music
department news
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The following items have been extracted from the parents newsletters written by Mr Thewliss four times a year.
June 2008 The annual summer concert was held on the 10th June and what a fine concert it was. The groups that practise throughout the year were on show and were excellent. There were also lots of first class soloists from all sections of the school. Mr Tonner came along and adjudicated the senior class of the music inter-house competition at the concert and although it was wonderful that the parents were there to appreciate the level of performance in the senior school, it did make it a lot more nerve wracking for the pupils involved! The pupils however coped splendidly and we wish the best of luck to those who are taking part in the City competitions that are on the 18th and 19th June in the Music centre in Bell Street.
December 2007 This
has been a very busy term in the music department.
The senior pupils have been involved in a composing initiative
involving Glasgow University undergraduates.
Chris Hutchings has now visited Harris over 5 days and tutored
the senior pupils in composing.
It has been a most rewarding experience for all concerned and we
hope it will continue next session.
We then had a visit from the RSAMD singing school when a group of
three singers presented a workshop on vocal technique.
This is now being continued on a weekly basis in the music centre
in Bell Street on a Wednesday evening.
Presently we are busy preparing for the annual Carol Concert.
The rejuvenated school choir is going very well and we hope you
will think so too when you hear them at the concert!
We are also doing the usual round of charity appearances over the
festive period.
The concert band playing at the switching on of the West End
lights in Dundee West Church and the brass group took part in a concert
at Meadowside St Paul’s Church.
A group of singers sing in Ninewells Hospital on Thursday 16th
hopefully adding a little festive cheer to the patients there.
October 2007 The
pupils have all been invited to join the rejuvenated school choir, in
the first place so that their listening skills will improve and their
final Music Higher grades increase.
It is going
June 2007 The
Leng Silver medalist this year is Gillian Carter who sang Ye banks and
Braes.
October 2006 Harris
pupils once again featured prominently in the prestigious awards ceremony.
June 2006 The Music Department are now at the end of a very busy but rewarding session of music making. We have built on the successes of the examination results with firstly an excellent Carol Concert at Christmas and then with a very successful City Arts’ Festival. We had lots of entries and all were successful. We then had the end of session concert last Tuesday which was superb. This followed the annual competitions which seemed even more fun than usual with 53 junior pupils representing their house as soloists.
March 2006 The Music Department is now in the middle of the City Music Festival which runs from the 27-29 March in the Caird Hall. We have lots of entrants and I’m sure they will all do the school proud. As well as all the solo entries, the String and Chamber group, Choir, Concert band and Orchestra are all involved and we wish them good luck. Recently we had entries in the Arbroath Festival where our pupils were very successful. Catherine Zang and Freda Yang were in the Piano competition and the Vocal Class was entered by Nicola Hannan and Rebecca Low. At the beginning of the year our pupils entertained at the FP Burns Supper in the Invercarse at this annual event. Our Leng Medal takes place at the end of this term. The winner will be announced in the next Newsletter.
The music department has made an excellent start to the session with lots going on in the extra curricular field. The Concert Band under Mr Maynes performed well at the FP Remembrance Service as usual. As well as all the established groups which are going from strength to strength like the Concert Band, and the choirs, we have, this year, added two additional singing groups: a 3 part girls’ choir with Miss Taylor and a close harmony group under the tutelage of Mr Peters. These pupils will be going out soon to sing at Ninewells and Victoria Hospitals to entertain those in the community who are ill over the festive season. The orchestra has been revived and is coming together. You can hear it at the Carol concert on the 21st in Logie St John’s Cross Church, Blackness Avenue at 7.30 pm. Apart from this we also have a group rehearsing a Schumann Piano Quintet which should be on show later in the session; they are doing amazingly well with such taxing music. Look out too for the 6th year music class who when not studying hard for their Advanced Higher qualification have decided to make a “second study” Jazz band. If it survives beyond birth it will be on show at the Summer concert!
March 2005 During the course of the term the Music department has been busy: On Wednesday 16 March a large group of pupils entertained the Dundee Branch of Retired teachers at their Lunch in the Invercarse Hotel. The group consisted of String Quartet, Brass Quartet, pipers and singers and they performed a wide repertoire of musical items from unaccompanied Scots songs to Ragtime on xylophone. Practical examinations took place earlier than usual this year and despite this the pupils all acquitted themselves admirably although we had more illness than usual causing absence on the day. Leng Medal took place on 22 March. There were 9 entrants for the silver and 4 for the Gold competition which takes place in April in the Music Centre. Kyle Howie, one of our pipers, took part in the Lochee Burns competition and got through to the next stage. A huge number of our pupils are taking part in the end of session Caird Hall concerts on the 29/30 March and your support at these concerts would be much appreciated. I can guarantee a spectacular experience that a night like this produces. Please go along if you can.
December 2004 During the course of the term the Music department has been busy ‑ 1. Taking part in the "Sounds for Silents " project arranged through the University where the senior pupils were creating a sound track for a Laurel and Hardy film. 2. Senior pupils accompanied by Pauline Robertson, piano instructor attended a Piano Masterclass given by Joe Fleetwood. 3. The Concert Band conducted by Duncan Maynes, woodwind instructor played at the PTPA Murder Mystery night. 4. The Concert Band also played at the switching on of the West End Christmas Lights in Dundee West Church. 5. The Madrigal Group will be singing in Ninewells Hospital during the Christmas period. 6. The Junior Choir is singing for Barnardo's Charity in Tesco Extra on Thursday 9th December.
June 2004 Dundee
Schools’ Music Festival Once
again Harris pupils excelled in this annual event. Gold: Daniel
Hine S4, Yang Chen S3, Gemma Hards S4, Gillian Buchanan S5, Jane Money S4,
Sarah Saum S4, Sophie Gowans S1, Juliet Bowen S4, Freda Yang S4, Scott
McCallum S2, Stewart Findlay S3, Kyle Howie S3, Robert Simpson S6, Craig
Fairnington S2, String Group, Concert Band. Silver: Sarah
Dawson S5, Rosie Gowans S4, Greg Davidson S6, Jane Gowans S6, Neil
Davidson S1, Mark Buchanan S5. Bronze: Gemma Hards S4, Cara McFarlane S2, Sally Wright S4.
March 2004 On Thursday 1 April the music department was visited by the renowned Scottish Vocalist Sheena Wellington. Ms Wellington you may recall sang at the opening of the Scottish Parliament and visited the school to promote the enjoyment of Scottish music in general and to go into greater depth on the concepts of Scottish music with pupils studying Standard Grade and Higher. Many thanks are due to the PTPA for funding Ms Wellington’s visit to the school. |