Music Matters
Music Department’s Holiday Listening Recommendations
The Music Department would like to share the following recommendations of music for your listening pleasure these holidays!
Ms Heidi Jones – Chacona “A la vida bona” by Juan Arañés
My year always ends performing in the “Noel, Noel” concerts with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. I love seeing Mrs Anne Titterton and other SCEGGS staff and students in the audience. This piece is one of my favorites, full of energy and raucous joy. Listen out for our very own tutor, Christina Leonard on Saxophone, and me on the chamber organ.
Ms Pauline Chow – Duke Ellington’s “The Nutcracker Suite”
I’ve always loved the original Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, especially when performed with the ballet! I only came across this album recently and loved Duke Ellington’s jazzy take, giving a different dimension to the music.
Mr Michael Tierney – Chet Baker’s “Chet Baker Sings” Album
Every Christmas my sister and I get a chance to play piano and sing together. Sometimes we even end up performing some of the songs on Christmas Eve with further contributions from other family members, including Mum on the cello, brother on guitar, and Dad on the whatever. ‘But Not for Me’, from this album was one of our first such performances, and we always seem to keep coming back to Chet for more inspiration. It a great album and the songs are very fun to sing and play.
Ms Stephanie Holmes – Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel”
The 19th century composer Engelbert Humperdinck based his fairytale opera on the Grimm brothers’ story of siblings “Hansel and Gretel”. The beautiful aria “Abendsegen” (“Evening Benediction”) is one of the popular, well-known melodies from this opera and is featured in Act 2. The work is often associated with Christmas as it was premiered on 23 December 1893 and also because Humperdinck’s sister asked him to set the songs she wrote for her children for Christmas to music.
Ms Alison Ryan – Diana Krall’s “Christmas Songs”
I love listening to Diana Krall sing any time of the year, and at Christmas this album is the perfect mix of joy and jazz!
Mr Peter Jewitt – Nat King Cole’s “A Sentimental Christmas” album
Especially listen to – The Christmas Song, a MUST listen to. An unforgettable voice, Christmas in a song.
Primary Percussion Play Out
Well done to members of the Primary Percussion Ensemble who performed a short concert during lunchtime last Tuesday, outside the Primary Music Room. Students performed a percussion work “Five A Side” by Holland Evans. The work features the use of a 5/4 time signature, which is something a little less conventional! Another famous work to feature the use of this time signature would be Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five”. The ensemble was accompanied by Mrs Bronwyn Cleworth. Congratulations Primary Percussion Ensemble and thank you Mrs Cleworth for your direction of the performance.
City of Sydney Eisteddfod Congratulations – Madison Au and Ava Martin
Congratulations to Madison Au (Year 12) who was awarded Highly Commended for her video submission in the Woodwind Instrument category. Madison performed Fantaisie Italienne (for Oboe and Piano) by Eugene Bozza.
Congratulations also to Ava Martin (Year 7) who was awarded Highly Commended for two events for Voice. Ava sang “Don’t Rain On My Parade” from the 1964 musical Funny Girl and “What the World Needs Now” by Hal David and Burt Bacharach.
Well done Madison and Ava, we look forward to hear you both featured in live performances next year when restrictions are lifted!
Clarion and Holst Band’s End of Year Gatherings
It was so wonderful to see the community of band members from Clarion and Holst reconvene for one last time for 2021. Despite the disruption to the performance program, both ensembles were able to get together in their rehearsal times for a short outdoor play and celebration with pizza!
Thank you, Ms Alison Ryan (Conductor of Clarion) and Mr Michael Tierney (Conductor of Holst Wind Band), for organising the separate events for the students in a COVID safe way.
Peripatetic Update
It’s not too late to apply for instrumental or vocal lessons for next year. We especially welcome applications to learn Wind and Brass instruments. We are also keen to add Vocalists to our Tuition program, so if you are keen to have voice lessons (and sing in one of our amazing Choirs) in 2022, apply here.
I’d like to thank all our tutors for the amazing work they have done this year, both here at school and from home. Due to restrictions, a number of our Wind, Brass and Voice tutors have not been on-site since the end of Term 2. We thank them for the tireless efforts behind the screen. We are all hoping for more opportunities for in-person musical connection in 2022.
Keep up the practice over the holidays, the SCEGGS Eisteddfod is just around the corner!
Farewell Mr Peter Jewitt
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Mr Peter Jewitt at the end of this year. Mr Jewitt joined the SCEGGS Music Department in 2011. After 10 years of dedicated service to the school, Mr Jewitt will leave us to take up his appointment as Director of Music at Tatachilla Lutheran College in South Australia. We wish Mr Jewitt all the very best with his move and new appointment in 2022.
Pauline Chow
Head of Music
