MUSICDEPARTMENTREPORT2001 This year has been unusual,as the pressures of the choir and orchestra have been different to the past few years. From the choral perspective, we have had a year of rebuilding the choir after losing a large contingent of experienced basses. It rakes time and hard work to retrain, regain the balance and train the new voices coming into the choir. I think that the culmination ofout year has been in the making of the Christmas CD. This was an enormous task as it involved the entire school. The boys worked well together and as in most cases, they pulled out all stops when it came to the recording. The Orchestra lost most ofthe string section, as all the mattics were string players, however,we have started rebuilding the string section ofthe orchestra and hope that it will gofrom strength to strength. The choir have performed at the Supper Theatre, Hillcrest Chrisrian Academy,Autumn Schools' Choir Festival hosted by Epworth at the Cathedral in Pietermaritzburg, St Mary's Sunset Proms, Rugby Dinner at the Royal Hotel, School Ball, Durban Counrry Club for Prince Philip, Grandparenrs' Day and various concerrs and services. The choir has been invited to represent South Africa in Vienna with the Vienna Boys'Choirin July 2002. rook place in September. I must pay tribute to the Matties of 2001. Each one had a special gift and will be remembered for their special renditions of songs such as "Weeping", "Sister Act Medley","The Circle ofLife", "The Fields ofAthenry", "My Way"and "Hawk gets Bird". Who will ever forget their rendition of "The Fields of Athenry" at a moving farewell service in the Chapel. It was most fitting to hear those boys after all they had offered to Kearsney over the past five years, and for Matt Stevens it was six years. In a sense ir was like rhe end of an era, but life goes on and we will start 2002 with a new group who will also have very special ralents, which hopefully will be developed over the years. Thank you ro all rhe music department stafffor the role they play in preparing the pupils for their external music examinations and the input into the pupils' musical education at Kearsney. We said goodbye to Barry Thomson who has moved to Cape Town and Colleen Philp left us at the beginning of the first term to take up a permanent position at the University of Natal. I thank them both for all they have done for us and wish rhem much happiness in the future. We welcome Dave Crundwell (Electric Guitar),Pam Scott(Piano), Kobus du Plooy (Organ) and Briony Prior(Voice)and hope that they will enjoy working at Kearsney. Afrer a long break from musicals, we decided ro put on something different and came up with 'Eive Guys Named Moe'. This was an exciting musical to do and worked very well as we had jusr rhe right combination of boys. They did a sterling job and it was wonderful to see the abundance of talent that came to the fore. Where words end off, music begins. We have just heard that the choir has been invited to represent South Africa in Vienna with the Vienna Boys'Choir in July 2002 so we look forward to next year and hope that our hard work will come ro fruition in time for this exciting adventure! I leave you with a quote: "Where words end off, music begins!" The year ended with the annual Carol Services, which went off very smoothly, and with little pressure due ro having worked hard at getting the repertoire ready for the recording, which r: n A STEVENS n 68
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