1994 School Magazine

Girls' Grantinar School 38nsbaiic 199+

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NATTONAL MUSIC CAMP I. 994^

GER^N CAMP he 1994 German Camp got off 10 an interesting start when coo of the three Granlmar girls who went manaoed 10 board the wrong bus. Conseqtiently, we-uh-they ended up at a girl guide camp. However, after a small crisis, they perstiaded The bus clriva' to take thenT 10 Camp Warrawee at Petrie, the location of the German Camp. where students in Years 11 and 12 from schools allover Queensland were already asseiTTbled. Upon arrival (just in Time for' dinner). we were served goulash. The German cuisine was somewhat of a novelty, euphemistically speaking. but ITeavily clisguised with

\, ei^ year from the third to the fifteenth of Janu-

ary, Geelong in Victoria ex- penences a nuny of activity Two hLindrecl eager young in Lisicians descencl LipoiT the Geelong Grammar School for' ' two weeks of intense music- I;* making. I was lucky enough I' ' to be one of those accepted 10 be a participant in this unique National Music CalT\p On the afternoon of our arrival everyone rushed to the noticeboard to see WITiclT or chestra they were in and what

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salt, most things lasted fine. We had been warnecl by our teacher, Mr Miles, about bed (around 11nTe eleven Ihiity) vig- orous aerobics \\, orkouts in German, whicl\ of course the girls from Grammar had no problem with

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position they were playing There were two orchestras

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the Percy lones Orchestra, whiclT was mainly Inade tip of the younger students ^anging froiTT fourteen to eighteen years, and the Bishop Orchestra, whicll consistecl of. on the WITole eighteen to twenty-two yeai'-olds. I was terribly excite <1 to discover that I ITad been placed in the PercyJones Orchestra as the principal bassoon. I was now feeling not only intimidated at the prospect of the next two weeks I, ut also at the thought of all The solos that lay before me Each day we were awoken at 6.45 by a revellle, performed by the various orchestral sections. Our orchestra rehearsal went for four ITours and by 12.50 eveiyone was tinderstandably exhausted The inLISic we played was tremendous - 1<0daly's 'Haty Janos Suite', Stra\, irisky's 'Symphony for' Winds', 'The Firebird also by SITavinsky ancl the overture to 'The Meistersingers' by Wagner The standard of playing was astounding especially in regard 10 the Bishop Orchestra. Their program included Tchaikovsky's 'Romeo & It11iet' and 'The Rite of Spring' by Stravinsky LunclT was followed by too ITours of chamber music relTearsal in which most people participated. Sectional leaders took advantage of spare time in the afternoon 10 practise their aruelling solos, wliile others attendecl the student chamber music concerts and twilight concerts in w^lich the staff per- formed The evenino activities included Iecttires. orchestral reheats- als ancl a live ABC broadcast. One afternoon we sightread Handel's 'Water MLISic' will\ e, eiyoi?e playing. I an\ not qtiite sure w^Tat Handel's reaction would nave lieen but we all though it was wonderful! Being around so nTany people willT The same love of InLISic was something that I will keep in my nTemory for years to come A, Iy first National Ivlusic CallTp \\., as a o. :on derfLil experience and I calt not wait till next year to go again KATHARINE WILLISON

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well, almost no problem. When confronted with several members of the German Handball team, all students agreed that standard German, as taught in schools, does not account for different dialects. Fortunately, the Ilandball players consented to speak solT}e English, allowing us to learn the different and very vigorous sport of European Handball. Eqtially as vigorous was the German slap-dancing we learned fron} Mr Miles AlthouglT fun and energetic, the dancing left us all with sore red hands and thighs. The main event of the camp, ITowe\, er, was the performance on Saturday night, when each group ITad to perforiTT a German legend or celebration of some sort. Most of these were entertaining, even if all the GentTan coulcl not be understood. All in all, the camp was ILLn and gave LIS a little experience of German culture. Next year shoulcl be even better VICKIMULLER

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