MUSICAL NOTES

With the end of 2022 becoming more ‘normal’, we were very pleased to be able to reinstate our usual pattern of live concerts and other musical events and 2023 has begun in much the same way. In February, we were very pleased to welcome new parents to our first live Welcome Concert in three years!

Big Band

The concert featured a variety of smaller ensembles that demonstrated the wide range of music performed at Grammar. The Senior Jazz Combo performed at the Welcome to New Parents function a week later and the Big Band and Grammarphones performed for prospective parents and boys at the Open Day in March. The Term I Concert was held a little earlier than usual this year and the standard of performance on display was impressive, particularly considering the relatively few weeks of rehearsal leading up to it.

Highlights of the concert included the winner of last year’s Form V Vocal Competition, Andrew Meek, performing For The Longest Time by Billy Joel with the Croonivores. The School Orchestra accompanied the winner of the 2022 Form V Instrumental Competition, Milo Abrahams, who played two movements from Rossini’s Bassoon Concerto. This wonderful performance was even more special as the family of Milo’s bassoon teacher Mrs Clare Payne, who sadly passed away last year, kindly lent him Mrs Payne’s own bassoon to play for the performance. This was indeed a moving and fitting tribute to a much-loved teacher and colleague.

Junior Vocal Ensemble

Tommy Emmanuel Guitar Ensemble

Form V Music Competition

In Term III last year, the Form V Music Competition returned to its usual live format, complete with an audience and live judges. Mr John Morrison judged the Jazz section and Mr Simon Kenway judged the Vocal and Instrumental sections.

As always, the standard was extremely high, and the adjudicators were given a very difficult task in picking a winner for each section. After much deliberation, the following winners were announced: Jazz Section – Harvey Abrahams (piano); Vocal Section – Andrew Meek; Instrumental Section – First Place: Milo Abrahams (bassoon), Second Place: Michael Liu (violin), Equal Third Place: Harvey Abrahams (flute) and John Wu (violoncello). Congratulations to all of the finalists – this was a most enjoyable evening of music.

Pictured: School Orchestra

Term IV Concert and Ensembles Concert

The final term of 2022 was a busy one for Grammar musicians, with three major concerts held towards the end of the year. The first was the Term IV Concert which featured many of our larger, more senior ensembles including School Orchestra, Big Band and AMCO.

Pictured: Ventus

Of particular note was a performance in which all of the College St choirs combined to sing several movements from Widor’s Mass for Two Choirs and Two Organs Op. 36. It was also great to see three Form V boys (Milo Abrahams, Nathan Marjoram and Felix Power) take to the podium to conduct the Wind Ensemble. They each conducted a movement from In the Forest of the King by La Plante.

Pictured: Felix Power (V)

The second concert in Term IV was the Jazz Combos Concert, which featured the jazz combos from Forms I – IV, as well as the Electric Guitar Ensemble. We are very grateful to Mr Stephan Schafer who stepped in to direct a number of the groups in Mr Khusid’s absence. In the final concert of the year, the Ensembles Concert, a large number of the School’s chamber ensembles performed to a near-capacity audience in the AMT. The concert included performances by the Flute Choir, Clarinet Choir, Tuba Ensemble, French Horn Ensemble and Trumpet Ensemble, as well as various percussion, string and guitar ensembles. The concert certainly highlighted the many opportunities boys at the School have to play in specialist chamber ensembles.

Bassoon Ensemble

Marimba Quartet

AMEB

A large number of boys enrolled in AMEB performance examinations last year, with many achieving excellent results across a variety of grade levels.

As always, there were some boys who successfully passed the Diploma examinations, some with Distinction. As a result, these boys achieved the awards of AMusA and LMusA. In March this year, the AMEB Diploma Presentation Ceremony was held at the University of New South Wales and the School was invited to provide a group to perform in the courtyard prior to the ceremony. This opportunity fell to the Form VI String Quartet (Sean Weatherley, Michael Liu, Jamie Wood and John Wu), who performed for almost an hour to a very appreciative crowd. In the actual ceremony, a dozen or so Grammar boys received diploma awards and they are to be congratulated on this fine achievement. Grammar’s overall results in all AMEB examinations last year saw the School win the AMEB Shield for Most Outstanding School once more. Congratulations to all boys, instrumental music tutors and accompanists for this fine result!

Form VI String Quartet at the AMEB Presentation Ceremony

Grammar Diplomates at the AMEB Graduation

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