SCHOOLS CONCERT 2020

EASTERN HILLS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC AUDITORIUM

TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2020

It wasn’t Corona Extra with its pleasant malt and hop aromas keeping us all 2 metres apart and bereft of live theatre, AFL grandstand experiences, and School Concerts during the past 6 months. The Robert Juniper Awards Schools Concert, an annual fund-raising event, was held a little later than usual, and the format had to change to adhere to Covid 19 requirements. The usual format of all schools performing to one audience had to be changed to meet the new requirements, with the Concert split into two sessions. The first session had 3 schools performing to one audience, and the second session saw two schools performing to a different audience (although some audience members did buy tickets to both sessions).

The delighted audiences were entertained by a variety of musical genres performed by the very talented and skilled youth musicians. The evening launched with the big band sound of the Eastern Hills Intermediate Band, conducted by Director Justin Lynam. Their first performance was “Brentwood Pass” by Jerry Williams, and they swooned into “Dark Ride” (Randall D. Standridge) with the competence of seasoned musicians. The Band concluded with a Matt Conaway arrangement, “All Star”. 

Helena College Senior Guitar Ensemble, under Director Jane Darcey, competently delivered the melodic “March Antico” (Eric Charlton). Ms Darcey then joined the students for an enchanting and skilful rendition of “Wongaling”, a beautiful lilting composition by Australian contemporary classical musician Paul Svoboda.

The audience nodded their heads in appreciation to “Come Together” (Lennon/McCartney), expertly performed by Mundaring Christian College Contemporary Ensemble, and moved to the cool grooves of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”. Helena Hurworth, London Milne and Prudence Milne performed with guitar and sang with spacious clarity the Noah Cyrus song “July”. 

You cannot have a School Concert without Mozart, and Helena College Strings Ensemble, directed by Bill Napier, did not disappoint, treating the audience to Mozarts’ “Minuet & Trio”. The performers concluded with a slow, deliberate and delicate tempo of “Pavane” by Faure. Once performed often as part of wealthy European wedding processions, the HC Strings Ensemble delivered a beautifully restrained interpretation of this popular classical piece.

Prudence Milne returned to the stage, this time to the keyboard and accompanied by MCC Music Director Guenevere Measham on guitar. They performed a charming and lilting lament of a recent release by Olivia Rodrigo, “All I Want”, much to the younger audience’s pure delight.

The end of the first session for the evening saw EHSHS Director Justin Lynam take the stage once more, this time with the Eastern Hills Classical Guitar Ensemble, giving a solid performance of “Partial Eclipse” (Richard Charlton), “Thanksgiving” (Paul Peipman), and rounding up their performance with another Richard Charlton piece “Merengue”.

The second session took a different direction, with contemporary rock and Motown tunes on offer.

Swan View Senior High School started the second part of the evening with Director Todd Fishwick laying down the beats on drums as he accompanied both the SVSHS Upper School Band “Toxic Intentions”, and the SVSHS Lower School Band “Phrogg” - with both bands performing with intensity and energy. Toxic Intentions rocked the audience with Bruno Mars “Locked out of Heaven”, and Neon Trees “Everybody Talks”. Phrogg had the audience tapping their feet to the Black Keys “Gold on the Ceiling”, then changed direction with the biting, twisted and hooky 90’s grunge song “In Bloom” by Nirvana, which they commenced sonically with a deliberate off-key riff followed by menacing bass lines and crescendo choruses.

Under Director Mark Underwood, the Guildford Grammar Motown Band delivered a well-rehearsed and tight performance of Motown hits. The audience doubtless wanted to sing along, but politely sat nodding their heads and smiling with appreciation as they kicked off with The Temptations foot-tapping “Get Ready”, followed by “I’m Still Standing” (Taron Egerton), and Tori Kelly’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”.  “One Word” by Western Australia’s rock stalwarts Baby Animals delighted older audience members of that era, and Gloria Estafan’s “Conga” concluded the Schools Concert on a memorable note.

At the end of each Session, the audience was treated to light refreshments.

The Mundaring Bicentennial Scholarship Trust, which administers the Robert Juniper Award for the Arts, would like to thank the musical directors of the participating schools for their kind cooperation in coordinating the programme for the Schools Concert; and thanks and gratitude is extended to all the teachers, directors, and performers for their commitment and expertise in presenting the Schools Concert in what has been an unusual and challenging year.

Many thanks to Eastern Hills Senior High School for the use of their Music Auditorium and its facilities, and sincere gratitude to all the students and their families who have generously sacrificed numerous hours to let others enjoy the performers’ talent.

The Trust also acknowledges their principal funder, the Shire of Mundaring, and the Mundaring Community Bank Branch, along with Bendigo Bank for their in-kind support.  

Until next year then . . . .

#EasternHillsSeniorHighSchool #MundaringChristianCollege #SwanViewSeniorHighSchool #HelenaCollege #GuildfordGrammarSchool