Gondwana National Choral School

College News Gondwana National Choral School

A MEMORABLE year of musical highlights at All Saints' College in 2008, has culminated in the selection of four students to the Gondwana National Choral School.

YEAR 12 student Timothy Deacon and Year 6 students Kristina Lang, Josephine Langford and Vern-Sim Loh, are among only 24 Western Australian students accepted into the choral school for 2009.

The students were required to sing a musical piece in a video audition at Pen rhos College recently, which was then sent to Sydney for selection by a judging panel.

In January they will fly to Sydney where they will join about 240 musically talented and gifted young people aged between 10 and 21 from across Australia.

The students will participate in a twoweek intensive course involving choral and sectional rehearsals, composition and writing workshops, chamber orchestra and other art form sessions, all of which will come together in a final concert. "Having four students accepted into the Gondwana National Choral School is a pleasing outcome reflecting the extent and success of the All Saints' College vocal and choral program," Junior School Music Coordinator Anette Kerkovius said. "Throughout the school an emphasis on voice development and singing has provided a broad base of talented students who choose to join our eight choirs. "We are delighted that four of our students have this opportunity to extend their choral experience on the national stage," Mrs Kerkovius said.

The students' achievements cap off a memorable year for the All Saints' College music program.

Sydney composer, arranger and performer Daniel Walker was composer-in-residence at the College for a week in June, culminating in the performance and live recording of commissioned choral works for each choir at Wesley Church in Perth.

Senior School Music students performed at Sydney Opera House, two Junior School choirs travelled to Bunbury for a regional tour and the Junior Voices choir won the Fremantle Eisteddfod.

Mrs Kerkovius said it was exciting to watch the College choral and instrumental students continue to develop and mature as they embraced the varied musical opportunities and experiences available to them.

Photograph courtesy of Community Newspaper Group