Junior String Ensemble

On Tuesday 22nd October, the Junior String Ensemble was invited to perform at the launch event of the 2019 Online Orchestra project. The AMEB Online Orchestra brings together orchestras, choirs, community groups and individuals from around Australia to perform together in a mass online video event. The set song was “I Am Australian” and for the second year in a row the MGC Combined Choirs and Junior String Ensemble participated in this project. The event was held at the Kenneth Myer Auditorium in the new University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music building in Southbank. We departed school at 8:45am and arrived there for a soundcheck before official proceedings kicked off at 10:30am. The event was hosted by AMEB Ambassador Jessica Gethin, Australian born conductor who is the Chief Conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra and listed as one of Australian Financial Review’s 100 Most Influential Women in Australia. MGC was one of two schools invited to perform at this event, which is a huge testament and compliment of their talents. The ensemble performed Butterfly and Flowers, a beautiful piece based on the Pentatonic scale by Elena Roussanova Lucas. After all the formalities were completed, the video of the Online Orchestra was officially launched. Thank you to the following students who participated in this event: Erica Brown Yamada, Hazel Calwell, Mihiri Dharmabandu, Claire Garner, Elita Hemley, Kaede Kiriyama, Zoe Korr, Alexandra Pilepich, Lorraine Sanares, Irene Tetaz, Madeleine Yong.

Junior String Ensemble by Hazel Calwell

This year the MGC Junior String Ensemble took part in the AMEB Online Orchestra, an annual event involving many musical groups and individuals across Australia. Each group submits a video performance of the same song and they are then collated into one video. This year the song was I Am Australian and our string ensemble, including violins, violas and cellos, was lucky enough to be invited to the unveiling of the video. On Tuesday 22nd of October, we attended the launch at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in Southbank. Our string ensemble performed a piece titled Butterfly and Flowers for an audience including members of the AMEB board and other important individuals in the Australian music world. We also watched a performance by Tintern Grammar Junior Choir. The venue was an incredible place to perform and all of us had a great day.

Thank you to Miss Chin and Mr Gyori for all their hard work with the string ensemble and making this day possible!!

Semester 2 String Soiree

Congratulations to all our violin, cello and guitar students for their performances at our String Soiree on Tuesday, 29th October. As the audience arrived, they were able to listen to the recording of Lucca Randazzo’s original composition –“E.A.T”, which was written for and recorded by the MGC Senior String Quartet. Lucca composed this as part of the requirements for her Year 12 Music Styles and Composition course.

Our other Year 12 string students, Victoria Kozbanis, Layla Enriquez Tsifidis & Jemima Lam (Guitar) Susan Su and Crystal Choo (Cello) were also acknowledged before the opening item of the String Ensemble’s performance of “Butterfly and Flowers”. We were treated to a variety of items, from solos, to duets, and small groups, in a variety of styles, including classical, Irish, improvised jazz solos and some beautiful singing by Clare Elliot, Joanna Kozbanis, Jaeda McPherson, Elizabeth Pritchard and Scarlett Tucker. Other highlights of the evening included solos by Alex Morris (Cello) and Evie Scott (Violin) the ‘Cello Ensemble playing Toto’s “Africa”, the Violin Ensemble’s “Hornpipe” and the final item of the evening which saw all the guitarists on stage performing “I Want It That Way”.

A huge thank you to Les Gyori (Violin) Andy Clarke (Guitar) and Wen Chin (Cello, String Ensemble) for preparing and encouraging their students and arranging and accompanying on the night.

The String Soiree was the culmination of the Instrumental Music Performance Season for Semester 2, which opened in Week 1 with our Woodwind Soiree. Week 2 was our Vocal Showcase and Week 3’ was our Piano Soiree.

Thank you to all parents for coming and for supporting MGC’s instrumental program.

We look forward to seeing you at Presentation Night!

Anne Corry

Manager of Instrumental Music

Halloween Piano Soiree

Congratulations to all our piano students who entered into the spirit of the Halloween theme at MGC’s Piano Soiree on Tuesday, 22nd October. There was some excellent scary makeup including our winner, Gracie Rawlinson, and costumes, including a masked performer (Maya Garrett), devils, black cats and bats, Harry Potters, fairies, tortured zombie school girls and even a hotdog! However, the winner of the costume competition was Mahalia Krester, with runner up Luella Breach. The winner of the best bowing competition went to Mia Casey. The student’s choice of repertoire also reflected the Halloween theme, and their commitment to playing from memory was especially commendable. One of the many highlights was a duet by Gwyn and Luc Op’t Hoog to open Act 2. A huge thank you to Katrina Halliday for her preparation and encouragement of her students, giving them an opportunity to share all their hard work and inspire each other. Thank you to all the parents for coming and supporting their daughter’s musical journey.

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