Music Captains Redeemer’s captaincy team for 2021 adopted the theme ‘Culture Through Connection’ for the year. We believe that, as Music Captains, we have helped other students to connect and understand this better so that it may continue through the years to come. There are many students from across the College that volunteer their time to help younger string, choral and band ensembles. This creates a strong connection in the music community and makes others feel, as Claudia Birrer in Year 12 says; ‘welcomed and supported.’
2021 has been a year of great musical enjoyment, challenge, and growth. From the youngest string player in Piccolo Strings to the most experienced instrumentalist in Wind Orchestra, this year’s musical journey has been of the highest calibre. As the Music Captains for 2021, it has been an incredible experience to witness the musical development of all ensembles across the program. Perhaps a greater joy has been experiencing the spirit of excellence and collaboration in all music-making at Redeemer, living through every student and staff member. Despite an interrupted performance calendar, this year has shed light on the concept of excellence from a new lens. With fewer concerts, excellence became less concerned with public performance and rather, individual pursuit of personal excellence. Rehearsals maintained a high standard, as always, and our new goal was to create and share magnificent musical stories with our fellow musicians. In that way, we strengthened the bonds of community that Redeemer prides itself on. Despite the Covid challenges, the encouraging spirit of the Music Department only increased. There were many people who commented on this, including Year 11 student Catherine Ju, who said ‘the spirit of music still lives in all the musicians despite the challenges this year.’ When we make music as soloists, we contribute our own thoughts and emotions. When we make music as a community, and allow ourselves to be vulnerable, the story of each individual emerges in our collective narrative. The spirit of collaboration infuses a special quality into music making that is difficult to quantify or describe, but is pervasively felt. Being able to collaborate in person after some disruptions, allows us to fully appreciate the blessing that is, making music together.
The result of excellence and collaboration is enjoyment, and this year has been full of it. Exploring diverse ranges of repertoire across choral and instrumental settings, has proved to be challenging but immensely rewarding and satisfying. Music has been a source of inspiration and joy that has sustained us all through a challenging year. We hope that the spirit of communal music making may continue to thrive at Redeemer for years and years to come. In our role as Music Captains for 2021, we believe that it has been the community, the privilege of service and friendships that has made the music program so special. The Music Department, like no other, creates an atmosphere of teamwork, family and community. It is a place where we get to meet and mingle with peers from various year levels and encourage each other in our journey to become better musicians. This year, the Music Department has brought an even greater sense of community which has fostered meaningful, long-lasting relationships between students and the incredible team of Music teachers. We would like to thank all students and families involved with music at Redeemer. Your commitment, dedication, and persistence this year has allowed us to make fantastic music together and keep the spirit alive. We would also like to extend a massive thank you to the instrumental and vocal tutors, teachers, conductors and administration staff for their ongoing encouragement and support. It has been truly an honour to lead, serve and represent a Department full of such talented and gifted people. We think that Sanchita Pandey sums up the music community best by saying that ‘music, in all its subtlety has immense power to unite people and spread love to the world’. ROBERT BLAKELY AND ELLA O’NEILL MUSIC CAPTAINS 2021
181 REDEEMER REFLECTIONS 2021
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