my sole mate MY MOUNTAIN,

By Isabella Hirschson

From the days of the first navigators, there have been many records and writings about the scenic anchorage dominated by Table Mountain. This geological landmark has controlled the shape of the city, influenced the weather and the people who live below, for centuries.

Over the course of 150 years, St Cyprian’s School, perched proudly on Table Mountain’s slopes, tells the tale of the rich and biodiverse history that echoes through these valleys and gorges. The majestic rocks, delicate fynbos, and undisturbed landscape have inspired our community in a variety of ways from sparking art creations to outdoor celebrations. However, every once in a while, we have habitually taken our school’s natural backdrop for granted, even though we cannot fathom our life without its presence.

Our cross country runners actively honour our idyllic ‘backyard’ during the early hours on a Monday before school. Greeted by the dark, bone-chilling air and morning - breath clouds, we commence our runs with a gradual but painful ascent uphill. Words of motivation from our knowledgable and committed coach, Vibeke Moore, get us through the toughest terrains. There are a plethora of unique trails our team has explored together over the past few years. Between gruelling climbs, steep descents into forested valleys, and absorbing, breathtaking views, trail running awakens all your senses. Table Mountain with its majesty and expansiveness draws you in.

Immersing yourself in nature transcends your mind, body and soul into a state of hyper-awareness. Your first lesson and assignments due for that day become a distant memory and all you can hear is the crinkling of leaves, twigs, the rhythm of your breath and a few choice words of regret from the seniors at the back. This humbling yet liberating experience is something I highly advocate for other students and teachers to experience.

A common yet memorable sensation of the group is reaching the summit of our run to observe the breaking of dawn. We gape in awe as the sun emerges over the rugged Boland mountain range like a waking, glowing giant. As we run back, we take in and feel the warmth of the sunbeams as they trickle and splinter through the pine woods.

A sense of accomplishment takes over you, as there is a sentiment of exclusivity when waking up before the sun and then observing it rise. Seeing its burnt crimson hues lighten the sky while the city is still asleep makes you feel as if you have already ‘conquered’ the morning, day and week.

As we descend from the mountain back to school grounds, we are left exhilirated, a ‘runner’s high’ you may call it. You are left feeling replenished, awake and inspired for the day. Others may describe the runs as ‘beautifully brutal’.

St Cyprian’s is most likely one of the only schools in the world to offer cross country sessions that involve traversing the lower slopes of the seventh Natural Wonder of the World. There is something quite powerful about a group of women retreating to the forest, to find a sense of solitude before we all dissipate into the bustling week of our own distinct schedules and I am eternally grateful for all the trails I have explored with my friends.

A musical spectacle was always on the cards as part of celebrating our 150th birthday. Frequently postponed, together with the thought of will-this-ever-happen, the dream to pull it off was always there. Amongst the many challenges Covid-19 presented, the impact on the music and drama departments was particularly frustrating. Critical to a successful staging of any significant performance, is practice and there were few opportunities during the pandemic to practise in-person with music teachers and certainly truly little rehearsal time together as ensembles until early this year. An event of the nature of Night of the Stars would – in regular circumstances – require years of planning and performance preparation. Venue confirmation also presented obstacles as the flagship that is the City Hall, was unable to commit to hosting events because of an arrangement to host Parliament. Nevertheless, once we were assured earlier in the year, that ensembles and orchestras could practise, the stage was set to secure a date and venue and put on the greatest musical show our school has seen.

Ross Johnson, Director of the Arts at St Cyprian’s School, reflected on the joy and grit experienced in putting on Night of the Stars.

“As we set the stage for the final two items of the programme, I would like to take this opportunity for a brief reflection and to thank the incredible teams who have turned the dream of this evening’s experience into a reality.

Night of the Stars is about so much more than the performance of music. It is the coming together of an extended community to celebrate the joy, energy and passion of the students, staff, parents, council and alumnae of St Cyprian’s School.

The purpose of this evening is to celebrate the school turning 150 and it is now that the stars have aligned to allow us all to be together, without restriction, in this historic setting, to celebrate this important milestone through the performance of music.

This moment in time is the realization of what seemed like an impossible dream 10 years ago, to develop a Music Department that not only celebrates a diversity of modern and traditional music, but also develops a full classical symphony orchestra.

The person tasked with the challenge of building the orchestra is the incredible Prep School Head of Music, Annamarie Gelderbloom.

Annamarie is widely considered to be one of the leading pedagogues in the fields of violin and strings education. Supported by Louise Starker and a team of outstanding violin, viola, cello and double bass teachers, Annamarie has developed a string programme that would stand proud next to any of the top music schools in the world. Annamarie, tonight we celebrate you and your orchestra.

While the backbone of the orchestra is strings, it is the brass and woodwind who provide a multitude of textures and timbres to the ensemble. Our woodwind students have been nurtured by our dedicated team of flute and clarinet teachers, with the woodwind ensemble developed and trained by Catherine Stephenson.

Our wonderful Thami James and Christin Rohl have achieved the most incredible results in developing our Brass Department. They are role models to our students and have created a formidable group of brass musicians.

The final section in our orchestral development programme, is the percussion, making the music come alive through the timpai, drum kit, xylophone, glockenspiel and many other interesting and intriguing instruments. We thank Frank Mallows for his contribution and guidance in building this section of our orchestra.

All these elements, under the baton of Annamarie Gelderblom, have come together through countless hours of dedication and practice to give the opportunity and experience of orchestral playing to St Cyprian’s School’s music students.

Our tradition of choral singing spans the school’s full 150-year history and after being put on hold for the past two years due to restrictions on group singing, Riaan Oosthuizen has brought the choir back to life. It is incredible to see how much this group has developed over a short period of time, and under his guidance, I am excited for the future of choral singing at our school.

Our African music programme is very close to my heart, and I would like to say a very big thank you to Sky Dladla who taught our marimba band for this evening’s performance. Sky is fast becoming a key figure in traditional African music education, and it has been a privilege working with her for this event.

Our marimba band was joined this evening by the students of Zonnebloem Nest Senior School. These talented performers are part of a marimba band that is taught by our St Cyprian’s Music intern, Lihle Mabhula. We thank you for the time and energy you have put into this event.

Our rock band programme has been running for a number of years and has recently been headed up by Shen Winberg. Shen, a successful performer in his own right, has ensured that we stay up to date and relevant with the latest trends in music technology, introducing DJ and Electro music into our band programme.

The conceptualizing and organizing of an event of this nature is a formidable task. The Music Department has been privileged to have partnered with the St Cyprian’s Advancement Office to bring this event to life. We thank Yvette Brummer, Vuyo Mahlangeni, Kathryn Bilski, Rasheda Samuels and Chloe Igo for their creativity, hard work and attention to detail. Thank you for making this evening happen.

I thank our Prep School Drama teacher, Alyx Geanotes for her help and creativity with lighting design and costumes. Alyx brings magic to any event she is involved in.

As always, a big thank you to Marelize de Klerk and her maintenance team for all the logistical support. A particular heartfelt thank you to Jafeti Wilson who has been by my side throughout the preparations for this event.

Managing the stage for a performance of this nature is an almost impossible task. Moving grand pianos, harpsichords, conductor podiums, music stands and chairs while over 1000 people watch, sounds like a surreal nightmare. Fortunately, we have the unflappable Claire Hyman, our school psychologist on hand. Claire and her team have done an incredible job and I thank her and her backstage crew for all of their hard work.

We end this evening with two pieces that bring together multiple elements of our music programme. First is the debut public performance of the song, “I’ll Be Here” composed by St Cyprian’s alum Cate Babette who matriculated in 2020. The exciting, high-energy finale piece, The Phoenix, will follow. Please feel free to make some noise during this performance and get up and dance.

My final thank you is to Shelly Frayne, our principal and to the wonderful parents of our school who have supported us in every step of this journey. And finally, to the students of St Cyprian’s School. Thank you for being brave, powerful, and bold. Thank you for everything that you do for music at our school. You are the reason we are here. It is my hope that this evening has helped you realise that there is more in you than you know.”

The SCS Creative Collective of August 2022 formed an integral part of St Cyprian’s School’s 150th birthday celebrations. August was the perfect month to showcase, celebrate and prioritise the women of our school in a positive and affirming way through our extensive arts programme.

Following Night of the Stars a week later, it was the combined drama departments of the preparatory and high schools’ time to shine. Lights, curtains, action and roll on 150 Minutes of Fabulous, a theatrical journey through song, dance, scenes and more, for a combined 150 minutes. Populated by students from grades 6-12 and with special guests from Grade 2, the ‘smorgasbord’ of theatrical items played out over two nights to packed crowds in the Haggie Hall.

After two years of having voices muffled by masks, and then restricted by health and safety protocols, voices of the talented cast were free to speak, sing and soar!

Exhibitions, in all their forms – from public speaking to musicianship, cooking displays to art & design show-stoppers – provide a significant platform for students to present and show their creativity. When students get the opportunity to present their work to an audience, beyond the classroom, their small studio, their bathroom mirror, and their easels, they become confident about their abilities and potential.

‘Through our eyes’, the third of our SCS Creative Collective events, offered such an occasion. A collaborative effort across the preparatory and high school art departments, it was a colossal task to ensure that every student had some art piece on display for three days and nights. With the inclusion of technology, a vital part of the art process, visitors could watch the process of students’ works on monitors, students’ critical evaluation and problem-solving and revision of their works in progress, and enjoy the final examples exhibited. From Grade 1 to final Matric exam pieces, the exhibition was a joyous celebration of artistic and creative endeavour.