Trinity House Randpark Ridge hosted an Interschools Orchestra Festival on February 17. The event showcased the harmonious talents of Trinity House Randpark Ridge, St Peter’s College and St Stithians College, creating a mesmerising mass orchestra performance.
The festival started with each school showcasing their distinctive musical flair through individual performances. Trinity House Randpark Ridge performed their rendition of ‘Chariots of Fire’ and two other pieces. St. Peter’s College created jazzy melodies with their rendition of ‘Mike’s Mood’ and St Stithians College performed the tango piece, ‘Libertango’.
After the solo performances, the schools united their talents to perform four pieces together, under the baton of conductor Carel Henn. Before the schools began to play, Henn remarked, “It’s incredible to witness the talents from different schools. It’s a testament to the dedication and hard work of these students who only started learning these pieces two weeks ago. I was worried after our first session because we basically had nothing, but now, they have created something, and it is good.”
Reflecting on the challenges of synchronising multiple ensembles, Henn explained, “Bringing together different bands and orchestras is not easy but seeing them play together is beautiful.”
The head of the music centre at Trinity House, Violeta Miljkovic, expressed pride in hosting the festival, calling it the highlight of the school’s musical calendar. “It is a kickstart to the year, so we had a really nice time preparing this, it sets the tone for the year for us to have a good year after we put this together. It is such a lovely collaboration between the schools and is really enjoyable.”
Miljkovic also stressed the non-competitive nature of the festival, highlighting the importance of collaboration. “It’s all about camaraderie and about making music together, it’s not a competition. Kids compete in a classroom and on a sports field. They don’t need to compete in music. It’s just one of the activities that we just want them to enjoy. It’s very important for kids to learn to collaborate and get the best out of music.”
Looking ahead, Miljkovic revealed plans to expand the festival’s reach. “We are looking forward to maybe inviting another school next year and performing with them.”
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