Scotch College

'55 Music Captain returns

For Michael Clarke, Captain of Music in 1955, the pipe organ, which he learnt under Claude Monteath, then Director of Music at Scotch and Organist at the Toorak Presbyterian Church, was the love of his life.

In his final year at Scotch, he played the organ at his aunt's wedding. Since then he's done the same for two of her children, the last being John Dawkins ('88) who was married in the Littlejohn Chapel in April 1999. Whilst a student he found it to be a mentally transporting experience to practise the organ in the solitude of the Littlejohn Chapel. Even more so at night, with the place in darkness, apart from the console lights.

The small pipe organ he knew as a student has been replaced by, in Michael's words 'a brilliant Musicom electronic organ.' The physical setting, the marvellous instrument and the music written for it all contribute to an ambience that's as detached from the everyday world as anything he knows.

Following Scotch, Michael studied mechanical engineering at Melbourne and in 1962 was drawn into 'the fascinating world of computer programming.' Of late the organ has taken on a new ascendancy in his life and returning to the Chapel in April to play the new organ, once again, was truly wonderful. Michael is currently awaiting delivery of his very own 3-manual Johannus (Dutch) electronic organ.

Lloyd Owen,
Scotch College Educational Services