Music Soirée

Ling Fan Gao writes on the first Music Soirée of the new term.

The Music Soirées organised by Mrs. Malone-Brady throughout the year provide a valuable opportunity for music pupils to perform in front of friends and other musicians. They provide a stage from which new musicians can practise playing and singing in front of others, gain experience and become more relaxed. The audience is very appreciative as they know firsthand the challenge that overcoming nerves poses. The event took place on Saturday evening in the Cadogan Music Centre. It was quite informal and anyone who wished to come along to play could.

There were a number of people playing from the very young to the more senior. No matter the standard of difficulty every performance was met with a big round of applause and a great confidence boost. This was a first performance for many and was a great experience.
Refreshments were provided by Mrs. Malone-Brady following the concert and it was a great opportunity to stand around and talk about the experience and exchange compliments to one another.

Many thanks to Mrs. Malone-Brady for organising the event.

Music Scholarship

by Lingfan Gao

The music scholarship in St. Columba’s is a very competitive affair. The experience of the audition differs from person to person, they made me really nervous yet it was a pleasure to hear every soloist perform his or her own style of music. The order was chronological so the youngest members of the group performed first, pupils from form I right through to form VI. Scholarships are awarded to different categories, Junior, Intermediate and Senior.

The junior section was great. Siobhán Brady (II) performed excellently on Cello and Voice. Kezia Wright (III) and Sally Bebby (II) both performed excellently too, both are talented singers.

In the Intermediate section Patrick Tice (IV), Emma Moore (IV) and I competed for the scholarship. Patrick gave a strong performance on guitar, his piece soft and gentle. Emma performed on the violin and sang, performing very well on both instruments. I played Beethoven’s Pathétique, first movement, on piano.

In the senior section, Robbie Hollis played saxophone, showing off his technique and command of the instrument. Michael McBurney sang a jolly and light hearted piece matching his personality and revealing his great voice. Sophie played the flute, a very challenging piece by Mozart but played very well. Poppy Vernon, however, stole the spotlight by singing a Mozart aria, sad and powerful, she brought the piece to life and communicated the meaning to the audience with powerful expressions that matched the mood of the song.

The event was adjudicated by the Warden, Mr. McCarthy, Ms. Malone-Brady and Mr. Clarke. Scholarships were awarded to Siobhán Brady (junior), Kezia Wright (junior), Emma Moore (intermediate), myself (intermediate) and Poppy Vernon(senior). To stand up and play in front of judges and fellow pupils is a hard thing to do and everyone who performed did so well and gained vital experience.

Music in the Classroom

On Wednesday 7th October form Primary went on a class trip to The Irish Times Music in the Classroom Concert in the Helix. Each pupil was asked to write a review of the concert and the following, by Clara Murphy, was selected as the best.

Today form Primary went on a class trip to 'Music in the Classroom' in the Helix, DCU. We were the first people in the hall but after a few minutes loads of other schools arrived. Our class was the smallest group there. Shortly after this the orchestra walked on stage while everyone clapped and shouted.

The conductor, Gearoid Grant, came on stage and told us there would be a quiz for every school based on the songs from Carnival of the Animals. After they played the first piece St. Columba's was called out, after blanking for a few seconds we all came to our senses and answered.

The rest of the concert was great, we sang all the songs we spent time in class learning. The end was especially fun because we all got to sing ABBA songs.

Choir-mania!

Congratulations to the Choir on their qualification for the regional heat of the RTE Co-Operation Ireland School Choir Competition 2009. The competition will take place on Friday 16th October and will be televised on RTE 1 on Sunday 25th October. Tune in at 6:30 to support them!

There is also a very small number of tickets available to the recording so if you are interested please email the music department on sccmusicdept@gmail.com.

Farewell Future Wives

Congratulations to Mr. Ronan Swift, teacher by day, singer-songwriter by night, on the launch of his second album, Farewell Future Wives. Mr. Swift played to an extremely appreciative audience at the launch party last night in the Unitarian Church on Stephen's Green.

Mr. Swift is joined on this CD by his regular accomplices Eoin O'Brien, Josh Johnston, Bill Blackmore, Malachy Robinson and Dara O'Brien. The album was recorded in the St. Columba's Chapel and the acoustics captured lend the music an interesting, relaxed sound.

'The theme of the new album is the old-fashioned business of courtship. It uses a variety of settings and approaches – musical, lyrical and contextual – to capture the highs and lows of finding a soul mate (or even something less profound) in the first decade of a new ‘minnellium’.

'From full band tracks to more intimate solo performances, from a Henry Purcell male voice choir to a 10 minute epic set on New Year’s Eve 1999, variety is the spice of this release.Using different song styles, spoken anecdotes and Ronan’s naturally inviting storytelling lyrics, the listener is introduced to a colourful troupe of protagonists and onlookers.

'There’s the “west London fop” of You’re Havin’ A Baby, an Italian sweetheart in European Union, the Awful Man on the Tottenham Court Road, a national school mummy (Adulterous Thoughts) and a herd of Fresian cows (Interrupted By Cattle). Ronan is intuitive and versatile in his lyric writing; once wistful and poetic and then direct and bawdy, but always vivid and honest.'

The album is available online through iTunes and also Tower Records, Road Records, Shandon Records and CDBaby.

For more information please see the Unitarian Church News Website and Shandon Records.

First Concert of the new year

The first concert of the new academic year will take place on the Saturday the 12th of September. The programme will consist of music the choir sang on its recent trip to Tuscany which will be intersperced by presentations given by the pupils involved.

Installation of the new Chaplain

Last night saw the installation of the new college Chaplain, Rev. Nigel Crossey, in chapel at which the choir sang Pittoni's Cantate Domino, Caccini's Ave Maria and the Lord's Prayer.

This was also the first chance to showcase the fantastic renovations to the chapel's Pipe Organ which was overhauled over the summer break and is sounding better than ever.

The ceremony was held by the Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough. Many congratulations to Rev. Crossey, we wish him the very best and well done to the Chapel Choir who sang wonderfully after a mere four days back in college.

Music Lessons

Instrument lessons start next week so sign up as soon as possible! There is a huge range of instruments available here in St. Columba's including Piano, Violin, Cello, Guitar, Voice, Clarinet, Saxophone, Flute, Trombone, Harp, Drums, Xylophone and many more.

Lesson times will be published downstairs in the Cadogan on the notice boards early next week so check regularly for your day and time of lesson. Take your permission slip, from the notice board, with you to class and present it to your teacher when you ask to leave class. You will not be taken out of the same class each week.

Sign up sheets are available from Mrs. Malone-Brady and Mr. Clarke.

Welcome back!

The academic year has begun again here at St. Columba's College and that means another year full of concert trips, pupil concerts, chapel performances and choir practices among other events.

Keep an eye on the blog and calendar for further updates.

Leaving Certificate Results

Congratulations to all the pupil's who have just received their Leaving Certificate results today. The college average was a very impressive 445 points per pupil.

A special congratulations to the music pupils, all of whom obtained a Grade A at Higher Level. An outstanding result. Well done to them and to their teacher Mrs. Malone-Brady.