MUSIC DEPARTMENT
News, April 2009
Dollar Academy success in Perth Festival Competition
Two Chamber Trios were entered into the Advanced Chamber Music category and, against stern competition, took both 1st and 2nd places.
The Form V trio of Tom Haddow (violin), Julia Munday ('cello) and Isla Winchester (piano) performed the Piano Trio in G minor by Clara Schumann to win the competition.
The Form VI trio of Carla Chiappa (voice), Catriona Basquill (clarinet) and Daniel Fletcher (piano) performed Schubert's Shepherd on the Rock to take 2nd place.
Both groups won the highest grading Honours certificate and the comments of adjudicator, Alan Fernie, included "a spellbinding performance" (Form V trio) and "remarkable musicianship" (Form VI trio).
At the same event, the Dollar Academy Chamber Choir performed He Trusteth in God from Handel's Messiah and Gaudete to win an Honours certificate and the Gray Trophy. The Chamber Choir, conducted by Mr John McGonigle and accompanied by Mrs Karol Fitzpatrick, consists of 30 of the most talented singers from Forms IV to VI. The adjudicator, well known conductor and singer Pat McMahon, described the performance as "Wonderful...better than some major choral societies".
Not to be outdone by the senior pupils, the Form I and II choir performed Blow, Blow thy Winter Wind, a setting from Shakespeare's soliloquy and Hushabye Mountain from Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang to win the competition, lifting the Scrymgeour-Wedderburn Cup for school choirs in S1 - S3.
Prep School Concert
On Tuesday 24th March, the Prep School Orchestra and Choir performed in the Gibson Auditorium to a full audience. The orchestra of 40 pupils from Prep 4 and Prep 5 performed two specially arranged pieces of music: January’s Fun! and Jazzy Jammin’ Bossanova. It was wonderful to see so many musicians reading music in an orchestra for the first time, from complete beginners who had learnt only a few notes, to grade 1-3 performers. The choir then performed Whales by Douglas Coombes, Goodnight Song by Kodaly (arr. Doreen Rao) and brought down the house with the lively Gonna Rise up Singing! by Don Besig.
