Community groups
Celebrating our choral community Karen Murray President of Friends of Carey Music Music is an innate human means of selfexpression, and singing as a group in a choir is a natural extension of this. The first time many students experience the joy of making music as a group is during kindergarten music lessons. To support this, Carey’s formal choral program runs at both junior campuses for Prep, Year 1 and 2 students, many of whom go onto the elective choirs in Years 4 to 6 under the guidance of Lesley Collins, Tania Schlemitz-Justin and Frederica Cunningham. The beauty of choral singing is its inclusiveness: throughout the school, at least 500 students sing in choirs of different sizes and levels every week. No lessons are required and students can join at any stage of their journey through Carey. A few choirs require an audition, but in every school section there is an ‘open
entry’ choir where students gather to share their love of singing. Carey’s choirs are a highlight of many school concerts, adding colour and complementing instrumental performances. As choral singing is such a unique whole-school activity, every year, all of our elective choirs are brought together to perform in a huge choral concert in July. This year the wonderful The Besen
Centre in Burwood provided the perfect environment to celebrate the over 300 singers, conductors and accompanists. The concert allowed younger students to be inspired by the strong pathway choral singing takes at Carey. The whole-school finale ‘In Paradisum’ featured students from every section of the school singing their hearts out. Congratulations to the wonderful conductors and accompanists who bring this music to life.
Who is Carey’s Heritage Committee? David Morgan (OCG 1961) Chair of the Carey Heritage Committee The Carey Heritage Committee (CHC) turns 21 this year, and I think it’s time we introduced ourselves. The CHC comprises Deanna Atkins, Scott Bramley, Andrew Clark, Philip Grutzner (ex-officio), Heather Hebbard, Joanne Horsley, Ian Hughes, Eric Joyce, David Kemp, Tony McCutcheon, David Morgan, Bruce Murray, Barbara Noisette, Ray Reed, David Rimington, Jane Simon (ex-officio), Bill Stronach, Chris Thomas and John Tranter. The committee was founded by Bill Pugh with encouragement from David Lord, Ross Millikan and Jeff Thomas as the Carey Centenary Historical Committee. Bill was prepared for the approaching centenary, although still 25 years away. 36 | Torch
His prescience was vindicated because about half the foundation scholars were still alive and their priceless insights were recorded for prosperity. The interviewing process in preparation for the centenary will conclude in September this year. It has provided a wealth of material for the school archives for the centenary historian, Helen Penrose, in particular. Many other significant projects have been undertaken over those 21 years: indexing of the Chronicles for easy reference; researching significant figures in the School’s history; charting the history of sections of the School; analysing early developments in education, social customs and
community expectations; investigating the connection with the Baptist Church; and recording some of the vast changes from over the last century, and how they have affected Carey’s operation. If you can add to the story with memorabilia, reminiscence or insight, please do not hesitate to contact us and be a part of Carey’s journey.
