Music

The anticipation of a new year is exciting. For music in the Junior School it is the joy of welcoming back our young musicians and the opportunity to introduce new students to a wealth of music-making. All students become engaged in active learning in the classroom with a wide range of instrumental opportunities to explore music through singing, playing, moving, creating and listening. Music activity was quickly embraced with instrumental lessons underway and boys enthusiastically joining choirs and ensembles to learn, to play and to perform together. It was disappointing that, by the end of first term, we were restricted in all performance opportunities and soirées, concerts and our Easter Service at St Mark’s were cancelled. In Term 2, distance learning presented big adjustments, but music staff and students met the challenge. Zoom became our best friend and online communication allowed strong connections to be established between students, teachers and parents. Instrumental lessons continued to thrive, and boys were enthusiastic in their participation in choir, orchestra and classroom by distance. A highlight throughout our year has been the Junior School Online Concert series with many students from Pre-Prep to Year 5 submitting video performances demonstrating their commitment to learning and sharing their love of music with our wider community.

Reflections:

Choir at Junior School has been a special time for me. I have been fortunate to grow up from Pre-Prep to Year 5 being taught by most caring and loving teachers.

In Choir we learnt a variety of songs from high to low notes. We learnt to respect each other’s voice and to sing together as a team.

Choir is also about multitasking: listen, memorise and perform. It gives us an opportunity to use and express our voice which is great. It also creates a happy, peaceful bubble giving us positive energy and happiness by being around people who equally share a love of music.

Lachlan Barnes

Year 5A

Samuel Page

Year 5A

The Year 2/3 Superstars Choir started the year by getting to know each other and adapting to singing together. When we commenced distance learning in Term 2, the choir were inspired by videos of a capella groups that demonstrated how versatile the voice can be as an instrument. Choir rehearsals then moved to the Year 2 and 3 classrooms with the boys rehearsing separately to minimise aerosol. The choir had to adapt again in Term 3 to Zoom choir rehearsals, where they enjoyed singing a variety of fun and moving songs. Whilst the choir did not get to sing together this year as much as they normally would, they still established strong choral techniques including breathing, warm-up exercises, inner hearing and part-singing. Throughout the year the boys learned many performance songs, including a different take on a traditional classical Bach piece with

COVID-19 is tough and has kept us away from school and playing with our friends.

At school we usually have fun together but at home it gets lonely.

One of the things that I really miss is Chamber Singers and the pleasure of singing together.

Chamber Singers is awkward on Zoom because it is difficult to sing all at the same time and we are out of sync.

It must be hard for Mrs Thomas to stay on track of things. Despite these difficulties we have managed to produce a chapel recording. It was exciting doing this recording and I think it turned out great.

Sebastian Kilroy

Year 5B The Junior School Orchestra has been a wonderful experience for a lot of people in Year 5 and Year 4. Everyone is always doing their best and is having fun the whole time. It is an experience that you could not possibly forget. The most unforgettable part is the riddle time at the end of most orchestra rehearsals.

‘Not-So-Boring-Minuet’, gospel part-singing with ‘Go Tell It On the Mountain/He’s Got the Whole World’, a beautiful Maori lullaby called ‘Hine e Hine’ and a fun movement piece, ‘Pretty Little Ditty’. I am proud of the boys for their resilience, determination and positive energy in choir rehearsals this year.

Mrs Trista Fry

Music Teacher

The return to school in Term 4 lifted our spirits. Despite restrictions on choral, woodwind and brass playing and lack of audience participation, we are heartened that the boys are enjoying ensemble playing either back at school or still by distance. Junior School Orchestra, String Ensemble, Bass Clef Band, Beginner Strings, PiperSnipers, Twisted Brass, Percussion Trio, Year 5 Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and a specially created Online Choir – all groups are preparing music for an end of year celebration of learning through adversity. We thank our parents for their kindness and their wonderful support of boys and staff. We thank our marvelous Music staff for their adaptability and patient encouragement. We especially thank the boys for their resilience and enthusiasm, keeping spirits high.

Mrs Helen Thomas

Assistant Director of Music – Junior School

Middle School Orchestra

This year in Middle School Orchestra we’ve had a pretty rough ride. We started the year with a few short weeks playing a fun rendition of Star Wars and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Lockdown eventually came into effect but that didn’t stop us! We continued with weekly Zoom tutorials where we played intriguing little pieces within our sections and helped each other with challenging pieces we were working on. Alongside our sectional meeting, we had a large group meeting where we did a series of interviews and activities to further enlighten our musical knowledge. This whole year has been extremely tough for all musicians, we have all learnt so much and matured in ways which probably weren’t possible without this pandemic! On behalf of the Middle School Orchestra, I would like to thank all the teachers and music staff that made this year a year we will truly never forget.

Lachlan Wong

Year 8

Middle School Concert Band

This year has been turbulent for the Middle School Concert Band. During the current online learning period, we have been practicing each week over Zoom. We’re excited to hopefully perform How To Train Your Dragon, Queen in Concert and A Prehistoric Suite later this year. We saw it through and are looking forward to faceto-face learning so we can present what we’ve worked so hard for!

Nathan Bosmans

Year 8

Middle School Stage Band

The Middle School Stage Band has faced a lot of challenges this year. During Term 2, we learnt to play the song All-Star by Smash Mouth, popularised by the movie Shrek. During Term 3, we also started the song Mustang Sally. We were able to record it and even release it to the school community. The Stage Band continued their weekly Monday rehearsals during the lockdown period in instrument tutorials. Led by the head of woodwind, Ms Wostry was able to adapt to the government restrictions and provide interesting and fun classes for many brass, percussion and woodwind students. Having competitions for the best performance of the songs, with students even earning rewards for their good work. The Middle School Stage Band has had a great year overall. With many of the Year 8 students moving into Senior School, we are all very excited to see what the current Year 6 and 7 students can achieve next year.

Tommy Auwardt

Year 8

“The momentum with which music making has continued during our lockdowns and limiting at-school restrictions is as strong as ever.”

The cornerstone of culture at Camberwell Grammar School has always been our choirs, orchestras and bands, and this year has simply not felt like a year at CGS without our large ensembles gathering in their weekly times to make music together. Or without singing lighting up the PAC weekly assemblies and special occasions. It is surely an understatement to say we are all looking forward to the time when we can safely gather for rehearsals, recitals and concerts again.

The creativity and tenacity that has been demonstrated by the boys and staff this year is something we can all be extremely proud of as a music making community. Many of the video performances that have come out have been the product of exclusively student leadership, musicianship and technical prowess. Many others have been collaborations between staff, students, and sometimes even OCGA members too. I extend my sincere thanks to all our students, past Grammarians and teachers who have worked so hard to create these unique performances this year.

The immortal words of the Village People have been ringing true all year. “You can’t stop the music” has often been used by music advocacy groups, frustrated educators and passionate students to rally their cause. In 2020, the boys of Camberwell Grammar School have proven this mantra to be true in a different way, and the momentum with which music making has continued during our lockdowns and limiting at-school restrictions is as strong as ever. Perhaps, now that we have been without our regular rituals of singing, rehearsals and performances for so long, it is clear how important these routines are to our lives and our mental health too.

It is a unique trait amongst humans that our brains reward us with copious amounts of oxytocin and dopamine when we sing together with others or participate in music making with others. Singing, in particular, is hard-wired into our mammal brains as an important activity to create feelings of belongingness, connectedness and love. Neurological research (most recently compiled by Dr Anita Collins) has revealed beyond any doubt that learning and playing music can actually grow and repair our brains at any age.

Perhaps our collective sub-conscious is seeking repair after 2020 and so many of us are craving music as the treatment, or the cure, for such a challenging year. Or it may be that music is the traditional activity that unites and replenishes us, which is now even more desirable after a year spent in isolation. CGS students and staff can be proud of our amazing efforts this year. We are now more grateful than ever for our ‘happy days at school’ when we can again come together in song and harmony.

Mr Ben Bishop Director of Music

2020 has been a year like no other – but even amidst a global pandemic, the music program at Camberwell Grammar School still thrived. Switching to an online music program presented many challenges, however all students and teachers adapted well and devised creative ways for music to be shared in a digital environment. Various performers and ensembles were able to share their music by creating videos which required countless hours to organise, record and edit. Although students were not able to experience the excitement and nerves that accompany live performances, they mastered new skills as every student became familiar with the art of music recording.

The series of musical videos was kickstarted by an a cappella rendition of Perfect by Ed Sheeran, featuring boys from Years 10, 11 and 12. This same choral group also produced a recording of Towards Infinity by Paul Jarman, who saw the video himself and wrote to the boys, praising the “thought and care, leadership and passion for the music”.

Various string ensembles kept busy during lockdown, producing many videos including renditions of Air on G String by J.S Bach, Praeludium by Dmitri Shostakovich and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Other videos included CGS Big Band’s Sleep and Deep by Jeff Jarvis, the Senior School Guitar Ensemble’s The Final Countdown by Europe and Skippy the Kangaroo, performed by Middle School violins.

This year was tough for everyone, as we learnt our way around schooling from home. However, the continuation of the music program through these videos allowed the boys to connect with each other and maintain their love for music performance.

Arman Cakmakcioglu

Captain of Music

Geoffrey Gong

Year 12

Senior School Orchestra

The year got off to an exciting start when Mr Bishop unveiled the grand piece that we were going to play at the Mid-Year Concert – a medley of the most famous James Bond themes. It was such a joy to play the tune that was so familiar to all. Some of us were also lucky enough to witness Matthew Wu’s stunningly virtuosic Schumann Piano Concerto, a piece that no doubt would have been a showstopper.

However, our plans were thrown into disarray with the onset of the lockdown’s. Instead of rushing over to the music school on a Monday afternoon, we tuned into Zoom. The boys admirably tackled Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet and their sectional projects with aplomb, with the first violins channelling their inner Freddy Mercury’s when they played an arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody, while the Cello’s performed a memorable rendition of Eleanor Rigby. Special mention must go to Rhys Campbell who had prepared to play the Phoenix Flute Concerto by Carmichael for the Biennial Concert. Thanks must go to all of our teachers; their willingness to adapt to online teaching and find other methods of keeping us engaged and practising was what made everything possible.

On a personal note, COVID-19 really highlighted how much of an integral part music plays in our lives at school. There really is nothing like being able to create music with so many other people, and the joy of performing and the relationships that I made during my four years in the SSO are among my most treasured memories at CGS.

Senior School Concert Band

Lockdown has presented the Senior School Concert Band with many difficulties. It has been a challenge to get the entire band together, and as a result, nearly all of the playing has been done in tutorials. However, despite these trying times, many of the various sections have found many fun and enjoyable ways to get the students playing.

The flutes have been spending hard work refining their parts during the lockdown, even recording a performance of Nimrod. The clarinets have been exploring the world of early jazz clarinets and transcribing various interesting solos. Meanwhile, Mr Siketa has been getting the trumpets to play a variety of pieces alongside the concert band repertoire, including the theme from Jurassic Park and the Captain America March. The lower brass section has been exploring the wide world of trombones by sharing various interesting videos as well as preparing a trombone cover of Stand by Me.

Thomas Cox

Year 12

Drumline

As an ensemble that relies heavily on rehearsing as a group, drumline has had to adapt to online rehearsals during this period of online learning. Despite taking a bit of getting used to, we soon found our rhythm and made the most of our situation. We split into two groups, quads and bass drums on a Monday, and snare drums and cymbals on a Friday. Having a few new members in drumline this year, working in these smaller groups was very beneficial as it ensured that everyone was on the same page and meant that we could still hear how the different parts sounded together. During the term, we have managed to learn a whole piece titled Yella’ Stone, it has been a challenge, yet a very rewarding one and a great accomplishment for all members, especially the new ones. The whole line is now eager to have an opportunity to perform Yella’ Stone once things are back up and running at school.

Jordan Murphy

Year 11

Highton Strings

Remote learning has given Highton Strings the opportunity to focus more on individual learning. We mostly spent rehearsals either having our music teachers hear us play one by one, or, with everyone except our teachers muted, playing along with our teachers. People who needed more help were able to get it much easier.

We started the year working on a chamber orchestra arrangement of La Folia and a piece by Piazzola. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to perform the Piazzola due to the cancellation of the concert. This brought us to begin learning a wonderful chamber orchestra arrangement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8.

For this piece, our end-goal was to make recordings of ourselves playing it, rather than to perform it in a concert. Thus, we used the metronome a lot when practicing this piece to make sure that we’d all be in time when the recordings were put together. If we’d been able to rehearse this at school we would’ve been able to listen to the pulse and rhythm of others to make sure that we were in time, and perhaps have some slight rubato, but we had to avoid it for the recordings.

We also had a fun Zoom once we had finished our Shostakovich recordings, sharing music memes and TwoSetViolin videos.

Senior School Stage Band

Members of Senior School Stage Band started 2020 with excitement and the promise of amazing and inspiring new repertoires. Our Monday lunchtime rehearsals showed great promise and we were all looking forward to showcasing our works to the school community throughout the year and at this years’ Biennial Concert. Mr Johnson’s original works were an anticipated highlight. Sadly, it wasn’t to be. Whilst this year has seen Stage Band and Mr Johnson’s plans for us put on hold, it hasn’t tempered our enthusiasm for the Jazz, Big Band and even Bossa Nova inspired pieces that we do. We look forward to the opportunity to make some more music together hopefully in Term 4. For those students in their final year of school the inability to perform with Stage Band this year has been a blow, no doubt about it. However, all of us lucky enough to have played with Stage Band in the past have already built a bank of memories that will feature prominently in future reminiscences of school life thanks to Mr Johnson and the rich music program at the school. For those current and new students who will get to be with Stage Band in 2021 we are excited to see what Mr Johnson has in store for us!

Sam Parmenter

Year 11

Senior School Choir

It almost seemed as if a global pandemic didn’t exist for the committed members of the Senior School Choir.

Except it did – we all certainly felt the absence of singing in a large choir. In fact, singing in large groups was proven to be one of the more efficient methods of spreading COVID-19, and so the prospects of any sort of performance was pretty much impossible. Yet through the power of video editing, undertaken solely by tech-wizard and Captain of Music, Arman Cakmakcioglu, the choir was still able to produce two pieces of music, an a capella of Ed Sheeran’s Perfect during the start of the first lockdown in March, followed by a cover of Paul Jarman’s Towards Infinity during the start of the second lockdown, accompanied by Eugene Goh. It was a delight to see such commitment from everyone involved, a true testament to the music culture of Camberwell Grammar.

So, while seemingly not much, we are still very proud to have produced two fine pieces of music which could go out to the community in such times of uncertainty. Singing is quite literally banned in all Victorian schools for now, but it only makes a singing resurgence that much more exciting!

2020 was a year that presented novel opportunities as being in lockdown enabled greater exposure to great artists through Zoom and it allowed more hours in the day to practice.

Before lockdown in Term 1, the Music Academy held masterclasses with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s clarinetist Philip Arkinstall, Old Boy and Music Captain, cellist Rohan de Korte and harpist Jessica Fotinos. Campbell Phillips took an animated and revealing rhythm workshop and pianists worked with Greg Roberts on his arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

In Term 2, the Academy held a series of ‘Lockdown Competitions’. As all performances and adjudicating was done online, Academy musicians received feedback from some of Australia’s finest musicians. Pianists prepared a Bach Invention and a work of their own choice for celebrated pianist, Ian Munro. Oboists performed Orchestral excerpts for Diana Doherty of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Horn players performed their excerpts for Nicolas Fleury, Melbourne Symphony’s newly appointed Principal Horn. Cellists prepared Popper studies for MSO’s Associate Principal cellist, Rachael Tobin and violists and violinists prepared studies and scales for Matthew Tomkins, Principal Second violinist of MSO. Double Bassists and trumpeters prepared excerpts for MSO’s Damien Eckersley and Rosie Turner.

In Term 2 and 3, Performance Class was held on Friday afternoons on Zoom. Students performed either live or uploaded videos of their performances. Music Staff discussed the performances, giving feedback and encouragement. This became vital as playing to a live audience was no longer possible. Even though we could no longer play together in ensembles, we could perform to each other and offer support.

In Term 3, the Music Academy held a Strings Scale and Arpeggio Competition and a Woodwind Scale Battle. There were two rounds and a coveted prize of a homedelivered pizza. It was a fun way of finding motivation to practice scales.

During this term, there were many recording projects including Shostakovich’s Quartet No 8 for String Orchestra, Middle School String Quartet’s David Stone Quartet, Matthew Treagus and Charlie Campbell-Cowan’s flute and guitar duo, Derrick Kwon and Nicholas Branson’s cello duo and other projects in which Academy musicians played a vital role.

We also welcomed celebrated Baroque violinist, Rachael Beesley who gave an enlightening masterclass on the idiosyncrasies of baroque playing.

Our VCE pianists performed their exam programs to Stefan Cassamenos and Caroline Almonte who gave valued performance advice and animated encouragement.

In Term 4, violinists and violists took part in the ‘Ninja Warrior Opera and Ballet Solo Challenge’. Yi Wang, principal violinist of Orchestra Victoria worked with our musicians on concertmaster solos by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Bizet and Puccini. This was an exciting way to introduce the students to some of these gems of the Orchestral repertoire.

One of the Music Academy’s aims for 2020 and beyond is to develop skills in historically informed performance (HIP). In October, cellists and bassists took part in a baroque masterclass with NZ Cellist James Bush. Oboists and flautists played their baroque pieces to Sydney-based flautist Melissa Farrow of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Brass players worked with Early Music specialist trumpeter, David Musk.

Nothing can replace the ecstasy of playing in ensembles or the warm intimacy of a music lesson but Zoom gave us the opportunity to create enriching and novel projects. Many of the lockdown events will become permanent fixtures on the Music Academy calendar in the years to come.