Brisbane Girls Grammar School Gazette, Issue 2 2022

Community Spirit

The unifying force of music

Written by Mr Paul Johnston, Assistant Director of Instrumental Music (Acting)

Irene Shim (11G) at Cathedral Concert

Music is a unifying force across the globe, and particularly at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. There is nothing more uplifting, soul-inspiring, and life-affirming than the resounding joy expressed by the multitude of musical ensembles that honour the fine tradition of musicmaking within our white picket fence.

2022 Gala Concert, Luminescence

It is our people who comprise the most crucial element of the signature events we witness, such as Gala Concert, Cathedral Concert, and International Women’s Day. Our students (past and present), staff, and families, all endeavour to deliver joyous and enriching performance opportunities for the BGGS community. Without our people, the walls of the concert halls remain silent, our rehearsal spaces are empty caverns, and the music would never reach the hearts of the audience.

In our signature performances, the BGGS community offers a place of sanctity, vibrant energy, quiet reflection, and blazing passion. Whether it is the mighty empowerment of musical women at the International Women’s Day event, the warm embrace of the acoustics of St John’s Cathedral, or the enthralling fire of the Gala Concert finale, there is something for all in every performance.

The BGGS International Women’s Day Concert affords us the opportunity to celebrate the enormously inspiring contribution that women composers and musicians have made, and continue to make, to the world of music performance. We are motivated by addressing the statistical anomaly that shows us fewer than five per cent of repertoire performed by professional orchestras is by female composers. To do our part to counter this, we choose to commission, champion, and feature professional female composers’ works as well as the work of our current and past students.

Cathedral Concert is consistently one of our most popular events, not only in the musical calendar, but for the wider School. The afternoon concert is a serene experience where the sunlight streams through the stained-glass windows as the music warmly washes over us. The experience of the seemingly endless resonance of the Cathedral is one that cannot be authentically described in words. One must feel the sensation of the music as it envelopes you in its breathtaking beauty.

And Gala each year takes us on a new and enthralling adventure that provides the audience an open invitation into the creativity, ingenuity and, most importantly, the imagination of our staff and students. It is a stunning spectacle to witness the BGGS community gather to bask in the wondrous musical and performance talents of our students.

Uniting people is a fundamental purpose for us when curating concert events. We strive to have our community feel a sense of belonging, ownership, stewardship, and pride in what they experience. Having our students pay forward their gratitude in the form of performance excellence, dedication to their craft, and guiding the next cohort of young musicians is fundamental to forging the BGGS culture of inclusivity, generosity, and positivity.

Our School community is richer for the gift of music. Everyone is welcome, everyone can contribute, and every one of us makes our community stronger. Music at Brisbane Girls Grammar School is alive and thriving—please come and enjoy the experience with us.

2022 Gala Concert, Luminescence

Students performing at Cathedral Concert