Spotlight on Celtic Ensemble
Many folk songs have been around for centuries, or for as long as humans have been working the land together. For music to be classified as folk music it usually has these three characteristics: it’s passed down from one person to the next by aural memory; the original composer is often unknown so the tune and/or words spread organically; the music is played on culturally traditional instruments.
The development of folk music as a genre essentially started in the 19th century, when academics and amateur scholars started to collect and preserve popular songs, as they feared that these musical traditions would otherwise soon be lost. One of my musical heroes, Cecil Sharp (1859-1924), was an important figure in the English folk song revival of the early 20th century, gathering thousands of tunes from England and later the United States.
Starting in the mid-20th century, folk music enjoyed another revival, which resulted in the creation of a whole new subgenre of music. This ‘second’ folk revival reached its peak in the 1960s. This second revival had a profound influence on pop music of the time with many contemporary artists blurring the lines between the two styles.
In Celtic Ensemble we play a variety of Irish, English, Scottish, and Welsh music that has been passed down through generations of musicians through this aural tradition. It’s been a challenge to prepare so many pieces to take with us to the National Folk Music Festival in Canberra in April. If you’re lucky enough to be at the NFF you’ll get the chance to hear us perform: an Irish set inspired by fairies; a Scottish set (including an epic movie theme); a pair of English country dance tunes (one written in the 1770s and one written in 1990s); a 2000s punk rock anthem; a theme from a Disney movie; an Australian ballad; and much more.
We’re so excited to be able to immerse ourselves in folk music at the NFF. We look forward to listening and performing but, also experiencing first-hand, the sights and sounds of so many different folk music traditions in one place. It really is a dream come true!
Choral Workshop—Saturday 25 March
The Instrumental Music Department is excited to present an intensive Choral Workshop for Chorale and Euphonix students in preparation for the Cathedral Concert and Queensland Youth Music Awards respectively.
Choirs participating
Chorale—Ms Zoe Penman
Euphonix—Ms Ruani Dias-Jayasinha and Ms Chloe Evans
Date and times
Saturday 25 March 2023, 9 am to 12.30 pm
Meeting point
Meet in the Choir Room at 9 am
Student dress code
Casual clothing; students are not required to wear a uniform.
What to bring/food
A small snack for the morning-tea break to share with the ensemble.
Junior Band workshop
The Instrumental Music department hosted our Junior Band Workshop on Tuesday 21 March. The workshop involved Wind Band and Wind Ensemble working independently with two guest conductors, Ms Claire Petherick and Mrs Alisa Jones. Our BGGS Junior Band students enthusiastically worked through tone production, rhythmic understanding and composing, bucket drumming, performance etiquette, and the importance of posture to overall musicianship in performing. The students especially appreciated Mrs Jones’ ‘Ready, Set, Go!’ approach to performance preparation on stage.
After working up a ravenous appetite, the students enjoyed a relaxed social snack break before combining the two bands to finish off the workshop together.
The repertoire covered in the workshop will be presented at our Term 2 Movie Band Concert in May. We are looking forward to sharing the hard work of our students and staff with our wonderfully supportive School community at this concert.
Welcome to Mr Craig Dabelstein
While Mr Jacob Cavanough is on some well-deserved long service leave, we are delighted to be able to welcome Mr Craig Dabelstein to cover percussion ensemble rehearsals and percussion lessons for the last two weeks of this term and the first two weeks of next term.
Mr Dabelstein began studying the piano at age seven and took up the saxophone at age 12. He has held the principal saxophone chairs in the Australian Wind Orchestra and has been an augmenting member of the Queensland Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras, and has been a conductor of the Young Conservatorium Symphonic Winds and a member of the Queensland Saxophone Quartet. He was a regular conductor of the Queensland Wind Orchestra, has been a research associate for the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series of books, and has edited more than sixty books on music including The Art of Musical Conducting, Aesthetics of Music (eight volumes), and The History and Literature of the Wind Band and Wind Ensemble (13 volumes). He currently works as a freelance conductor and a woodwind/percussion performer.
Gypsy Band conference with Romani musician, Sarah Bedak
Last Friday the Gypsy Band conferenced with Romani-Gypsy musician, Sarah Bedak (Sydney). The group was keen to talk about Romani culture, music, and the culturally sensitive use of language. It was a fantastic session! To start the conference Gypsy Band performed ‘Bride in a Red Dress’, a sophisticated piece in 7/8 time which forms the basis of the ‘geamparale’ dance from Romania. Sarah was impressed with Gypsy Band but had a number of suggestions for how their performance could be improved. Having performed at the National Folk Festival herself, she was also able to make practical suggestions on how to prepare. During the subsequent discussion, Sarah spoke about some of the difficult and confronting elements of Romani history, and how we can be culturally sensitive in our use of language. Thank you Sarah, and well done to Gypsy Band!
Irene Shim awarded Licentiate of Music (Violin)
A huge congratulations to Irene Shim (12G) for being awarded her Licentiate in Music on the Violin. The Licentiate in Music, Australia (LMusA) is a diploma awarded by examination to outstanding candidates in the fields of musical performance by the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB). It is an extremely difficult exam to pass and requires many hundreds of hours of meticulous preparation. Irene’s repertoire for this exam included:
List A- Bach Partita in E major, BWV 1006, Preludio, Loure and Gavotte
LIst B- Brahms sonata in d minor op.108 1st and 2nd movement
List C- Havanaise, Saint-Saens
List D- Violin Concerto, Khachaturian.
Bravo Irene!
Gramma Singers debut at the BGS Soiree
Last Friday evening, Brisbane Grammar School hosted their annual Music Support Group Welcome Soiree. The Grammar Singers, along with the Boys Grammar Choirs and String Ensembles, performed to a receptive audience.
This was the choir’s first performance of the year and they certainly rose to the occasion after only five rehearsals.
The Grammar Singers performed the traditional American folk song, ‘Shenandoah’, arranged by Michael John Trotta. The Sopranos did a marvellous job of letting this well-known tune soar above the rhythmic vocal ostinato of the lower parts. The second piece ‘Baraka Na Wewe’ was accompanied by Ms Kathy Sander on Djembe. This African piece is a blessing to the audience, particularly fitting for a welcome event.
Baraka na wewe Blessings to you,
Napenda furaha We wish you joy,
Napenda matumaini We wish you hope,
Napenda amani We wish you peace,
Napenda upendo We wish you love.
Autumn Jazz Concert—Wednesday 29 March
In Week 10, Brisbane Girls Grammar School will be holding our Autumn Jazz Concert in the Louise McDonald Room. The evening will feature the Instrumental Music department’s four jazz groups: Little Big Band; Jazz Ensemble; Stage Band; and Big Band. There will also be a special guest performance by former BGGS student, and drummer, Abigail Chadirchi (2021). Although the concert will run from 6 pm to 7.30 pm, the ensembles will also have a sound check in the afternoon, per the details below.
Students will have access to a $2.50 sausage sizzle from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm and families will be able to purchase cheese boxes with tickets and enjoy them at their tabled-seating throughout the concert. Please purchase cheese boxes and tickets before Wednesday 22 March. Come along for a relaxed evening in a wonderful environment while being entertained by our jazz ensembles.
Arrival times for performers
Sound checks will be held from 4.15 pm in the Louise McDonald Room
4.15 pm—Big Band
4.30 pm—Little Big Band
4.50 pm—Stage Band
5.10 pm—Jazz Ensemble
Viola Day—Thursday 30 March
Viola Day is coming up on the last Thursday of this term—30 March. Viola Day is a celebration of the string family’s ‘middle child’—the often overlooked, but crucially important, instrument that acts as a textural glue in our string ensemble repertoire. This day promotes and celebrates the instrument so that more young musicians are inspired to learn the wonders of ‘alto clef’ and enjoy the rich, deep, honey-like timbre of the instrument.
All Viola players in Mendelssohn and Chamber Strings participate in the Edmee Gainsford Viola Prize. All other Violists who take group lessons at School participate in the masterclasses with our guest professional Violist, Ms Alice Buckingham.
Most importantly, there will be viola cake!
Instrumental Music competitions page update
Mrs Talluah Harper (Instrumental Music Administration Officer) has worked very hard to update the Minerva Competitions Page. Students can now nominate via the page for competitions that have opened for enrolments.
MSG News
Music Support Group is supporting two concerts during Week 10 and would love some assistance at the BBQ or the bar for these events. Please visit the links to volunteer:
Autumn String Concert—Monday 27 March—https://volunteersignup.org/HL3DC
Autumn Jazz Concert—Wednesday 29 March—https://volunteersignup.org/4BWMM
If you have any questions about the Music Support Group, please email us at msgbggs@gmail.com.
Looking ahead
Saturday 25 March—Euphonix QYMA Workshop, Chorale Cathedral Workshop
Monday 27 March—Autumn String Concert
Wednesday 29 March—Jazz and Percussion Concert (Louise McDonald Room), 6 pm
Thursday 30 March—Viola Day
