1982 BGGS Magazine

SHOW BAND REPORT This year Show Band has been bigger and better than ever. After long discussions regarding rehearsal times, a lunch- time was chosen and so began the saga of Show Band rehear- sals. We managed to put in an appearance at this year's first music concert which went really well. Then came our big break-MAN OF STEEL'!! Intense practising plus missing the first episode of"Brideshead Revisited" climaxed in three nights of outstanding music and drama (plus the phantom saboteur). However during this excitement the rehearsal- time beast again reared its ugly head and we were informed that extra practices were now on before school! After Man of Steel this discussion was resumed and despite much protesta- tion it was ordered that the new time was 7.30 IN THE MORNING! In spite of this we are looking forward to the rest of the year with a course in improvisation which will make Messrs Ellington and Miller turn in their graves. Gillian Moses Show Band Senior BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA The Brandenburg String Orchestra is a relatively unknown group of string players (and two nutes) who meet once a week at Brisbane Grammar School (and not in Brandenburg, Ger- many!) to play the Brandenburg Concerti of J. S. Bach. It is comprised of members from Sommerville House Mt Nebo Primary School, Kelvin Grove High and of cour~e our own dearly beloved B.G .S. and B.G .G .S. The ages range from 7 to 17 under the able baton of Ms. Kathy Trent. The Brandenburgers came together at the beginning of 1980, when Margaret Pestorius (now an "Old Girl") suggested a group be formed to play Brandenburg Concerti; and so twelve Bach-loving musicians assembled every Wednesday and thus turned into ... Branden burgers! (To this day they still gather on Wednesdays, casting off their assum- ed identities and becoming those strange and rare, unheard- of creatures) . From our humble beginnings, membership has grown to sixteen and we have performed at various concerts and in - vited Old Girls and Old Boys back as soloists; our "reper- toire" includes Brandenburg Concerti Nos. 2, 3, 5 & 6 and more adventurous works by Ravel, Elgar, Holst and Telemann. This year we performed on 29th April, and on 23rd July with QYO I, the QYO Wind Ensemble and the Grammar Concert Choir; this was a very exciting concert in which we were ably assisted by some extra QYO players. The opening of the B.G.S. Art Show, our next concert, also proved very successful, when we stunned the Art Show patrons with our lovely music. After 3 years of playing in the group, I feel I have earned the title of "Brandenburger" and it is with heavy hearts that Bronwen Bennett, Diana Loy and I now say "Farewell, Brandenburg" ! Sally Clarke

CONCERT BAND This year has been an important year in the life of our Concert Band, as it represents the fifth year of our Band's ex- istence. Mr Warden, our highly talented and dear conductor, has seen us through a whole school generation. He has brought us from the baby nute-and-clarinet dominated band, to a well-balanced and professional-sounding concert band, which has maintained its popularity and reputation at all per- formances this year. Throughout the year we have taken part in a number of school recitals, the combined music camp, the school musical , a concert for the Salvation Army, to which we were invited as guest performers, the School Day fashion parade, and two instrumental group competitions, in which we played outstandingly. Each Wednesday afternoon we rehearsed for an hour and a half (except on the rare occasions when we didn't get started till 5 to 4) and we loafed at only one rehearsal when poor Mr Warden had a toothache! But, disregarding the mischief of a few certain members and putting together the fine efforts of our much appreciated conductor and all our members, I must say that it has been a fine year of high musical standard within our closely-knit musical family, the Concert Band. I, personally, thank you all for the great year of fun and enter- tainment, and all the members thank you, Mr Warden, for your enthusiasm and work. I am sure that the departing Year 12 Concert Band members will join me in wishing Mr Warden and the Concert Bc.. ~j great success in 1983, as we must reminiscently and sorrowfully say our good-byes. Andrea Grant, Concert Band Senior P.S. Trombones- stop using those hidden microphones- but it's great to hear you! A.G.

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