Great Scot Archive
Issues from 1998
Issues from 1998
 
 
 
 

Publications

Musical passion and joy

The Junior School concerts highlight the boys‚

WORDS: MR DAVID ASHTON Photography: Ms Jocelyn Pride

Albert Einstein once said, ‚f I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music ... I get most joy in life out of music.‚

Certainly much passion and joy was seen on the faces of our Junior School performers at recent year level concerts for Year 3 and Years 5 and 6.

Both concerts highlighted the various music ensembles in which the boys are involved: string orchestras, choirs, a concert band, Suzuki groups and even a big band all performed, having all rehearsed regularly during the semester.

The second half of the Year 3 Concert was a delightful twist on a traditional tale: The Pied Piper of Hawthorn. A certain school in Hawthorn was unfortunately invaded by, not rats, but cane toads! Jesse Castan 3T, the Pied Piper, played his flute and flicking his red cape, managed to captivate the horrible toads and lead them off campus. But the Mayor, Alan Xiong 3Y, refused to pay him for these services, so again the Pied Piper played a magical tune and captivated the Scotch students.

There was much merriment in presenting this production, with a cameo from Mr Tom Batty and cane toads hopping around in the most surprising places!

The Years 5 and 6 Concert was held in the Ian Roach Hall and finished with all boys presenting two moving songs written by contemporary Australian choral composers. The first, Let Go the Long White Sails, was reminiscent of a folk song and concerned the Loch Ard, which was a clipper ship wrecked at Mutton Bird Island just off the Shipwreck Coast of Victoria, in 1878. Thomas Perry in Year 8 provided a glorious bagpipe part in this work.

Of the second piece the composer, Dan Walker, says: ‚ÄòThe Wanderer is about living your dreams. The inspiration of this piece was the albatross, a lone traveller soaring on the Antarctic winds, his destination wherever the currents may take him. I have always been in awe of those magnificent birds, and the text I have written in some way pays homage to their grace and determination.‚

This was a challenge to put together, with four different voice parts being sung simultaneously as well as piano, string quintet and ocean drum accompaniment.

As always, the concerts highlight the boys‚ musical achievements and their enjoyment of performing for the people who support them and encourage them at home: their families. GS

Updated: Monday 24 June 2013