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BENDIGO HIGH SCHOOL
BENDIGO SENIOR SECONDARY COLLEGE
BENDIGO SENIOR SECONDARY COLLEGE
| The Arts Spectacular at The Capital Theatre | ||||||||
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The Arts Spectacular was a fabulous showcase of many of the talented students the college has nurtured. The program had a little of
everything for the audience to enjoy and all the items were performed by past and present students and staff.
The Master of Ceremonies for the night was Peter Burch. Peter attended Bendigo High School from 1957 to 1962. He has been the Victorian manager of Musica Viva Australia since 1980 and for over 40 years has been associated with the performing and visual arts - and with music in particular. A feature of the evening was the performance of the Centenary Chorus, which had formed especially for the Centenary and comprised about 30 former students and staff. They gave up considerable time to rehearse . and they loved every minute of it! To start the concert in rousing style the Centenary Chorus led the audience down memory lane with three songs from the old BHS Song Book. The Chorus performed The Best School of All, Funiculi, Funicula and Men of Harlech and many of those present enjoyed singing along just as they did in school assemblies. Well known Bendigo musician Valerie Broad directed the Chorus which was accompanied by Elizabeth McIntyre. The members of the Centenary chorus were:
Megan Beckwith was the first dance student to study VCE dance at the Bendigo Senior Secondary College. She subsequently went on to the Victorian College of the Arts where she completed a Bachelor of Dance, Graduate Diploma in Choreography and a Masters in Animaturing. As well as now teaching at Bendigo Senior Secondary College Megan also works as a professional dancer, choreographer and animator. Megan performed Bug which was a dance routine developed from funding through Regional Arts Victoria and highlighted her unique blend of multi media, animation and contemporary dance. The Vocal Ensemble with their musical director, Sue Lyons was made up of around twenty current students including many Music Performance students. The ensemble has performed at many College functions and concerts this year, including the launch of the College's Centenary celebrations in April. They performed two items - an Israeli folk song entitled Bashana Haba'ah and the famous Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody. The performance featured a vocal solo from Daniel Howells and extensive guitar solos from Sam Brennan. The members of the Vocal Ensemble were:
Next on the stage was Matthew Willams, a current Year 12 Drama student. Matthew performed his Theatre Studies monologue from Under Milkwood written by Dylan Thomas. Matthew also performed this monologue in the "Storm the Stage" competition in 2007and was a runner-up in the State Final. Megan Pottenger a current Year 12 Theatre Studies student performed a monologue from the play Bombshells written by Geronimo Smith. This excerpt was from a collection of monologues about women "on the edge" in the 21st century. Some 47 years ago the High School's music teacher, Shirley Trembath, and one of her students, Tony Conolan, formed an artistically based friendship that has lasted to this day. Shirley Trembath was and is an accomplished pianist and Tony Conolan has a long a career as a violinist. Shirley flew from Hobart where she is currently a lecturer at the Conservatorium of Tasmania to perform. Tony found an appropriate piece for them to play, Wild Cherries Rag that was written in the founding year - 1907. Their second item was a stunning rendition of Meditation by Massenet. For many years, Bendigo Senior Secondary College has performed very successfully in the Rock Eisteddfod and 2007 was no exception. Megan Beckwith, the Dance teacher at the school, coordinated this year's entry which gained fourth place in the State final. This item allowed the audience to experience the flashing lights and techno beats of this stunning production of dance and visual effects that gained the team awards in Best Choreography, Best Concept and Best Performance Skills. The dance routine was spectacular, mesmerising and visually very exciting. Josie Graham, a cellist and trumpeter, is the 2007 "Musician of the Year". Her sister, Bridget, the 2006 "Musician of the Year", is a violinist and saxophonist. They were joined by Tony Conolan as the Centenary String Trio to play a couple of 'not so heavy' trios arranged by Tony. The first Eleanor's Yesterday was based on some Beatles tunes and then the audience was given a taste of Ireland with Drowsy Danny. The Centenary "All Stars" Stage Band was one of the highlights of the program. They brought the house down with the Bendigo High School Rock which was a 1960s version of the school song written by Tony Conolan and featuring Tony on vocals. Their next items were Chameleon and Minnie the Moocher, featuring Melesina Fonua on vocals. The past students in the band were: Gavan Moncrieff (drums), Ben Gibbons (bass guitar), Aaron Boyd and Julie Boyer (trumpet), Erin MacNamara, Hannah Boyd and Adelaide MacLeman (trombone) and Gawain Davey and Bridget Graham (saxophone). Current BSSC students were: Eliza Vernon, Ashleigh Davis and Chris Avery(Saxophone), Katherine Dobson (Euphonium), Ben Hollis (Trombone), Brendan McKerlie (Tuba) Josie Graham, Ben Burch and Lindsay Harrison (Trumpet), Sheldon Kendrick (Piano), Daniel Mangan (Guitar), John Snowdon, current guitar teacher, (Guitar). The program ended with the return of the Centenary Chorus. One of the all time favourites with students in years past was the Stockrider's Song by William James. The audience enthusiastically joined in and assisted in a rousing rendition! The Chorus then sang unaccompanied and in 4 part harmony another familiar tune, Gaudeamus Igatur. The final item was The School Song which everyone joined in with gusto! |