talents of Scotch College staff and students.

Solo recitals were by James Brawn, Teresa Lavers and Lachlan Redd (who all teach piano in the music school) as well as Max Foster (one of our most talented music students) and guest artist Ian Munro. Tony Gould demonstrated just how versatile a jazz pianist can be, and Karen Vincent showed why she is one of Melbourne’s most sought-after associate artists. Rita Reichman shared her bountiful wisdom in a memorable master class for students.

More than 30 individual piano students played solo and duo repertoire, as well as chamber music, in several lunchtime recitals and master classes, with outstanding performances by Anthony Ma (Year 7), Arthur Athan (Year 8) and Michael Li (Year 8).

No prizes were offered for attending the most festival events, but Hiroki Hoshino, Steven Stamopoulos, James Kim and Josh Ch’ng turned up to many of the concerts, and James Smith and his mother attended all the evening recitals. All these students will definitely be enriched by the experience. Teresa Lavers deserves great credit for organising such a superb event. GS