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Edition 1 2015

Westminster Performing Arts Faculty

As always, we hit the ground running to prepare our ensembles for events such as Tenebrae and Generations in Jazz, as well as a number of concerts in Term 2. The annual Tenebrae service was once again well organised by Ms Christine Gould. The String Ensemble and our vocalists were heavily involved in this event, as was the Preparatory School Chapel Choir.

The Westminster Jazz Night was held at The Gov this year in Term 1, and involved all three Big Bands and both Vocal Jazz Ensembles, plus the regular WeJe appearance and some music from our instrumental staff to finish off!

Our trek to Generations in Jazz included 54 students in four ensembles. This was followed by Bandstand, the Year 12 Play Blackrock, Dance Allsorts, Stage 2 summatives, Sing Sing Sing, the Australian Combined Schools Music Festival in Melbourne and the Year 6 & 7 Prep musical!

Many of our students achieved excellent results in their AMEB exams across a number of areas. Well done to all those students.

I would like to mention the following:

Captain of Music, Ally Storer, who recently achieved her AMEB A.Mus.A on piano … a wonderful effort.

Vice-Captain of Music, Josh Chenoweth, who made the Superband on trumpet for the third year in a row … the last two years as lead trumpet.

Olivia Cromarty and Matilda Westhead for making the Class of Cabaret 2015 - and performing in their own show as well as the Gala performance on opening night with Barry Humphries.

Enjoy reading on! Michael Degenhart

F r o m t h e H e a d o f Pe r fo r m i n g A r t s

2 0 1 5 A d e l a i d e C a b a r e t Fe s t i v a l

It was a pleasure to attend this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival

with so many new and inspiring acts and performances. The

Gala opening had two Westminster students, Olivia Cromarty

(12 Fricker) and Matilda

Westhead (12 Carter) take

part, followed by their

involvement in the Class of

Cabaret 2015 in their own

show. Both young ladies

performed very well to an

appreciative and enthusiastic

audience in the Festival Space

Theatre on Sunday 14 June.

Congratulations to Matilda

and Olivia on their very

polished performances.

In this edition …

Generations in Jazz 2015

Dates for your Diary

Sing Sing Sing

Australian Combined Schools Music Festival

Student Profiles

Music Night 2015

Dance Allsorts

Year 12 Play (Blackrock)

Bandstand

Adelaide Cabaret Festival

The Usual Suspects

D a n c e A l l s o r t s

This year’s Dance Allsorts concert, held on June 4, was a huge success once again. The annual concert is devised to celebrate and showcase the students from Years 8 to 12 who have undertaken Dance as a curriculum subject in the first semester. The program this year featured performances from each year level and the collective group with a special piece to commemorate 100 years since Australia first went to war at Gallipoli.

Approximately 80 dancers were involved in the production and displayed a variety of contemporary dance styles and themes. Many of the works seen in the program included choreographic contribution by the dancers themselves, including a piece by Chelsea Casey and Sarah Wyness that was performed at our recent Round Square Conference. A gold coin donation was given by each audience member and the money collected has been put towards Tom Mattinson’s SDR surgery in St Louis,

America, for his cerebral palsy. Mrs Rebecca Mattinson, Tom’s mum, is a staff member here at the school. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to this great cause and for coming to the show and supporting the dancers who put many hours into the wonderful night. A big thank you also goes to the tech crew for lighting and sound, Friends of Music and Performing Arts, Mikala Hayes and Elsa Mazzone for costume making, front of house staff, backstage managers and support staff, stage manager Sophie Wilson, and thank you to Ms Obst, Head of Dance. Thanks to Ms Wilson and Ms Obst for their instruction and direction, and their preparation in the lead up to this event. After having such huge success with the Allsorts concert, the dance leaders, Jordan Curtis, Brooke Young and I, cannot wait for our other dance productions later in the year - Australian Made and our SACE production. Georgia Darcy Dance Captain 2015

S t u d e n t P r o f i l e

Name: Georgia Darcy

Age: 18

How long have you been at

Westminster? Since Year 5

Favourite food: Chocolate

Favourite drink: Hot chocolate

Favourite footy team: Crows

Favourite subject: Dance

What do you listen to? The radio

Likes: Friends, the Fricker Centre, food

Dislikes: Year 12 :) , being hungry

What do you want to do when you leave school?

Ask me in 10 years

What sports do you play? Netball, dance

Instrument: Don’t play any

Role model: Anyone who inspires me

Vision for Performing Arts: More involvement

Georgia is Captain of Dance for 2015

B a n d s t a n d

On Tuesday 19th of May many of the musicians of Westminster School congregated in the Michael Murray Centre for its annual music night, Bandstand. A solid turnout from the parents of the 150 children involved assembled, and were blown away by the talent on display. The bands involved were the Senior Concert Band, Big Bands 1, 2, and 3, Rock Bands, the Prep Concert Band and the Senior Orchestra. The conductors were able to pull these ensembles together to perform at their peak on the night. The versatility shown in the players on the night was excellent as each Big Band member was a part of the Senior Concert Band and with repertoire varying from James Swearingen to the legendary Count Basie. The night was thoroughly enjoyed by all and it was a great experience to perform music of such a high standard. Well done to all the students involved on the night. Josh Chenoweth

This year’s Year 12 play, Blackrock, written by Nick Enright, proved to be a great success for the Year 12

Drama class. The cast performed well as an ensemble, working together to portray the difficult themes of

the play in a respectful manner, while still producing an exciting and thought-provoking show. The cast

thoroughly enjoyed their last performance and were glad to be able to push themselves with such a

gritty play. Thank you to the Head of Drama, John Doherty, for directing the Year 12s in their last

performance at Westminster and to all the people who helped put the show together.

Dana Cropley & Amy Bower

Ye a r 1 2 P l a y - B l a c k r o c k

The Prep Concert Band (top) and the Year 7 Rock Band delight the audience

D a t e s f o r y o u r D i a r y

Music & Performing Arts Calendar Term 3

2015

Week 1 Thurs 23 July Senior Concert Band Workshop

Band Room 3:40-7:30pm

Week 2 Tues 28 July Australian Made Dance Concert

7:30pm

Wed 29 July Assembly: Senior Concert Band

Week 3 Mon 3 August Big Band 1 trip to Adelaide

University 10:30am-1:30pm

Tues 4 August Big Band 1 @ Southern Jazz Club

Week 4 Tues 11 August Assembly: Big Band 1

Jazz Ensemble: Marion Sporting Club 7:30pm

Wed 12 August Music Night sound checks

Thurs 13 August Music Night sound checks

MUSIC NIGHT 7:30pm

Sat 15 August Big Band 2 + soloists at

Warradale Uniting Church 7:00pm

Sun 16 August Senior String Ensemble

String Symposium with Niki Vasilakis Immanuel College

Week 5 Tues 18 August Year 8 Grandparents Afternoon

Wed 19 - Fri 21 August ABODA SA Band Festival

Sun 23 August Senior String Ensemble

String Symposium with Niki Vasilakis Immanuel College

Wed 26 August Assembly: Senior Orchestra

Thurs 27 August Solo Performance &

Performance Special Study Band Room 5:00pm

Week 7 Tues 1 - Thurs 3 September

Year 11 Play MMC 7:00pm

Wed 2 September Assembly: Drama item

Fri 4 September Preparatory School Grandparents Day

Week 8 Tues 8 September Year 8 Class Band gig Band room 6:00pm

Wed 9 September Assembly: Senior Flute Ensemble

Wed 9 - Fri 11 September Prep Music Tour

Week 9 Wed 16 & Thurs 17

September

Assembly: Dance item SACE Dance Concert

MMC 7:00pm

Week 10 Tues 22 September

Big Bands in Concert at Norwood Live with Adelaide Uni Big Band 1

7:30pm

Wed 23 September Assembly: Natasha Meseldzija

Thurs 24 September Woodwind Night Chapel 6:00pm

Term 4

Week 2 Tues 20 October Co-curricular Dance Concert

MMC 7:30pm

Thurs 22 October Years 3,4,5 Musical

MMC

Sun 25 October Strings ‘n’ Things Concert

Marion Uniting Church 3:00pm

Week 3 Wed 28 October Twilight Concert

MMC 6:00pm

Thurs 29 October Prep School Showcase

MMC 7:00pm

Week 4 Tues 3 November Salvation Army Concert

Marion 10:00am

Week 5 Tues 10 - Thurs 12

November

Prep Instrumental Concerts Chapel 3:45-4:30pm

Week 6 Tues 17 November Year 5 Bandstand

MMC 6:30pm

Thurs 19 November Speech Day & Valedictory Service

MMC 1:30pm

Week 7 Wed 25 - Fri 27

November

Junior Play MMC 7:00pm

Week 8 Thurs 3 December Carols & Nativity Service

MMC 6:00pm

Ms Gould gets into the groove at Sing Sing Sing

S t u d e n t P r o f i l e

Name: Dana Cropley

Age: 17

How long have you been

at Westminster? Since

Year 8

Favourite food: Watermelon

Favourite drink: Apple juice

Favourite movie: Hot Fuzz

Favourite footy team: Crows

Favourite subject: Drama

What do you listen to? All kinds of music

Likes: Drama, dance, singing, art, movies,

seeing friends

Dislikes: Maths

What do you want to do when you leave

school? I want to be a psychologist

What sports do you play? I played

basketball and did gymnastics and

taekwondo for several years

Instrument: Voice

Role model: Lots of successful actresses

and my parents

Vision for Performing Arts: More bonding

between the different facets of the

performing arts at Westminster, and I

want to continue to see the very high

quality productions put on by dance,

drama and music

Dana is Co-Captain of Drama for 2015

This year’s Music Night, on Thursday August 13, will pay tribute to 100 years of the Anzac landing at Gallipoli. It will feature our most senior music ensembles, as well as the Westminster Dance Collective, and some of our senior Drama students with an excerpt from No Man’s Land Café. Entitled WHEN THE WAR IS OVER, the evening will start promptly at 7.30pm in the Michael Murray Centre. Our special guests this year include John Schumann and Hugh McDonald (ex-Redgum), as well as actress Celine McInerney. Tickets will be on sale at the start of next term and we would love everyone to join us in this very special evening of music, dance and drama.

A few weeks ago, Josh Chenoweth (12 Jeffries), 1st trumpeter in Big Band 1, organised a trumpet lesson with Willie Murillo (trumpeter with one of the best Big Bands in the world - the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band). Josh is quite entrepreneurial at times … he recently had a lesson with Dante from Justin Timberlake’s band while he was in town and now they have regular lessons via Skype … as well as getting special tickets to Timberlake’s show! After the lesson, Willie Murillo offered Josh a full-time scholarship at the Los Angeles College of Music, which Josh has now accepted. Josh leaves for LA on November 25 for a 4-year music course, learning from some of the best musicians in the world. Congratulations to Josh on this outstanding achievement! Michael Degenhart Head of Performing Arts

M u s i c N i g h t 2 0 1 5

A n d s o i t h a p p e n s … …

Josh Chenoweth performs Stardust with Big Band 1 during the Big

Band Bash at The Gov in May

S t u d e n t P r o f i l e

Name: Ally Storer

Age: 17

How long have you been at

Westminster? Since Sails (now ELC)

Favourite food: Spaghetti

Favourite drink: Lime cordial

Favourite movie: School of Rock, Step Brothers,

The Dictator, Big Hero 6

Favourite footy team: I don’t really care but Port

Power

Favourite subject: Do frees count? If not, Music :)

What do you listen to? JAZZ!! Just kidding.

Classical when I’m driving, but heavy metal the rest

of the time

Likes: Playing piano, admiring Naomi Crellin,

having a jam and listening to quality music

Dislikes: Tomatoes, celery, quiet environments

and … jazz :)

What do you want to do when you leave school?

Study at the Conservatorium and become a concert

pianist. I also want to go to Japan

What sports do you play? None, but I used to do

Taekwondo

Instrument: Piano and violin, but a variety of

others as well (as long as it’s in Concert Pitch)

Role model: My dad, who has taught me all the

things I know about music (and Mr Degenhart!)

Vision for Performing Arts: For everyone to enjoy

their involvement with music, and for strings to

take over the school!

Ally is Captain of Music for 2015

On Wednesday 17 June, 17 students travelled to Melbourne for the biennial Australian Combined Schools Music Festival, hosted by Wesley College. Westminster students were represented in the Symphony Orchestra, the Festival Wind Ensemble and the Festival Choir. Our students rehearsed for three days under the direction of some of Australia’s finest conductors. Students involved were Ashleigh Bullock (11 Clark), Matilda Westhead (12 Carter), Georgia Kappos (12 Fereday), Stella Kappos (9 Fereday), Tara Mutze (12 Kelly), Olivia Cromarty (12 Fricker), Jordan Curtis (12 Woollacott), Bonita Hammond-Brown (9 Jeffries), Lucy Bergin (10 Clark), Dana Cropley (12 Clark), Lachlan McGargill (10 Fricker), Annabelle Dennis (11 Carter), Josh Chenoweth (12 Jeffries), Natasha Meseldzija (12 Dunstan), Nao Hisada (11 Heaslip) and Kiri Gerbi (9 Dunstan).

A u s t ra l i a n C o m b i n e d S c h o o l s M u s i c F e s t i va l

S i n g S i n g S i n g

Another fantastic event this term was Sing Sing Sing, on

Monday 15 June. It involved all the choirs in the school,

numbering around 250 students. Congratulations to all the

choirs involved - the Prep Junior Choir, Canto Choir and Concert

Choir, as well as the Senior Vocal Ensemble and Vocal Jazz 1

and 2. The evening ended, as is tradition, with all singers on

stage in a combined voice of Here You Lie, in memory of 100

years since the Anzac landing at Gallipoli. The Prep School Choir sings Don’t Blame it on the Boogie

G e n e ra t i o n s i n J a z z

During May, Mt Gambier held its annual Generations in Jazz festival, inviting big bands and vocal jazz groups from all over Australia to compete and perform. The weekend provides much inspiration for budding high school musicians, with jazz expertise from professionals such as James Morrison, The Idea of North, and this year’s feature guests from America, Take 6. Westminster took 54 of its finest musicians to cold and drizzly Mt Gambier, all ready for a weekend full of the best music genre, Jazz. Vocal Jazz 1 competed in Division 1

and placed 9th amongst 13 of Australia's best choirs. Vocal Jazz 2 placed 4th in Division 3 out of 32 vocal groups, which is a fine effort considering most of the girls in the group are new additions this year. Big Band 2 competed in Division 3, and placed 11th, and Big Band 1 competed in Division 2, placing 6th out of 29 bands … an outstanding effort from all students and ensembles. Of course, these achievements would not be possible without the help of ensemble directors and accompanists. Thank you to Mr Degenhart, Ms Gould, Laura vom Berg and Mrs Harrison, as well as accompanists Sue Rodger and Greg Tenikoff. Thank you also to the staff who run sectionals with Big Band 1 each week - Gabriel Chammah, Paul Jankovic and David Longden. Congratulations also to Josh Chenoweth who made it as Trumpet 1 in the Generations Superband for the third year in a row. The weekend was thoroughly enjoyable, and was personally topped off when I got a picture with my number 1 inspiration, Naomi Crellin from the Idea of North. Ally Storer AMusA Music Captain [full-time Jazz-Enthusiast :) ]

S t u d e n t P r o f i l e

Name: Amy Bower

Age: 17

How long have you been

at Westminster? Since

Year 8

Favourite food: Nachos

Favourite drink: Good old water

Favourite movie: Pitch Perfect

Favourite footy team: Crows!

Favourite subject: Fashion/Drama

What do you listen to? Little bit of

everything!

Likes: Sewing and wakeboarding

Dislikes: Bugs

What do you want to do when you leave

school? Start a fashion label and become

groovy

What sports do you play? Water sports,

boxing

Instrument: Voice

Role model: Cool fashion designers

(Alexander McQueen, Collette Dinnigan)

Vision for Performing Arts: I hope that the

support for each discipline at Westminster,

whether it be dance, music or drama, is

maintained … and we continue to show

support for one another as it is always

encouraging having like-minded people

watch you perform.

Amy is Co-Captain of Drama for 2015