Tanglin Music Newsletter - Term 2 2023-24 by Tanglin Trust School

MUSIC NEWSLETTER

March 2024 | Issue 2

PAGE 3

From the Director of Music

PAGE 6

Review of the Term PAGE 10

Infant Music

PAGE 11

Junior Music

PAGE 12

Senior Music

PAGE 13

Forthcoming Events

FROMTHE DIRECTOROFMUSIC

Welcome to our second End of Term Newsletter which aims to review some of the events that have taken place over the past 3 months, as well as bring to your attention some of the upcoming events which will take place in the Summer Term.

In true Tanglin style, it has been another action-packed term with a wide range of performances ranging from an ever-increasing number of informal recitals through to the large-scale production of Chicago, the recent Bands and Orchestral Concerts and the Yr 1-4 Singing Festival.

The recent cross-phase concerts were particularly joyful in that they featured students from Year 3 all the way through to Year 13, showcasing the amazing journey that our youngest musicians can find themselves on through the opportunities afforded to them

In addition, there have been special assembly performances for Chinese New Year, Briana Corrigan’s visit in tandem with the Senior Battle of the Bands, the visit of Desford Colliery Band and the inaugural Community Brass Day to name but a few The Year 6 Production and last week’s Reception shows also featured some fantastic performances and gave further platforms for our singers and dancers!

Perhaps less public, but still worthy of mention have been the first two rounds of the Tanglin Musician of the Year 2024, for which the standard has improved significantly since last year. With around 130 entries the panel of adjudicators listened to each and every video performance before deciding who should proceed through to the ‘live’ round, which took place in March. The finalists have recently been announced and we are very much looking forward to the Finalists’ Concerts which will take place on Monday 22 April in front of a panel of visiting musicians.

The auditions for our first cohort of Centenary Music Scholars also took place earlier in March, and we were astonished by the phenomenal standard of applications both from with Tanglin and from other schools across the region. It was so reassuring to hear the candidates talk so willingly about the fun times they have in music, but also their struggles and how they deal with frustration. Their ability to reflect on their own journeys was remarkable, as was their desire to give something back to Tanglin and to help inspire the next generation of musicians We are really looking forward to this new initiative and to see the lasting impact it will have on future generations of Tanglin musicians, and indeed the wider Tanglin community.

We hosted an ABRSM Examiner from the UK in the penultimate week of term, as almost 80 students sat their instrumental exams, ranging from Initial Grade (pre-grade 1) up to Grade 8. There was certainly an air of anxiety on Level 8, but it was great to see so many smiley faces as their exams finished More details can be seen on Page 9.

In addition to the more high profile events, we have also had a number of formal and informal concerts throughout the term, including two very important ABRSM preparation concerts and the termly Solo and Chamber Music Concert These are continuing to grow in popularity, and pave the way for our musicians to grow in confidence when on stage. The vocal concert in the final week of term was a joy to watch, featuring a range of musical theatre repertoire.

Senior and Junior musicians have also been attending music festivals over the past couple of weeks, with the inaugural SEASAC Music Festival hosted by UWC East, here in Singapore for Seniors, and the Primary Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur for our Juniors. Both were fantastic occasions and gave our students a chance to play or sing alongside fellow musicians from other schools across the region.

This edition will also feature some of the activities that go on inside the classroom or in less formal performances and I’m delighted that we have articles from our 3 Heads of Music; Helen Owain (Head of Senior Music), Fiona Knight Lucas (Head of Junior Music) and Delphine Hastwell (Head of Infant Music).

As the next few pages will prove, Tanglin is a hive of industry and life is certainly never dull with so many events and activities taking place every week. Here are some stats to highlight this point:

No of weekly instrumental lessons delivered 651

Estimate of students receiving lessons outside school c.250

No of weekly co-curricular activities offered 56

No of students involved in co-curricular ensembles 800+

No of musical events/performances per year 80+

Looking ahead to next term we are delighted to be welcoming former King’s Singer Paul Phoenix back to Tanglin following his hugely inspiring visit last year Week Two promises to be an exciting week with three important events: The Finalists’ Concerts for Musician of the Year on Monday 22 April; Paul’s recital and talk ‘A journey through five decades of Song’ on Thursday 25 April and our annual Choral Concert at Victoria Concert on Friday 26 April More information and ticket links are in the back of this newsletter.

Later on next term we also have the Middle School production of the Disney show Moana. Ticket information will be available soon.

As ever I wish to share my enormous gratitude and admiration for our superb team of Music Teachers, both within the Faculty and the Instrumental team, but also our fantastic STLAs, Admin Team and Tech Support without whom our jobs would not be possible! Plus of course all the other departments with whom we have the pleasure of collaborating.

I wish you all a very pleasant Easter Holiday and look forward to more fun events next term.

Rob Hall Director of Music

REVIEWOFTHETERM

Chicago

This year’s Senior School production was Kander and Ebb’s award-winning musical Chicago. Set in downtown Chicago and the infamous Cook County Jail in the 1920s, and diving into the realms of fame, fortune, and the irresistible allure of jazz, the cast and crew razzle-dazzled their audience with their infectious energy and authentic characterisations. It truly was an opulent display, further enhanced by the amazing costumes, make-up, lighting and stage set. The live band, made up of students alongside professional musicians provided superb support for the singers on stage as they presented classics such as All that Jazz; Razzle Dazzle; All I care about is love; Mr Cellophane and We both reached for the gun. Bravo to the entire cast and crew. Watch out for another spectacular production in January 2025 - an imaginative staging of Guys & Dolls!

We were honoured to welcome former The Beautiful South lead-singer Briana Corrigan to Tanglin for a week primarily to support the senior rock bands as they prepared for the Battle of the Bands. As part of her visit, Briana collaborated with a number of the Music Team to produce an unforgettable evening of music and story-telling! Set in the intimate surroundings of the Rehearsal Room, she performed some classic Beautiful South numbers, including the iconic ‘Need a little time’ and ‘Everybody’s talking’ as well as some of her own compositions. It was a sensational evening that will live long in the memory for the sell-out audience!

An Evening with Briana Corrigan

Battle of the Bands

The Battle of the Bands showcased the incredible musical talent within the student body, with 20 bands spanning from Year 7 to Year 13, providing an exciting evening of music, from rock to pop, jazz to indie.

The atmosphere was electric, with a fantastic and supportive audience cheering on their peers. Judged by industry professionals Briana Corrigan and Roo Pigott, the competition was fierce, with the standard of performances reaching impressive heights.

Despite the tough decision-making process, two standout bands emerged victorious: Kimchi and the Krayfish and Ashika. Their exceptional performances wowed the judges and secured them the top spots.

For those who missed the live action, anticipation is high for the release of the event's video, promising to showcase the unforgettable performances for all to enjoy. Tanglin Trust School's Battle of the Bands not only celebrated musical excellence but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and artistic expression within the school community.

Desford Colliery Band visit & Community Day

As part of their annual tour to SE Asia, the award-winning Desford Colliery Band visited Tanglin to give a breath-taking concert in February to a very appreciative audience made up of students and parents as well as the wider community. There is something truly special about the sound of a brass band, and this was highlighted both in the upbeat energetic and technical virtuosity on display as well as the calmer, soothing and lyrical tones as captured in pieces such as ‘Bring him home’ from the musical Les Miserables.

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The following day we were delighted to welcome over 60 young brass students from across Singapore for our first ever Community Brass Day, led by the Desford Band. As well as a mini-performance, the band ran workshops with brass players of all abilities to create a short concert for family and friends. We very hope that this will be the first of many such ventures.

Cross-phase Bands Concert

Our cross-phase Bands Concerts, featuring students from Year 3 up to Year 13, took place during the penultimate week of term in front of a large, enthusiastic, and hugely supportive audience. With a theme of 'Music for Stage and Screen', the Swing Jazz Band kicked started the concert in style before some of our younger ensembles took to the stage - The Junior Percussion Group, Junior Brass Ensemble, Gemini Wind Band and Junior Band. Along the way we were treated to renditions of such film classics as Star Wars, and Mission; Impossible and Jurassic Park. Interspersed were performances by some of our new Jazz Collective groupsThe Dixieland Jazz Band and the Latin Jazz Band. Our two more advanced concert bands then took to the stage before the Big Band brought the evening to a close with superb renditions of 'Tank' from the Japanese anime Cowboy Bebop and 'Wizard wheezes' from the Harry Potter series. Bravo to all performers and conductors - it really was a super evening!

Cross-phase Orchestral Concert

Our strings and orchestral players took to the Berrick Stage for their Stage & Screen-themed concert in the final week of term. The Chamber Orchestra started proceedings with a few movements from a Bach Suite, was used in some episodes of the children's show 'Little Einstein', before a suitably solemn rendition of 'Nearer my God to thee', allegedly the tune being played by the band as the Titanic sank. Sostenuto Strings demonstrated their amazing progress with two French folksongs before the Cello Ensemble played the beautifully lyrical Gabriel's Oboe from the 1986 film The Mission. Camerata followed with a lively performance of Spiderman: No way home before the Cello Ensemble performed Pachelbel's Canon, which has appeared in numerous films.

The Guitar Group entertained the audience with Winter from Vivaldi's Four Season (which featured in the 1980's film with the same name) followed by two Riverdance-inspired traditional Irish jigs. A James Bond medley performed by the String Sinfonietta had people humming along, before the Symphony Orchestra rounded off the evening with three well-known pieces - The Mikado Overture, Shostakovich's Jazz Waltz No2, and finally, the uplifting Thunderbirds theme. Congratulations to everyone who took part - another musical triumph!

Year 1-4 House Singing Festival

The Year 1-4 Singing Festival took place on the penultimate day of term, with all the children taking to the stage to perform a selection of Disney songs, accompanied by a live band. The event was truly joyous, with classics such as ‘Let’s go fly a kite’, ‘Bare Necessities’, and ‘Oompa-lompa’ alongside more contemporary songs such as ‘Do you want to build a snowman?’ from Frozen. The Festival was rounded off with everyone joining in to sing ‘Under the Sea’ from the Little Mermaid. Well done to everyone who took part and thank you to Mr Walker and Mr Pavey some truly awful dad jokes that kept us entertained!

ABRSM Exams

Congratulations to the 80 students who had their ABRSM instrumental exams towards the end of term - the results were superb and reflected the hard work and dedication that goes into preparing for such assessments. Thank you to the teachers, parents, and accompanists who have provided such terrific support for our young musicians.

The breakdown of results was:

Distinction: 33%

Merit: 41%

Pass: 24%

To obtain 74% combined merits or distinctions is fabulous, as is the average mark of 124.5 - significantly above the international average.

Particular congratulations to those who passed their Grade 8 exams:

Mimi T (Piano) - pass; Jamie A (Violin) - merit; Freddie P (Trumpet) - distinction; Anya K (Piano) - distinction; Ahaan N (Alto sax) - distinction; and finally Maho F (Violin) who also passed with distinction, scoring an incredible 142/150

INFANTMUSIC

Infant Music has been full of colour and activity throughout the term, starting with Chinese New Year celebrations across Reception and Nursery lessons. Children played traditional instruments and performed lion dances in their music lessons and out on the stage in the playground.

Year 1 started the term with their Fairytale concert which drew together their singing and musical talents and showcased them, since then they have been composing and learning simple rhythms in music lessons.

The CCA programme has also been busy with concerts at Cluny Court for Year 1 Choir, and the Year 2 Smiley Singers visiting St John’s Nursing Home to perform for the residents with Year 5 philanthropists.

Year 2 have been learning about the orchestra and have had several talented tutors and musicians come in to visit and share their expertise on their instruments.

Our final event of term was the Reception show which took place in week 10.

Delphine Hastwell Head of Infant Music

JUNIORMUSIC

It has been a term packed full of exciting and inspiring musical activities and events for our Junior School children.

In the classroom the Year 3 music lessons were linked to their topic on the vikings. They improvised and composed a piece of music in AB form to reflect vikings in battle and valkyries soaring through the sky.

Year 4 focused on the elements of music as they composed a piece of music on the theme of Island Paradise with an ABA structure. Their music used a wide variety of tuned, untuned and orchestral instruments to depict a rural and urban environment.

Year 5 have created space movie soundtracks using Garageband, and Year 6 had a busy term preparing for their fantastic production “Lost Connection”, which showcased their acting, singing and dancing talents.

Our ensembles have performed in a wide variety of concerts and events including the orchestral and band concerts as well as performances for the Infants. Many children have performed solos and duets in our lunchtime recitals.

We enjoyed a trip to the Sands Theatre to see Matilda the Musical, with 20 students from Years 5 and 6.

The FOBISIA Primary Music Festival was a highlight of the term with 20 of our talented musicians representing Tanglin at Garden International School, KL. They enjoyed 4 days of rehearsals and workshops, in addition to a trip to KLCC and the Petrosains Discovery Centre. The event culminated in two outstanding celebration concerts involving 230 children in the choir and orchestra. Congratulations to all the children involved!

Fiona Knight Lucas Head of Junior Music

SENIORMUSIC

As we wrap up another term in the Senior Music Department, it's time to reflect on the steady stream of activities that have kept us all busy. Throughout this term, our IGCSE, A Level, and IB music students have remained focused on their performing and composing coursework, demonstrating commendable commitment to their musical studies. They have produced some outstanding performance and composition work and should be very proud of what they have achieved.

In addition, our middle school students have been immersed in some diverse musical explorations. Year 7 delved into Baroque and Chinese music, Year 8 focused on Classical and Romantic music, and solo performing, while Year 9 broadened their understanding with British and Irish folk music and Film music.

We are grateful for the fantastic resources available to us in the Centenary Building and the dedicated support of our music teachers and specialist staff. With a variety of extra-curricular concerts and events adding to the musical landscape, this term has been both enriching and rewarding for all involved.

Looking ahead, we are excited to see what term 3 has to offer.

Helen Owain Head of Senior Music

FORTHCOMINGEVENTS

Musician of the Year Finalists’ Concert

This year’s Musician of the Year competition reaches its climax in Week Two next term as the FInalists take to the stage in the Recital Room. Performing in front of a panel of external adjudicators as well as parents and friends, the musicians will compete to the the winner of their respective Categories and Classes and to be named Tanglin Musician of the Year 2024. Judging by the quality of performances in the two preliminary rounds, these concerts and the presentation of prizes is not to be missed! Good luck to all our finalists.

'A Journey through five decades of song' - An Evening with Paul Phoenix, accompanied by Tim Frost

We are delighted to be welcoming former King’s Singer and double Grammy Award-winner, Paul Phoenix, back to Tanglin Trust School in April. On Thursday 25 April, Paul will present an intimate evening of music and discussion at 6.30pm in the Recital Room. Paul will be accompanied by pianist Tim Frost, Director of Music at Junior King's Canterbury. Refreshments will be provided after the recital.

Thursday 25 April at 6.30pm in the Recital Room

Tickets $10, free for students via the link

Choral Concert at Victoria Concert Hall

Our annual Choral Concert in Victoria Concert Hall will take place on Friday 26 April starting at 6.30pm, for which tickets are now available. Members of the all the Junior and Senior choirs will be performing, and Paul Phoenix (former King's Singer) will also sing a selection of his favourite songs. Arrive early to hear our wonderful Year 2 Choir serenade you in the foyer prior to the concert. Tickets are selling fast, so buy yours quickly to avoid disappointment!

Friday 26 April at 6.30pm in Victoria Concert Hall

Tickets $15 via the link

Wed 8 May

Formal Solo & Chamber Music Concert Recital Room, 6pm

Sat 11 May

Interpretations - Art, Music & Poetry National Gallery, 10am

Sun 12 May

Year 2 Choir: Mother’s Day at Singapore Zoo Singapore Zoo, TBC

Correct at time of publication

Tue 14 May & Wed 15 May

Year 4 Concert BBPH, 5pm

Mon 20 May & Tue 21 May