The 2021 Jazz at The Gov concert is one we will remember for a while. Specifically honing in on ‘jazz’ and highlighting our smaller, auditioned ensembles, this concert was an opportunity to showcase the ensembles who have missed the opportunity to travel to Mount Gambier for ‘Generations in Jazz’ over the past two years.

We were once again able to hold our Musicians in Residence program in the lead up to the event. This year we were blessed with jazz couple, Adelaide-born Jo Lawry and New York based saxophonist Will Vinson.

These two talented musicians have played with some of the world’s best. Having them at school to workshop and rehearse with our students was a wonderful educational experience.

Jo and Will were truly inspirational to us all, as they workshopped, inspired and guided our ensembles to further develop their performances, culminating in an outstanding final performance. .

The energy in the room on the night was palpable, and the vibe one of absolute joy with live music finally back.

The Wilderness Music students showcased some of the best performances I have seen in my time at the school – well done to all the students involved.

Please enjoy the following reflections from our Band Leaders on the event:

Big Band 1

This term, after our success in the SA Schools Jazz Festival, Big Band 1 worked on a completely new set for Jazz at The Gov.

Although it was a quick turnaround, we all worked very hard on preparing these new pieces. We performed three songs from different styles, which showcased our skills.

We began with ‘Agua de Beber’, a fiery Latin tune featuring an amazing tenor saxophone solo from Siena Heffernan Lucic (Year 10). We then moved to ‘Blues’ Blues’, an upbeat boogaloo, which featured a solo by our guest artist Will Vinson.

To finish our set, we played ‘Nostalgia in Times Square’, a raucous piece made famous by the Charles Mingus Big Band. This song featured an extended solo section, with another tenor solo, a trumpet solo from Allegra Kleinig (Year 10) and Charlotte Thomas (Year 10) and solos from our two guest artists, Will Vinson and Jo Lawry.

Working with Will and Jo was very inspiring to all of us and helped us to perform even better on the night, especially after our workshop with Will a few days prior to the concert. Big Band 1 performed some of our best work at Jazz at The Gov, and our hard work paid off in an enjoyable experience for all.

Alice Oakley-Conlon
Big Band 1 Leader

Jazz Incorporated

Jazz Incorporated rehearses weekly on a Thursday afternoon under the direction of Ms Anna Lenartowicz.

As the choir leaders, we have had the privilege of working closely with our director to lead the choir in performing two jazz-infused tunes for the Jazz at The Gov concert. We performed ‘Precious’, a contemporary jazz piece by Esperanza Spalding, arranged by Kerry Marsh and ‘Shiny Stockings’, a classic big band piece originally composed by Count Basie, but adapted for choir in our arrangement.

Workshopping these pieces with Jo Lawry, and performing with her and Will took our learning to the next level. We adaptedmany skills that we will be able to use in our future performances.

Overall, working with our guest artists was an incredible opportunity, and learning from Jo’s confidence and stage presence, we were able to put on a confident and engaging performance.

Sophie Crompton and Lucy Percival
Jazz Inc Leaders

Dream Girls

With help from our conductor Ms Vanessa Abela and accompanist Ms Mekhla Kumar, the Dream Girls, an auditioned choir of 17 girls from Years 7 to 12 performed the songs, ‘On The Street Where You Live’ from the musical My Fair Lady and ‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing’ by Stevie Wonder for the 2021 Jazz at The Gov.

Since Term 1, the Dream Girls have met regularly for rehearsals on Wednesdays after school to practice both songs. During this time, choreography was prepared for both pieces and we have developed a close bond as a choir.

To further grow the connection between the choir, I organised for us to see Jackson vs Jackson at the Fringe in March.

We also heavily improved our understanding of the pieces with the guidance of Ms Abela and our Musicians in Residence, Jo Lawry and Will Vinson. The energy and enthusiasm onstage at the concert was electric, and I am so grateful to lead such a wonderful group of young vocalists.

Mary McAuliffe
Dream Girls Leader

Year 2 Strings and Year 4 Band Concerts

Magical sounds were heard all night in Hender Hall on Tuesday 15 June, as the Year 2 girls performed their String Concert to a live audience of parents and special friends.

The girls have been lucky enough to spend the semester learning a string instrument from passionate musicians, Louise Beaston, Carolyn Lam, Jacqui Finlay and Georgia Gamble, who have guided the girls through group tuition along with an orchestral session.

It has been a joy to watch the girls gain confidence in playing their instruments and working together as a team.

Music brings us all together – well done to all the girls for an exceptional concert.

Following the Year 2 String Concert, we were treated to another delightful performance of the Year 4 Band. Fabulous sounds filled Hender Hall, with both classes combining at the end to form a super band.

It has been brilliant to watch all the girls embracing the opportunity to learn to play either the flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, bass guitar or percussion. Weekly group lessons from inspiring musicians Karen Fletcher, Mary Waterhouse, Damien Hurn, Sarah Barrett, Sam Peng, Miss Cassie Pope, Bonnie Aue and Sam Millar, along with band sessions led by Miss Pope has been a wonderful opportunity for all the girls.

Thank you to all the girls and parents for their commitment to music. These programs have been a delightful journey of musical discovery for all our girls and we encourage them all to continue learning their instrument. Well done to all the girls for their outstanding concert.

If your daughter is keen to continue, or start a new instrument in Semester 2, please click here.

Ruth Shrimpton
Junior School Music Coordinator

Drama

On The Stage

It has been a fun and creative time for Middle School Drama students in recent weeks, with the Year 7, 8 and 9 Drama classes presenting their end of semester performances led by their teachers Ms Jessica Foster and Mr Hal Bruce.

The Year 8s presented their production of ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ to a packed Newman Theatre in Week 7 in a production, which combined elements of the set design concepts developed by the students themselves.

In Week 9, the Year 9s presented their production of Angela Betzien’s ‘The Girl Who Cried Wolf’, a dark and haunting play, which explores the cult of celebrity, the operations of hierarchy of the school playground, the resilience that can stem from the imagination, and the often inconvenience, ugliness and power of truth. The production also contained projections and imagery created by students highlighting the increasing place of multimedia and technology in enhancing the theatrical experience.

Also in Week 9, the Year 7s performed their original Greek-Theatre-inspired stories to the Year 4 and 5 students. In their learning about Greek Theatre, students came to appreciate the way that drama has been used as a way of communicating important messages to audiences about life, mortality and morality since the earliest civilisations. Students worked in small companies to devise and present their original stories, which had a clear moral to the audience and used traditional conventions of Greek Theatre such as chorus work, stasimons and masks to convey the ideas in their stories.

We look forward to welcoming audiences back to the Newman Theatre in Week 3 of Term 3 to enjoy the Year 6 Musical of ‘Alice in Wonderland’, a co-production between Year 6 Music and Drama, led by our wonderful Year 6 teachers, Ms Jessica Foster and Mrs Ruth Shrimpton.

Aldo Longobardi
Head of Drama