Showcase
Chamber Music Concert
H
aydn, Mozart and Beethoven first established the tradition of chamber music in the late 1700s and early 1800s, during the so-called Viennese Classic Era. In its original sense chamber music referred to music composed for the home, as opposed to that written for the theatre or church. Since the “home”—whether it be drawing room, reception hall, or palace chamber—may be assumed to be of limited size, chamber music most often permits no more than one player to a part. It usually dispenses with a conductor. Music written for combinations of stringed or wind instruments, often with a keyboard (piano or harpsichord) as well, and music for voices with or without accompaniment have historically been included in the term. On Tuesday November 24t, students and faculty were treated to an exceptional performance by students from grades 7 to 10, performing a range of classical chamber music pieces in the Grand Theatre. As Dr. James commented post performance, what we had witnessed was the embodiment of the IB learner profile, with our young musicians taking complete responsibility for the arrangement, rehearsal and performance of their work. Having no conductor, musicians not only had their own parts to master, but had to work as an ensemble in every sense of the word; collaborating and understanding the music as a whole in order to strike the right balance in performance. To work effectively in this way requires leadership, critical thinking and commitment; and on behalf of all those in the audience who witnessed and enjoyed the performance, I would like to thank Ms. Hyesun & Ms. Bo, and of course the talented musicians for entertaining us. Te Arohanui.
CONCORDIAN IMPACT - ISSUE 30
40
Mr. Clynt, Head of Department, Arts