Music Matters

SCEGGS Eisteddfod Highlights Concert – Friday 24 March, Great Hall

An invitation is warmly extended to all members of the SCEGGS community to come and hear, celebrate the musical talents of SCEGGS students. Over 250 performers from Primary and Secondary performed in the Eisteddfod heats for our adjudicators: Mr Robert Harris (primary instrumental), Ms Melanie McLoughlin (secondary instrumental) and Ms Donna Balson (vocal).

There will be two Highlights Concerts this Friday in the Great Hall:

SCEGGS Primary Highlights Concert 4.30pm. See here for the performer list.
SCEGGS Secondary Highlights Concert 6pm. See here for the performer list.

Thank you to members of the Woodwind Ensemble who will be providing the musical entertainment during the Secondary Highlights adjudication.

Parking will be available at the Joan Freeman car park on Friday afternoon from 4pm. The carpark will close promptly at the conclusion of the Secondary Highlights concert. Other parking options are also available at Wilson Parking (70 Riley Street, Darlinghurst) and Budget Parking in Darlinghurst (Wisdom Lane Darlinghurst).

We look forward to sharing the musical performances by our talented music students.

Musicale 1 “Music of Disney” – Tuesday 28 March 6pm, Great Hall

In celebration of Disney’s 100^th Anniversary, the SCEGGS Music Department are very excited to bring to you a collection of musical favourites from the Disney franchise in our Musicale 1 concert next Tuesday 28 March 6pm in the Great Hall. In this concert, we will also be presenting the first performance by our Year 7 Choir who will be singing in the opening and closing items of the concert.

The other ensembles featured in the concert include:

Choir
Madrigal Ensemble
CVE
Clarion Concert Band
Primary Cello Ensemble
Stringalong
Sinfonietta
Chamber Strings
Primary String Octet
Primary Percussion
Ukulele Ensemble
Glennie Percussion
Van Reyk Percussion
Contemporary Strings

Parking will be available at the Joan Freeman car park on Tuesday afternoon from 5pm. The car park will close promptly at the conclusion of the performance. Other parking options are also available at Wilson Parking (70 Riley Street, Darlinghurst) and Budget Parking in Darlinghurst (Wisdom Lane Darlinghurst).

We look forward to seeing you there next Tuesday evening!

Pauline Chow
Head of Music

RPA March Arts Making Music Day – Choir and Madrigal Ensemble

On Wednesday 15 March, Choir had the fantastic opportunity to sing a variety of repertoire as a part of the inaugural March Arts Making Music Day, in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The March Arts Making Music Day is a day which focuses particularly on inviting musicians to share and make their music accessible to all areas of different communities.

At 10.15am, 32 choristers from Years 7 to 12 loaded onto the bus where they warmed up as they headed towards the venue. When we arrived, Choir sang 10 songs in the stairwell located outside of the Intensive Care Unit to a very warm and appreciative audience of hospital staff, visitors, patients as well as numerous SCEGGS alumni and parents who work at RPA. We sang, accompanied by Ms Holmes on the piano, sacred Easter works, including “The Lord’s My Shepherd” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” as well as “Psalm 100.” We also sang “Vuelie” from Frozen, along with other works written by Australian Choral composers. The event was organised by Arterie, who facilitate the innovative and valuable inclusion of visual and performing arts in healthcare practices. The use of music in healthcare and the medical field is something that is increasing as research towards the health benefits associated with music expands, which made Choir’s contribution so meaningful. One of the organisers who helped bring the day to life, Amanda Solomon, expressed; “a huge thank you for your amazing performance today – it was such a joy to see you all in action and watch the response from people walking past, up and down the stairs, hanging over the glass walls and to receive comments from other staff members who told me they heard it all over the hospital. The mix of tunes and tempos gave such a variety so I really appreciate your time and hope we can do it again sometime.” Following the performance, we were informed that our singing could be heard from the 11^th floor of the hospital!

Choir had such a wonderful time, and it was a really lovely way to share our love for singing with so many people. Thank you so much to Ms Holmes for learning our piano accompaniments – your brilliant accompaniment really inspired each and every chorister to sing out on the day, and your contribution is much appreciated by the entirety of Choir as well as the audience at the RPA. Thank you also to Ms Harrigan for inviting Choir to get involved with the March Arts Making Music Day, it was such a fantastic opportunity for the choristers to perform for such a great cause.

Bridgette Dunlop
Choral Captain 2023