2013–14
Issue IV
Marcato Press The
2013 Marcato Press Team, The Music Ambassador Team Cover Photos: David Lau Magnussen Š The Music Ambassador Documentation Team Director: Edior in Chief: Head Music Ambassador: Media Management: Publisher: Editors:
John Hui Sakiko Ohara Kay Liang Lesley Zheng Michelle Lim Jose Mercado Johanna Shen Fredric Kong
OVERTURE TABLE OF CONTENTS
Session
An Interview with Shane O’Shea ............................................................... 4 Royal Irish Academy of Music and the Dulwich Experience ........................ 7 An Interview with Jesse Deskovic ............................................................... 9
Metronome
Practice Tips from Jacob Shaw ................................................................... 6 Swing It! ................................................................................................... 8
Recapitulation
The Music Ambassador Conference ......................................................... 5 The Dulwich Festival of Music ................................................................. 10 Diverse Cities: The Diversity Project II ..................................................... 12
Synthesis
We are The Wrong Neighbourhood ......................................................... 11
Breaking Out of the Cage
Bennett Reimer: Consonance or Dissonance? .......................................... 13
Special Feature
The 2013 Grand Opening: Lessons in Love .................................................. 14
Cue
Upcoming Events ................................................................................... 16
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SESSION CAREERS IN MUSIC
Shane O’Shea An Interview with
By John Hui
Outside of all the administrative work, how much music are you still involved in?
Shane O’Shea was Director of Music at Dulwich College Beijing from 2007 to 2013. Last August he took on the position of Director of Performing Arts at Dulwich College International.
Administrative work? Who said I do any of that? Just kidding – way too much admin for my liking. I am involved in lots of music: in the schools, around the schools, and overseas. When I visit where the action is and where the students are, I hear music. I have always been a project-oriented person, so I am constantly setting up new initiatives. For example, the Baroque Tour in the coming year, and the ground-breaking Diversity Project that has just finished this year. I am always looking for gaps in our music and creativity, as there are many. Once I find them, I try and fill them in.
What’s different about your new job? There are many differences in my new role. Each day I experience something new: a hurdle to jump, or wall to break through. With this new position, I am travelling a lot and never stationary for long, because I am always meeting many people, both students and staff. I try to inspire those around me to engage in music and creativity in a way that is unique and defining. I now “live” in Shanghai, but am rarely there. I suppose if I was to put some kind of description on my life, I would be a nomadic musician, sort of like a troubadour of times past. Who do you work with in your new job? I work with the music teachers and heads of departments in all Dulwich schools. Along with music makers, I also work with headmasters, the people that have the ultimate say as to what goes on in their school. I am part of a larger team, the Academic Team, which works out of the head office in Shanghai. This team is dynamic, intelligent, innovative, and incredibly inspiring. Dulwich International is lucky to have all of us working together for a shared cause.
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What are your plans for music and music education across all Dulwich schools? We are developing music along many fronts. The continuous evolution of the curriculum and opportunities we offer is at the core of what I am trying to achieve. We will continue to source the best music educators in the world and bring them to our schools. We will develop partnerships with some of the world’s finest institutions, such as Berklee College of Music in Boston and the Royal Academy of Music in London. The launch of the Dulwich International Music Academy next summer is another example of our approach to student-centred learning. Our plan is to create a musical family, founded on excellence and an unrivalled music education that caters equally for the students of all abilities.
What are your favourite and least favourite things about your new job? My favourite aspect of my new role is getting to meet so many amazing and wonderful music students in our schools. Working and being creative with them is fundamental to my very existence: the more students I can engage through this highest of art forms, the happier I am. After all, I believe that the world is a better place with more people engaged in music. My least favourite aspect is all the travelling, and the lonely existence that this job invokes. Other than that, I am delighted to be a soldier of music; the battle is ongoing and it is one music will win.
RECAPITULATION REVIEWS AND REFLECTIONS
The Music Ambassador Conference 2013 By Michelle Lim
It was the first music trip I’d ever been on, and it was definitely not what I was expecting – even with a year’s experience as a Music Ambassador. To say that I was enthusiastic about meeting similarly passionate students is an understatement. For those unfamiliar with the Music Ambassador Initiative, we are a team that advocates and supports the music department by organising and running music events for the school community. What originally began as the Dulwich College Beijing “Music Prefects” has now expanded to all other Dulwich schools, and is continuing to grow. The first ever Music Ambassador Conference took place in Shanghai between the 6th to the 8th of September, and I was privileged enough to be involved in the event. The conference was hosted by Dulwich College Shanghai. Music Ambassadors came from the Dulwich schools in Beijing, Suzhou and Zhuhai. From Beijing, we had five eager representatives to participate in the conference: Megan Ng, Grace Chan, Ashley Wong, John Hui, and me. The bulk of the conference took place the 7th of September. We had a bright and early with presentations that illustrated the individuality of each music department in each school. We performed songs (such as Shanghai’s incredible multi-part singalong), made jokes (Suzhou High School’s lack of pianos was a recurring topic), and even showed the dreadfully embarrassing video the Beijing crew made – much to my dismay. The highlight of the day was the two homely blue couches, tactically placed in the centre of the room, like something you’d see on an episode of Oprah. We had to sit on either of the couches when we had
something to say, be it trivial or awe-inspiring. Even our earnest members of staff relentlessly abused the poor chair, charging head-first to speak their minds without restraint. The importance and relevance of “creativity” was heavily stressed throughout the day, especially within Kate Beith’s workshop on childhood develop. She worked our brains, comparing our thought processes to toddlers and delving deeper into our understanding of art. Mrs. Beith’s words were referenced multiple times as we worked with the other schools to establish a mission statement and development plan. The Beijing team had the honour of leading the discussion about structuring the Music Ambassador Teams in the other schools. However, the floor was open for all other schools to interject and step forward with new ideas. We also pitched two student-led projects central to our initiative: the Legend Sessions, our admission-free themed concerts; and the Marcato Press, our printed music publication. We eventually concluded the discussion by establishing and delegating responsibilities to a variety of teams: each school set the goal to put on at least one Legend Session and publish at least one Marcato Press issue by the end of the academic year.
The experience was absolutely exhilarating. I loved meeting everyone: I made incredible friends with students from Shanghai, Zhuhai and Suzhou. I also got the chance to speak to people who were so undeniably passionate about music, and were willing to create the resources to facilitate music-making in their community. Megan, our Head Music Ambassador, said that the conference “taught [her] the power of creativity, boldness, and leadership, all of which form key milestones in the lifelong journey of learning.” Beyond all the formalities, the protocols and procedures of the conference, I gained awareness of other’s musical ambitions. As Harry Zhang (from Suzhou High School) declared her love for music and John Hui (from Beijing) reaffirmed his ambition to become a composer, it became clear how vital of a role the Music Ambassadors play. As much as we like to have a laugh and call ourselves the “music ayis,” we know that it’s nothing more than just that – a joke. We support music and music students by helping the department to grow and develop, whilst undertaking projects of our own to advance student leadership. I am incredibly glad that I took part in this opportunity to collaborate with the teams from the other schools, and I hope for nothing more than to once again see us all do the same for each other next year.
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METRONOME MUSIC LIFESTYLE
Practice Tips From Jacob Shaw
Everybody knows: to do anything well, you have to practise. The same holds true for all musical instruments, be it piano, flute, violin, or even turntables! Unfortunately, there are no short-cuts. To improve on any musical instrument, you need to put in a lot of concentrated work. However, there are things you can do to eliminate “time-wasting” and thus progress faster; I am now going to try to break them down for you in three points.
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You are your own teacher: this is the most important point of all. Listen carefully in your lesson and take in all the things your teacher says. In a notebook, write down everything that was said, or better still, ask your teacher to help you make notes during the lesson. If you don’t understand something your teacher said, ask them to explain further. Ask questions. Constantly! This means that when you are alone in the practice room you can be your own teacher – go over everything your teacher said in the previous lesson (if you’ve forgotten, check your notebook). Look in the mirror at your posture and correct yourself when things don’t look as you have been taught. Record yourself playing (everyone has a phone with a recording device nowadays) and listen back. Put yourself in your teacher’s shoes: imagine what they might praise and which points they might want you to improve.
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Find a calm place to practise. Make yourself comfortable. Don’t practise in the main room of your house with your little brother or sister watching TV, or your friend playing computer games. Sit properly; find the right sized chair/stool if you are playing an instrument that requires you to sit down. Leave your phone outside of the practice room or turn it off, along with any other distractions (computer, iPad, etc.). If you are relaxed and focused in your environment, you will find that you can get into the practise mood faster and concentrate better. The school has wonderful practice rooms and music facilities: use them!
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Practise every day! Think of an athlete – would a marathon runner take even a one-day break from training? No. Even practising a few minutes every day is better than not touching your instrument the whole week and practising several hours in one go. Like a marathon runner, not only our minds need developing – our bodies do too. A little practice every day will build up both body and mind. If you follow these three basic points, you will soon find that you are starting to improve. Although it may seem a drag at the beginning to practise each day, you will get into a routine and it will become second nature! Be patient – playing an instrument can be great fun and highly rewarding, so the more at ease you are with your instrument, the more you will get out of it!
SESSION CAREERS IN MUSIC
Royal Irish Academy of Music and the Dulwich Experience
The Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) has been visiting China over the past decade, giving concerts and master classes in the major music institutions of many cities. As Ireland’s premier music conservatory and an associate college of Trinity College Dublin, the RIAM aims to reach out to the rest of the world and let it know about the musical successes that Ireland can boast. Building upon this presence, we were keen to deepen our collaborative links; Dulwich College Beijing was an obvious next step. The ethos of the school (which we identified in a preliminary meeting in Ireland last
June) is about the pursuit of excellence and developing a well-rounded and culturally-aware member of society. These core values resonate very much with our educational beliefs in the RIAM. Director of Performing Arts, Shane O’Shea, proposed that we exchange staff and students. Last September, we invited Shane O’Shea, Joseph Hyung Sup Lim, Amy Yun, and John Hui of Dulwich College Beijing to the RIAM, as well as Dulwich International Music Ambassador Jacob Shaw and his duo partner David Lau Magnussen. We had an amazing week of lessons, concerts, master
By Deborah Kelleher
classes, meetings, and informal discussions. November saw us visit Dulwich, where RIAM faculty Fionnuala Hunt and Hugh Tinney gave recitals and master classes in the Edward Alleyn Theatre. I was delighted to meet and chat with some of Beijing’s gifted music students. We were also thrilled to see the students in action in Lessons in Love; what a fantastic show, and what a memorable week. Our plan is to return to Dulwich and continue our international collaboration. We hope to perform in more schools and continue to interact with committed music staff and students. Until next time!
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METRONOME MUSIC LIFESTYLE
Swing It!
A Reminiscent Overview of Jazz History in Dulwich By Joshua Chang There’s something fishy about jazz in Dulwich. For years, it occupied a rather peculiar position in our school’s music department – it lacked the grandeur and finesse of classical music, yet had all the elements to make a modern teenager categorise it as “elevator music.” However, as a member of the jazz band since Year 7, I can say that the prospect of jazz in Dulwich only seems brighter each year, for this rather underrated art form has never ceased its development since its creation. As I remember, jazz in Dulwich had a humble start. Led by the enthusiastic Mr. Smith, a small ensemble simply named “jazz band” played everything in the photocopied folder of sheet music that was neither classical nor rock ‘n roll: their repertoire consisted of from swing, rock-fusion, bebop, and even carol jazz (Charlie Brown’s Christmas!). The band tried to establish itself as an elite music group within the school, even with the rather unconventional combination of instruments (four clarinets, a trumpet, three saxophones, and a rock rhythm section). And it did. I even remember how the band performed at the Senior Formal, as the band members carried their awkward instrument cases through the Kempinski Hotel lobby. I have to admit, the best moment was when the entire band, with their blazing horns and ruffled sheet music, grinned at the older students, who clearly weren’t expecting the band’s noisy fanfare. This system went on for a while – the “band” was the only jazz group in the school. Even though the ensemble saw the repositioning, departure, replacement of a few band members, the idea was left unchallenged. The band was well aware of its sound after several years of companionship. Even its limited repertoire became something of a heart-warming cliché – the band played Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrew Sisters, Misty by Erroll Garner, and Take 5 by Dave Brubeck for almost 3 years. Then, as the “New Age” approached, the ever-ambitious Mr. Grant elevated the band into something more profes-
sional. He renamed it the “Dulwich College Big Band,” and
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even tailored each of the members a brand new white tuxedo (although it made the members look like dinner-lounge waiters wearing Victorian corsets). There was clearly a mood of change. Jazz was now in the spotlight. The jazz combo, a small quartet of elite instrumentalists, was becoming a popular group for formal events. It seemed like jazz in Dulwich was finally diversifying into different sub-genres: the Big Band tackled more traditional jazz compositions by the likes of Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller, while the Combo performed more casual tunes like Autumn Leaves or All Blues. Our timbre, thanks to the influx of immensely talented trumpeters, also improved immensely – I still can’t forget the shiver I felt when we performed the energetic Sing, Sing, Sing that once fuelled the hormones of 1940s “youngsters.” On that note, this academic year seems like a particularly ambitious one for jazz in Dulwich. For the first time, our school now has two skilled trombonists, adding some diversity to a nearly homogeneous cluster of saxophones. Furthermore, Ms. Mordecai’s cunning “reforms” are particularly noteworthy, attracting the younger students with more approachable tunes of pop and rock (“Wait – is big band playing a tune from Glee?”), before revealing the fascinating world of big band jazz. Ms. Bonner, a versatile instrumentalist and educator with an eclectic knowledge of jazz theory and techniques, is leading the jazz combo, ensuring the quality and diversity of this much respected music genre. Remember – it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.
SESSION CAREERS IN MUSIC
An Interview with
Jesse Deskovic
By John Hui The Marcato Press recently caught up with Jesse Deskovic, who graduated from Dulwich College Beijing in 2013 and now attends the Austrialian Institute of Music (AIM).
What is music like at AIM? Music here is really open and collaborative, as there are students working within many different fields. Producers will often work with the audio engineers and technicians whilst working on projects with the performance majors. All styles of music are encouraged so it is a great environment to learn about different genres. How do you find it there? I really enjoy myself here. It is great to be back home and around old friends. The DJ scene is quite big here, so I have a few friends who are doing what I’m doing. I’ve been trying to experience the night-life and music scene here – so far I have found quite a few venues that play great music. What are your future plans? There are many career choices I can choose to pursue after I complete my course, such as being an audio technician or a mastering engineer. I would ideally like to continue working on my own music, incorporating what I learn in university. However, I would also like to do some studio work as a producer, technician, or engineer. My career plans will probably change whilst I study at AIM.
What was it like leaving DCB? I was excited to graduate and move on to my music studies. It was sad seeing my friends leave, but at the same time, I was looking forward to starting a new chapter in Australia. What do you think of music in Dulwich College Beijing? I believe that I was very lucky to have studied with Dulwich’s music department. I learned and benefited a lot from all the opportunities provided by the Beijing music department. The events, workshops, and classes provided me with a solid foundation on which I can develop in my studies beyond high school. I do not believe that I would have had the same opportunities at any other school. Who is your favourite DJ? I don’t really have a single favourite DJ, but I can name a few that I respect for their musical technique and style. Cashmere Cat, Kissy Sell Out, Boys Noize, Mux Mool, and Gold Panda are a few that I really like. Who is your favourite band and singer, and why? Again, there isn’t a favourite, but I really like Toro Y Moi, Kimbra, Death Cab for Cutie, and City and Colour. Toro Y Moi produces a variety of styles–each album is different from the next. He is really experimental and just makes great music. Kimbra has strong roots in jazz and funk ,which I love, and she is also an amazing vocalist. City and Colour and Death Cab for Cutie make mellow music with great lyrics. I respect artists who are doing something new and meaningful, those who really try to experiment with their craft.
Do you see yourself being involved in music at Dulwich in future years? Definitely. I would love to come back to run workshops and deliver recitals. I look forward to opportunities to just work with the music department again. All that aside, I’d also just like to come back in the future to see how the music department is doing. What advice do you have for aspiring young musicians? Do what you want to do to your full ability and potential, no matter what people say. However, don’t be too hasty to reject other ideas or styles either. Embrace them and use them to advance your own style; try to make something new and different. Most importantly, put your passion into your craft. Without your personal touch and flare, your music would get nowhere and would be indistinguishable from the next musician’s.
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RECAPITULATION REVIEWS AND REFLECTIONS
The Dulwich Festival of Music
By Sakiko Ohara
The second annual Dulwich Music Festival was held in Beijing. In total, 120 students participated, including 30 music staff from all Dulwich International schools: Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, and Suzhou. Following the success of last year’s festival in Shanghai, this year’s students and staff took part with much anticipation. They were not disappointed; after hours of rehearsing, their performance was enjoyed by audience members and musicians alike. This year’s programme featured a range of genres. Among the orchestra’s repertoire was Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, an orchestral arrangement of Brubeck’s Take Five, and a medley of Bernstein’s West Side Story. The choir sang Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, Bruckner’s Locus Iste, and Tavener’s The Tyger. For the grand finale, the orchestra and choir performed Karl Jenkins’ Dies Irae.
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talent onstage. The following evening, there was a barbecue, during which we all got to know each other. On Friday night was the Rock Concert, one of the highlights of the Festival. Our new Wodehouse Theatre was transformed into a rock-stage by the array of amplifiers, microphone stands, and lights. The bands performed exceptionally well, and it was novel to see the bands from visiting schools. The following day, Saturday, was the day of the closing Gala Concert. It was spent making final alterations to the pieces that we were to perform, as well as to run through the concert head-to-tail a couple of times to mentally prepare the students for the concert that evening. There was a buzz of excitement and anticipation; we were confident that the past few days’ worth of hard work would reap satisfying results.
The festival commenced on the 10th of October. After a brief introduction in the Edward Alleyn Theatre, we separated into the four main ensembles: choir, orchestra, rock band, and big band. It was to rehearsals straight away.
The concert was a tremendous success. The big band, the flute ensemble, the festival choir, and the festival orchestra each showcased their talents. The finale, Jenkins’ Dies Irae, was performed both by the choir and orchestra; it was met with applause as thunderous as the piece itself.
The overall atmosphere during the evenings was relaxed. After a long day of rehearsals, there was always something to look forward to. The Opening Concert was held on the first night, Wednesday; musicians showcased their individual
This year’s festival was a great success thanks to the teachers and students who participated. Although it was sad having to say goodbye to our visiting friends, we look forward to seeing them again the coming year.
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SYNTHESIS MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
We are
By Jimmy Ding
The Wrong Neighborhood
If you go into the practice room corridor, you may notice a few boys hanging out in a room of full of vinyls, turntables, and DJ controllers. Bizarre noises may catch you by surprise as you’re exposed to the most obscure music leaking through the door. You’ve probably wondered what on earth it is we do in there. You’re in The Wrong Neighborhood. We started a while back. At the time, our John Hui and Jesse Deskovic were looking to teach younger of students who were interested in learning about electronic dance music (EDM). Thus, our little group was born. We had quite a limited understanding of the art form. In fact, to be honest, all we really had was a general interest in EDM – we didn’t understand it at all. John started by taking us through lifeless but important topics that would have otherwise become a brick wall for us later on – it involved a lot of theory about sound waves and moth-eaten mathematics. As we learnt more, things not only got more exciting, but they also began to make sense. Eventually, we all picked up our own musical strengths and foci as we learnt enough to develop on our own. We bonded as a music collective with quite a list of idiosyncrasies: we started calling each other “mayne,” our core equipment list started featuring a box of tissues, and in general things got weirder. We soon named ourselves The Wrong Neighborhood. Welcome to the Wrong Neighborhood.
To give you a taste of what it is we do here, I’d like to first talk a bit about EDM. There are a few common misconceptions about the topic: first of all, not all EDM can be classified as dubstep! Dubstep is a very specific genre influenced by many other styles such as drum n bass, hip hop, and Jamaican dub. What you know as “dubstep” rose to fame in 2009, and is only a specific sub-category of dubstep proper. Since then, quite a lot of other genres have taken influence from the “dubstep sound” of growls and wobbles, but that doesn’t mean they can be called “dubstep.” What we do in The Wrong Neighborhood is not simply dubstep, but a much wider variety of genres that we like to be termed appropriately. The second misconception I’d like to clear up is about the musicians themselves. There’s a difference between a DJ and a producer! There are three main types electronic musicians you’ll stumble upon in the world of EDM: the producer, the DJ, and the performer. Although most electronic musicians primarily focus on one of the three roles, one can pursue two or more of them at the same time. In fact, many producers and performers often start off as DJs. They are all unique, distinctive, and equally important. The Wrong Neighborhood encompasses all three roles, but each one of us have our own specialisations. I’ll briefly explain the three: All electronic music has to start somewhere. The job of the producer is to compose the piece of music, by either synthesising or ar-
ranging sounds. There are also many other sub-roles within producing such as recording, mixing, and mastering, that I will not describe here for the sake of brevity. Members of The Wrong Neighborhood both individually and collaboratively produce their own individual tracks on a regular basis. The next role, the DJ, involves playing these tracks at a concert venue. Much more than just “pressing play,” DJing involves carefully selecting music to suit a atmosphere and occasion. Generally speaking, a DJ’s job is to maintain a seamless atmosphere of music that evolves to accompany the event. In order to do so, a DJ would have to transition from one track to another, usually mixing them in between; these tracks do not necessarily have to have been produced by the DJ. All members of The Wrong Neighborhood are DJs, but we each specialise in different genres and mixing styles. We usually DJ at school events, but we are always open to any private requests for other occasions. The next role is that of the performer. The role of the performer is to electronically create music live and onstage, to showcase musical virtuosity. Of course, there are many ways one can do this with equipment. For instance, I personally scratch vinyl on the turntables, while others in the Wrong Neighbourhood may prefer MIDI controllers such as the Midi Fighter or the Ableton Push. Hopefully, you’ve gained a more adequate understanding of what we do. If you’re still clueless about the difference between EDM and dubstep or DJing and performing, here’s the general idea: we’re just a bunch of guys who love exploring, creating, and sharing music. We were once mystified by the endless possibilities of electronic music. Lost, we stumbled into The Wrong Neighborhood. There was a lot to learn, but we managed to find our way around, and through doing so, we gained a shared appreciation of the culture, software, equipment, technique, and terminology behind electronic music. We are The Wrong Neighborhood.
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RECAPITULATION REVIEWS AND REFLECTIONS
Diverse Cities Diversity Project II By Shane O’Shea
As the dictionary definition suggests, diversity encompasses a range of different things. The Diversity philosophy is one that can discussed in great depth, but do our schools actually live and breathe its finer nuances? Diversity is in our classrooms, our curriculum, our hearts, and our minds; it is around us in all we do. Every waking moment unveils another diverse opportunity to engage, should we so choose. John Dewey once said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” An integral component of this philosophy must be the willingness to uphold a belief in diversity in order to create a child-centred learning environment. Recently Dulwich Colleges in Beijing and Seoul hosted The Diversity Project II, a unique blend of diverse music and cultures brought to our schools in the form of concerts to engage our international community in a positive and meaningful way. The idea is to offer a wide range of choice in musical genres, something for anyone to enjoy. Over the course of the Project, 16 concerts were performed in 15 consecutive evenings, including the drone-like pulse of electronic music, the finely-tuned beauty of the Beijing Youth Orchestra, and the wonder of improvised jazz. For the duration of the Project, David Lau Magnussen joined us on piano along with our award-winning Dulwich International Music Ambassador, cellist Jacob Shaw. Diversity excelled in its engagement of students, with new works written by John Hui and an extraordinary performance of Grieg’s Piano Concerto by 12-year-old pianist Tony Yun. This was all bound together beautifully with the daily master classes and seminars given by our illustrious practitioners. In music at Dulwich College International, we pride ourselves on innovation, creativity, and individuality. We believe in taking risks and creating an environment where our students are free to follow suit, in order to enhance their self-esteem along this sometimes unpredictable path. Diversity thus acts as a catalyst for the creation of this safe environment that is so fundamental to fostering individuality. The Diversity Project III will bring this, and more, to all the Dulwich schools next October. We aim to bring 30 nights of consecutive music concerts across the College, truly living the philosophy, “One College, Many Campuses.” The Project will continue to grow alongside music and musicianship in all Dulwich College International schools. A final thought from Dewey: “Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.”
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OUT OF THE CAGE MUSIC PHILOSOPHY CORNER
Bennett Reimer Consonance or Dissonance? By Shane O’Shea
On the 18th of November, 2013, a pioneer in music education philosophy, Bennett Reimer, passed away peacefully at his home in Wilmette, Illinois. Since the 1960’s, this shy and unassuming man has led the way in a new form of musical expression and ideology, inspiring generations of musicians to pursue independence through musical thought, rather than performance or composition alone. His classes spawned the pathway for many other illustrious thinkers in our field, such as David Elliott, Peter Webster, John Paynter, Estelle Jorgensen, and Lucy Green. Having met Reimer in the summer of 2011 whilst completing my Masters in Music Education at Northwestern University, I was overawed by his desire to listen to all viewpoints. In his classroom, he created an environment where all opinions were equal and allowed open and frank discussion to evolve without any intellectual one-upmanship.
The world of music, and more so philosophy, can be easily broken down into consonance and dissonance. They are the yin and yang. Composers, performers, conductors, and philosophers have tried to manipulate the relationships between the two for centuries. If a consonance is a combination of notes that sound sweet to the ear, do they necessarily have to be the traditional threenote triad, or permutations thereof ? What sounds sweet to one’s ear may not sound pleasing to another’s. The battle between sound and silence is at the heart of this “war,” and at times it comes to a complete halt as a stalemate evolves out of this conflict. This may be referred to as a bar’s silence, in which the music stops and no sound takes precedence over background noise. And yet another example of this yin and yang can be drawn, between sound and silence. Most of the time, sound prevails, as silence eventually
becomes uncomfortable to the vast majority of listeners. However, the power of silence should never be underestimated. We must listen to the silence around us alongside with the sound it accompanies; only then can we develop a viewpoint that encompasses all of the above. This is what I learned from such people as Reimer, Elliott, and Webster: one person’s consonance is another’s dissonance, and vice versa. Reimer believed that only “good music,” music evoking feeling, should be taught, by teachers with a firm pedagogical base and sensitivity. He also believed that all should learn music, because it helps us develop self-knowledge and social awareness; by allowing us listen to one another more openly, music education would thus aid in the positive development of society. I have studied under Peter Webster, had great conversations over coffee with Reimer; I am now working closely with Elliott for the Dulwich International Music Academy Festival this summer. This trinity of philosophers has heavily influenced my viewpoint on life and music. Rest in Peace, Dr Bennett Reimer; you have left your mark.
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THE GRAND
SPECIAL FE
Lessons in Love
By Jose Mercado
Dulwich College Beijing is no stranger to “big.” Take ISCMS MASSive for example – it’s even in the name. The Diversity Project is harpooning great musicians of different styles from around the world, and has plans to expand across the Dulwich International network. The Dulwich schools from south-east Asia just came together in Beijing for a few days to do nothing but make great music during the Dulwich Festival of Music. One of our greater achievement so far is the our performance of Fauré’s Requiem in the Wangfujing Cathedral. So far. “Big” does not only refer to the things that Dulwich does – it’s also what Dulwich is. And the school just got bigger. The Beijing campus has expanded to twice the size it was before! The new building has two fabulous new libraries, additional classrooms, accommodations for Dulwich Early Years, and – wait for it – a 600-seat theatre. Yeah. Dulwich isn’t “big” anymore, it’s enormous. And it’s more than willing to show the world that it is. Music, drama, and visual arts were all pulled together, mashed up into a ball, and tied up with a pretty bow for the wing’s opening ceremony. Well, it was more elegant than that. Since the announcement of the school’s extension in 2012, arts teachers (all three kinds) started dropping hints to their students that they could be involved in something huge. Something like ... a musical? Or maybe eight? The
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arts departments put their heads together and hand-picked songs from Broadway’s greatest musicals for the theatre’s grand opening. I’m sure some of these are in your favourites; the musicals are Wicked, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Misérables, Chicago, Grease, Oliver, Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat, and West Side Story. Yep. Enormous. For two months, students worked beyond hard to prepare for the opening, which was officially named Lessons in Love. A few lucky ones were selected as soloists for several songs too! And oh how the pride oozed. But of course, everyone was a star in – the official name of the production. The school flew in two world-famous West End performers to star in the opening. Aoife Mulholland, from Ireland, is known for her roles as Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music, framed fitness queen Brooke Wyndham from Legally Blonde (yes, it has a musical), and vaudeville criminal Roxie Hart in Chicago. Our second guest star was Morgan Crowley, who has donned the Phantom of the Opera’s mask, wielded Sweeney Todd’s razor, and even appeared as an aerialist for Cirque du Soleil. As I said. Enormous. During their stay in Beijing, I had the opportunity to ask them a few questions:
What made you decide that musical theatre would be your career? Aoife: There was nothing else that I could do besides musical theatre. [Morgan laughs] No, as in, I tried to fight it for so long; I tried doing it part-time, but I got to the point where I was just unhappy doing anything else. It was the only thing I could do that made me happy.
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Morgan: Yeah, for me, I just love the freedom of musical theatre. I trained in opera and classical music, but I found it a little restrictive. When I found I could sing musicals without people laughing at me, I thought that was a much better thing to do, because you get to dance, sing, and act – you’re judged equally on all of them. Musical theatre brings great joy through freedom of expression, and that is a great gift for us all.
Finally, do you have any advice for our budding thespians? M: Work hard and try not to be disappointed. It’s a very, very difficult business that is full of rejection. Learning to deal with rejection is the biggest lesson you can learn. A: Learn to believe in yourself all the time. If you don’t get one particular job, don’t take it personally. You just weren’t right for that particular role; there will be another job out there for you. You just have to keep believing.
What is the most memorable thing you’ve done in your career? A: I’d say the most memorable thing I’ve done is a show that I created and wrote myself. I directed it and put it on myself in a theatre back home. It was the scariest thing I did in my life because it was about me: the journey from when I was studying musical theatre in London, up until when I got my first lead in the West End. It was really hard to be myself onstage; I wasn’t simply playing a character, so I couldn’t hide behind anything. I just had to speak like “Aoife.” It was very difficult, but it was very rewarding and probably my greatest accomplishment to date. M: I don’t think I’ve done the best thing that I’m going to do in my career yet, because I don’t know what it’s going to be. But I enjoyed singing Phantom of the Opera, I enjoyed Chicago the Musical, and I enjoyed Riverdance. We toured the world, and that was a great experience. But then again, I still think there’s something else out there, so I’m looking forward to it. How did you come in contact with Dulwich? M: Shane O’Shea contacted me via a network in Ireland through the Royal Irish Academy [of Music], looking for people who had a West End or Broadway background of leading roles. I contacted Aoife and we agreed to come together.
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CUE NEWS AND UPDATES
19th–23rd March 2014 Thursday 23rd January 2014 Electronic Music Concert
Wednesday–Sunday 19th–23rd February 2014 ISCMS Music Festival Monday–Wednesday 4th Annual 10th–12th March 2014 Dulwich Rock Sessions
10th May 2014
Founder’s Day
10th June 2014
Music Awards Evening
Tuesday 11th March 2014 Year 11 GCSE Soiree
Thursday–Sunday FOBISIA Junior School 27th–31st March 2014 Music Festival
Saturday 10th May 2014 Founder’s Day
Sunday 1st June 2014 Yun and Hui Concert Tuesday 10th June 2014 Music Awards Evening
Monday 16th June 2014 Jazz by the Lake
ISCMS The largest music festival in the Asian-Pacific region, with over 300 participating students from over 25 schools each year. This year, ISCMS will feature the world premiere of Christopher Tin’s Temen Oblak and an outstanding performance of Joseph Haydn’s Nelson Mass – certainly not to be missed.
An annual event marked on everyone’s calendar. Founder’s Day will feature unforgettable musical performances given by over 700 participants from Early Years to Senior School, as well as the much-anticipated Battle of the Bands and Pop Idol competitions. Founder’s Day promises to live up to the highest of expectations.
Come along to the last formal music event of the year, a night celebrating all teachers’ and students’ engagement and wholehearted devotion to the noble art form of music. The evening will feature performances from both teachers and students alike, as students are awarded with trophies for a variety of distinctions.