Music Matters

Spinifex Gum – Congratulations!

On Wednesday 21 June 47 very excited SCEGGS secondary choristers partnered with Gondwana Choirs and Sydney Symphony Orchestra to present Spinifex Gum in the Concert Hall of Sydney Opera House. This work composed by Melbourne’s Felix Riebl, a part protest and part celebration of a modern Australian song cycle addressing pervasive issues of indigenous social disparity, deaths in custody, disproportionate incarceration and land rights.  This sold-out concert featured the Cairns based ensemble Marliya which is made up of talented and passionate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teenage female singers.  Our SCEGGS choristers invested much time in rehearsals to prepare for such a high level performance and were thrilled with the artistic result of sharing the stage with the musicians of the Sydney Symphony and some of Australia’s best young singers. Year 12 SCEGGS chorister Maggie-Rose Dunlop responded to participating in this performance by saying “it was truly just the best experience. It was such a privilege and an honour to be able to sing with such a confident group of young women who, through their talents, are able to provoke almost every emotion at the same time, as they share important messages and stories that are essential, not only to Australian history, but to all Australian lives today. By being on stage with Marilya Choir and sharing these messages with them, we placed ourselves, our families, our friends and our teachers into such a powerful and united position, where we were able to encourage change to happen within our society and where we are able to live in recognition of the past and begin to move forward together. It was also an incredibly valuable opportunity to get a taste of professional music and to be part of something bigger than us. It was one of my favourite performances I’ve been lucky enough to ever take part in.”

Music Week Concert featuring ‘Legendary Jazz singer’ Emma Pask

The SCEGGS Music department are very excited to share a series of concerts and activities next week for MUSIC Week.  This year Australia’s legendary Jazz singer Emma Pask and her Musical Director Mr Kevin Hunt will be coming to SCEGGS from Tuesday of Week 2 to workshop scat techniques with our Elective Music classes.  Emma will also be coming to workshop with some of the featured ensembles who are performing in this special Music Week concert on Thursday 27 July 6pm. 

Emma was spotted by renowned Australian Jazz great James Morrison to join his band as lead vocalist.  She was only 16 years old at the time!  She then toured with James Morrison and his big band around the world for 20 years.  Some of Emma’s performance highlights has included performing at the wedding of Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, singing for the late Diana Princess of Wales and Princess Mary of Denmark.  Emma is also the ‘Mo’ award winner for Jazz Vocalise of the year.  She has also received Aria nominations for Best Jazz Album of the Year in 2014 and 2016.  Emma has also opened for the Grammy award winning American vocalist Kurt Elling on his 2018 Australian tour.  During the 2020 COVID-lockdown, Emma was also chosen by The Sydney Opera House to launch the first of their live streamed concerts.

To secure your seats to this free concert – please book via TryBooking.  We look forward to sharing a very special evening of Jazz with you next term.

Please see below the series of lunchtime concerts outlined for Music Week:

HSC Music Concert 2

An invitation to staff, family and friends of our Year 12 Music 1 & 2 students to come and come and listen to the students’ performances this evening at 6pm in the Great Hall.  The concert is part of the students’ preparation leading to their Trial HSC Assessments.  We would love to see as many of you as possible to support our students.

B Kinder Day

The Primary Percussion Ensemble and Primary String Octet performed beautifully at the B Kinder Day K-6 Assembly at the end of last term. Ms Jayne Groves directed the talented percussionists in a piece that she wrote with her partner and SCEGGS percussion tutor Matt Moore wrote called “Eat Play Sleep”. This terrific piece was written about life at a music camp, with all the musicians in the ensemble engaged and busy throughout the performance, with catchy rhythms and wonderful sounds. The Primary String Octet lead the assembly in the School Song and national anthem. The string players and percussionists then joined forces in the Assembly finale “Under the Sea” from the The Little Mermaid and the impromptu massed singing was an uplifting finish to the end of term K-6 Assembly!

Upcoming Music Events

Term 3

Pauline Chow
Head of Music