Chamber Choir
Teacher in Charge: Ms D Holder
The membership of this choir is closed, usually with a total not exceeding 15. Prospective members have to audition for the available places and must be senior students (Grade 10 – 12), have choral experience, be good singers and must be able to sight read to some degree.
The choir meets twice weekly, on a Wednesday evening and during the 12 – 1 pm period on a Friday. A variety of music is sung, including unaccompanied (a capella) and accompanied, sacred and secular. Choir members are encouraged to run their own part practices, to take occasional solos and to be part of the annual auditions. A choir head is elected each year. The level of commitment expected is high. “True commitment is when the going gets tough” (like during exams and on hot Friday afternoons just prior to lunch).
Because the group is fairly small, versatile and very transportable, it gets asked to sing for various events. It is also the group that goes on the annual Music Tour. Deserving members may be awarded Colours and Half Colours, if they have met all the criteria.
Senior Orchestra The Senior Orchestra meets once a week on Tuesday afternoons and every third Monday afternoon. The ensemble consists of Strings (the largest number in the ensemble), Woodwinds (two of each instrument) and Brass (two each of French horn, Trombone and Trumpets) and a piano. Joining the orchestra is by invitation (especially the wind instruments which need to be at a good playing level), but prospective members are encouraged to speak to the conductor and committee if interested. The ensemble plays custom-made arrangements by the conductor with the emphasis being on variety and appeal to both musicians and audience. The orchestra collaborates a lot with the Chamber Choir and Chapel Choirs. It has played for various functions like Art Exhibition openings, cocktail parties and dinners and of course, on Speech Day. The Senior Orchestra joins the other ensembles on tour as well as performing at a number of concerts. These include Cultural evenings, Charity events (such as Hospice concerts) and of course, performing during the John Axe Arts Week. All who play in the ensemble are very committed and work hard, but the main focus of the orchestra is to provide good fun while learning valuable ensemble techniques and providing great music with talented players. Chapel Choir
Teacher in Charge: Mr K Moss
Teacher in Charge: Mrs M Carver
All new boys are auditioned for the Chapel Choir. If they are successful they are invited to join. It is a big choir and there are two practices a week, one part practice and one full practice with the girls’ Chapel Choir. The choirs sing together at several important events during the year, the Easter Oratorio, The Carol Service and Arts Week and Prize Giving. However the main role of the choir is to lead the worship in chapel.
St Andrew’s College and DSG Chapel Choir visits St Matthew’s The St Andrew’s College Chapel Choir joined the pupils of St Matthew’s School form Keiskammahoek for their morning prayer service recently. Also singing were the DSG Chapel Choir and the Kingswood Choir. Each choir sang two items and then joined to sing a version of the prayer for Africa to close the service. 
Jazz Band
Teacher in Charge: Matthew Sabine
The Jazz Band is chosen entirely by audition. It is a standard Big Band (13 horns and 5 piece rhythm section), and there is also a jazz chorus that sings with this band when required. The jazz chorus is also chosen by audition. The minimum playing ability of the Big Band members is around Grade 5 RSM, although simply having passed this grade is not in itself a qualifying token for acceptance. The instruments involved are: saxophones (alto, tenor, baritone and soprano), trumpet (and flugelhorn), trombone, piano, bass, drums and guitar. Membership to this group is only available to those who can make every single rehearsal - no clashes with other commitments are accepted. Big Band rehearsals are every Wednesday and every third Monday, from 5:30 - 6:30 PM. Vocal group: Wed 5:30 - 6:30. Marimba Group The marimba group meets once a week. They do not have to read music or have any previous experience playing instruments. The group practises to build up numbers that can be played for Chapel Services and for other occasions.
Teacher in Charge: Mrs M Carver
Pipe Band
Teacher in Charge: Mr C Terry
Started in 1938, the College Pipe Band is the oldest school pipe band in the country. The band wears the Graham of Montrose tartan.
The band functions as the cadet band, playing for our normal cadet parades, which include a Retreat Ceremony on Speech Day, and a parade into town for Remembrance Sunday. In addition, the band is sometimes asked to play at other functions; and when the standard is sufficiently high, the band may travel away to compete at competitions around the country. Pipers: aspiring pipers are initially taught to play the bagpipe by a current member of the band. Once they graduate into the band itself, their teaching is taken over by the band instructor. The length of time it takes for a learner to graduate into the band depends almost entirely on how much time the learner devotes to the instrument. As a very rough guide, if the learner spends only 15 minutes a day, it will take him at least 2 years to get into the band. Devoting half an hour a day will shorten this to approximately 9 months. Really hard-working learners have been known to reach this stage in 2 months, but this is very rare. Real proficiency on the instrument follows only after a considerable period of time. Most pipers have the opportunity to play in individual piping competitions, and over the years many boys from College have been very successful in solo piping events. Drummers fall into 2 categories – side drummers and bass section. Bass section players (bass or tenor) learn the basics very quickly – thereafter playing in the bass section becomes very boring unless you make an effort to develop your flourishing and learn to fit your rhythms to the music. You need to make something of it yourself. Pipe Band side drumming is a highly developed form of drumming, with very involved technique, and as with piping, real expertise requires considerable effort. At present side drummers are taught by a Rhodes University student who is a very competent player. Band practice times are as follows: 1. Learners arrange individual lessons with their teachers – usually done on a one-to-one basis, or at most in groups of two learners. These usually happen during Quiet Period, or immediately after supper, for 30 minutes. 2. Pipers (in the band) have a group practice for an hour on Monday in the Quiet Period. 3. Side drummers (in the band) have a group practice by arrangement with the drumming tutor. 4. Full band practices take place on Fridays (12h00-13h00) and Monday afternoons during Period 7, when boys are released from class. It must be stressed that boys joining the band are expected to make a considerable commitment, in time, but more particularly in attitude. Learning to play the pipes or side drum requires self-discipline. Joining the band is not something that can be done as an occasional pastime – once you are in the band, you are expected to work hard at your skill level, and strive for perfection. Boys interested in joining the Pipe Band should consider carefully what other activities they are also interested in, as many extra-mural activities happen at the same time. Joining the Pipe Band means making a regular commitment. This is not for the fickle or the faint-hearted! Wind Orchestra Any woodwind or brass instrumentalist who can play with an approximate standard equivalent to ABRSM or Trinity Grade 3 is eligible to begin their probation in this group. There are also percussion posts. At various points in the first two terms, a probationers’ test will be given: if the instrumentalist passes he then qualifies as a full member of the orchestra. The orchestra plays music from a variety of different styles and is part of the annual tours. It performs at numerous concerts and special occasions during the year and also regularly joins the Senior Orchestra to form a philharmonic sized orchestra. Rehearsals are every Thursday and every third Monday, both at 5:30 - 6:30 pm.
Teacher in Charge: Mr R van Heerden
