Music

Music awards

Team award:

• Massimo Araujo • Jordan Cloete • Matthew Grealy • Keshav Haripaul • Andrew Kruger • Saigan Moodley • Alessandro Nahman • Jordan Nunes • Gregory Shave • Oqalile Tshetshe

Half Colours:

• Rohan Bhatt • Warwick Brown • Ben Fourie • Connor Greyling • Shrian Naidoo • Thashael Naidoo • Dale van der Merwe

Full Colours:

• Paolo Antezana • Bradley Becker • Rohan Bhatt • Daniel Dyer • Justin Krige • Christopher Leisewitz • Joshua Maroun • Nkoliseko Nyubuse • Neo Phihlela • Matthew Rathbone • Sebastiano Sampson-Perdomo • Keegan Willson

Despite the ever-changing pressures and conditions of the pandemic, the St David’s Music Department had a great year! The St David’s Band gave many enjoyable outdoor performances; the marimba band took part in the International Marimba and Steelband Festival that was showcased virtually; and the choir gave a heartfelt performance of Joyful Joyful at the awards evening, despite continuous restrictions on singing rehearsals throughout the year. A highlight of our year was being part of the Drama Department’s production of Sophiatown. The band enthusiastically took part by learning the Meadowlands song and were amazed to watch the actors dancing along while the scene was filmed. Each term this year ended with a musical soirée. A particular mandate this year was to focus on soloists, which yielded amazing results. Boys were excited to once again, perform in a physical space. Pupils went all out, creating an ambiance in each soirée that was warmly felt by all listeners. Our final soirée was an examination soiree for subject music students, and here, an exceptionally high musical standard was set by all performers.

The St David’s Band

The St David’s Band has done exceptionally well this year. The band got off to a good start reviving, Wipeout, the opening number from the 2012 St David’s musical, Return to the Forbidden Planet. The boys thoroughly enjoyed this piece and performed it at the St David’s Open Day, the Term 1 soirée and in assembly. Our next showpiece was the Grade 5 Rockschool, Heavy Metal, examination piece Tiberius. The incentive to play this composition came from Grade 11 pupil Sebastiano Sampson-Perdomo who suggested that rather than play the piece as an examination piece, we perform it as a live ensemble piece. This worked exceptionally well. Our next offering was a suggestion from the band. A throwback to the grunge of the 1980s, Smells Like Teen Spirit. A raucous number that was enjoyed by many St David’s Old Boys. Rather than playing this piece in its original format we decided to make it a brass feature. In Term 3 we took on Three Dog Night’s, Joy to the World. We gave two excellent performances of this piece: one at the final prizegiving ceremony, and the other at the Grade 6 Experience. Much to audience’s surprise we encouraged parents to sing along. Our final offering for the year was a bouncy version of Jingle Bell Rock. We were privileged to have this recorded for the online carols event.

Saxophonist, Matthew Rathbone was head of band; Flautist, Christopher Leisewitz was head of strings and winds; and bass player, Matthew Grealy was deputy band leader. Our vocalists for this year included Tobynn King, Jack Latilla-Campbell and Michael Mittendorf. Old Boy, Michael Hawtrey joined us on bass for Joy to the World.

Virtual Inter-house Music

This year the virtual Inter-house had three categories: a solo video performance; a song in another language; and an MC or House speakers’ video. This year Bishops House won hands down. The Bishops’s music team was led by Matthew Rathbone. Matthew performed an outstanding version of Ain’t No Sunshine on saxophone for the solo category. Oqalile Tshetshe humorously opened the video entry by pretending to be the MC from the other houses. Nkoliseko Nyubuse filled the otherlanguage category by singing Nomvula in IsiXhosa. Special mentions go to; Christopher Leisewitz from Benedict House who sang a stunning version of Leave me Alone by I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, and to Douglas Carter of College House who played a boisterous drum rendition of Misery Business by Paramore. Thanks to our adjudicator, Skye Worster an MMus Wits graduate who worked at St David’s for six years. She adjudicated the competition online from Switzerland.

Mass Band

Mass band creates a contemporary sound in Mass by utilizing brass instruments, guitars, djembe drums, and lead singers. Playing in the band teaches the boys to assimilate melodies and chord progressions of familiar material quickly and under pressure, with little or no practice.

Mass band continued as usual in 2021 but was often disrupted by the pressures and conditions of the everchanging pandemic. Special mention goes to Tobynn King who sang a solo at the Church of the Immaculate Conception for the combined St Teresa’s and St David’s Confirmation Mass.

Marimba Bands

2021 was an invigorating year for the marimba bands. Both senior and junior bands kicked off the year with a desire to make an impact. It took no time at all for the junior band, in particular, to make an impression on the rest of the school. Their first performance at an assembly in February was a demonstration of their incredible potential and a taste of things to come. The rest of the year saw their repertoire grow at an incredible rate with performances at Open Days, Old Boy Assemblies, Speech Evening, Final Matric Assembly, and then a great showing at the International Marimba and Steelband Festival that was showcased virtually. Congratulations to coach Innocent Mutero for inspiring the boys to keep bringing their best to the rehearsal room as well as the stage.

Thank you to the 2021 leadership, Neo Phihlela (captain) and Aryan Bhatt (vice-captain).

Chris Luke

Head of Subject: Music

Sound and Lighting

After a long COVID-rest for the Sound and Lighting team, 2021 saw the boys having to put in a lot more consistent effort. With events mostly at a variety of outside venues, and with both live and online audiences, the team had to transport equipment and manage intricate setups to a far greater extent than every before. They acquitted themselves excellently. A great congratulations to Connor Greyling, our 2021 captain, who oversaw a flawless year during which we experienced no glitches, a real achievement given the uncertain circumstances. Connor also did an excellent job of training the newcomers in the team.

Jaco Ferreira

Director Cultural Affairs

2021 Choir

By the time the ban on singing was lifted in early August, the boys were positively begging for something to happen. So, in Term 3, we returned with much excitement. the Chamber Choir got right back to business with its weekly rehearsals.

We selected Joyful Joyful, a choral arrangement of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, as our comeback song, relishing the opportunity to celebrate all the reasons we had to be grateful. Our performance at the year’s Speech Evening was indeed joyful and drew enthusiastic support form the audience.

We look forward to a singing 2022 when the College Choir hopes to make its comeback.

Thank you to our 2021 leaders, Christopher Leisewitz (captain) and Nkoliseko Nyubuse (vice-captain), for their constant efforts to get choir back and for holding the banner high throughout the year with their many excellent solo performances.

Jaco Ferreira

Director Cultural Affairs

Sound and lighting

Back row: James Fifield, Christiano Partridge, Mark Ireland Front row: James Plagis, Warwick Bradford, Mr J Ferreira, Connor Greyling, João Branco

Choir

Back row: António Pereira, William Blair, Paolo Antezana, Massimo Araujo, Jordan Cloete, Neo Phihlela 3rd row: Ben Fourie, Connor Greyling, Michael Mittendorf, James Clegg, Oqalile Tshetshe, Joshua Maroun, Bradley Becker, Keegan Willson, Justin Krige, Jack Latilla-Campbell, Nicholas Rautenbach 2nd row: Ethan Kalell, Gomolemo Phiri, Dalitso Phiri, Alex Zarkov, Tobynn King, Harrison Redelinghuys, Mateo Vargas Claure, Kaleb Gasela, Warwick Bradford, Senamile Shabangu, Gareth Kasayi Front row: Stefanos Hadjipetros, Costa Constanti, Zanokuhle Nkabinde, Blaine Willson, Christopher Leisewitz, Mr J Ferreira, Nkoliseko Nyubuse, Phemelo Ratlhagane, Aryan Jagroop, Alexander Booysen, Thomas Purchase

St David’s band

Back row: Sebastiano Sampson-Perdomo, Ben Fourie, Nicholas Kruger, Matthew Rathbone, Christopher Leisewitz 2nd row: Nicholas Rautenbach, Shrian Naidoo, Mateo von Cziffra-Bergs, Jack Latilla-Campbell, Joshua McAdam, Daniel Dyer, Michael Mittendorf, Alessandro Nahman Front row: Tobynn King, Sohan Desai, Joseph Hsu, Thomas Purchase, Mr C Luke, Daniel Rautenbach, Stefanos Hadjipetros, Alexander Booysen, Ross Fieldgate

Marimbas – Junior

Back row: Ethan Wreyford, Robert Jervis, Aryan Bhatt, Jensen Welton, Nicolas Jansen van Rensburg, Gcobani Ndadana Front row: Aiden Mc Elligott, David Kalil, Themba Gwabe, Cruz King, Mr I. Mutero, Keitumetse Senamela, Shaun Hsu, Mathew Freed, Matthew Dyer

Marimbas – Senior

Back row: Dale van der Merwe, Mateo von Cziffra-Bergs, Justin Krige, Christopher Leisewitz, Warwick Brown, Matthew Rathbone, Sebastiano Sampson-Perdomo, Jack Latilla-Campbell, Thashael Naidoo, Alexander Rohana Front row: Sacha Costa, Zeno Costa, Thomas Purchase, Rohan Bhatt, Mr I. Mutero, Neo Phihlela, Jason Baylis, Stefanos Hadjipetros, Connor Greyling