2016 School Magazine

CATHEDRAL CONCERT Basking in the mottled moonlight of the stained-glass windows and flickering candlelight, brass tones, soaring voices and rhythmic drumbeats echoed with ease throughout St Stephens Cathedral at Girls Grammar’s annual Cathedral Concert on 14 April 2016. Chamber Orchestra, Symphonic Winds, Grammar Singers, Chamber Singers and Chorale came together in the spectacular Cathedral of St Stephen to take advantage of the resonant acoustics and demonstrate their hard work throughout Term I. This year, the School’s very own Tokiwa Onoda (12E), who is currently part of the Rising Stars Program at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, beautifully performed Rhapsody op.79 no. 2 by J. Brahms and was met with miraculous applause. However, all the girls, not just the soloists, did an outstanding job, displaying not only their musical technicality but elegant musicianship – every single student, staff member and accompanist must be congratulated for the night’s utmost success.

LINNEA CAIN (12W) CHORAL CAPTAIN

MUSIC COMPETITIONS Every year the BGGS Instrumental Music Department holds the prestigious R.T. Jefferies And Anne Etheldreda Jefferies Bursary, an internal competition that showcase the talents of the Instrumental Music students, and also gives the students a chance to perform their solo works with an accompanist. The Bursary is comprised of eight individual sections. These include the violin prize (winner: Fiona Qiu, 11R), vocal prize (winner: Linnea Cain, 12W), brass prize (winner: Lili Wackwitz, 12H), percussion prize (winner: Sofiah Beach, 9B), strings prize (winner: Young Min Kim, 11G), intermediate piano prize (winner: Xinting (Vivian) Wang, 7L), senior piano prize (winner: Tokiwa Onoda, 12E) and the woodwind prize (Crystal Freeburn, 12M). The individual section winners participated in the semi-finals, of which four successful musicians – Crystal Freeburn (12M, saxophone), Fiona Qiu (11R, violin), Tokiwa Onoda (12E, piano), and Young Min Kim (11G, cello) – were chosen to perform in the grand final at the annual Artists in Concert, where they competed for the prestigious Bursary. Every single girl performed their hearts out, with the pieces performed ranging from sultry jazz to refined classicism; however, there must only be one winner. With the audience’s electrified anticipation palpable, the adjudicator praised each performer and ultimately named the winner, Fiona Qiu (11R, violin), who astounded the audience with her tear-jerking rendition of The Love Song by Joseph Suk and polished Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto (no.2, 3rd movement) by Camille Saint-Saëns. Special thanks must also go to Chamber Singers and Chamber Orchestra, who provided stellar entertainment for the night, and the ever-hardworking staff members, adjudicators and accompanists who have supported each and every girl during competition preparation and performances.

LINNEA CAIN (12W) CHORAL CAPTAIN

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