Well known composer returns to College
Music is a strong part of the cultural programme at St Andrew’s College and played a vital role in the Jubilee 150 year. Alongside the routine chapel services and concerts special events planned for 2005 reflected the rich variety of music in the life of the school. To mark the celebratory year, composers Bongani Ndodana and Guy de Villiers, both Old Andreans, were approached to write musical compositions.
De Villiers visited the school from the 8 to 10 March to introduce his piece and ran composition workshops for St Andrew’s College and DSG pupils. Matriculating from St Andrew’s College in 1996 and then studying music for Film and TV at the Royal Academy in London he began working on Lloyd Webber productions before he graduated. He is currently living in London and is steadily carving a place for himself in the world of musical theatre. His most exhilarating project to date was Music Coordinator for the acclaimed film ‘Phantom of the Opera’.
The eight minute piece entitled ‘The Blue and the Green’ which de Villiers composed is a combination of the two school hymns, ‘Jesus Calls us o'er the tumult’, and ‘For all the saints’. The workshops he held were varied, with discussions pivoting around the creative process of the composer and the pragmatic realities of working in composition today.
“Composing is similar to an architect’s role. There needs to be a strong plan which is then supported by the bricks and mortar,” said de Villiers. He encouraged budding composers not to be frightened of composing but to listen to constructive criticism.
Bongani Ndodana currently resides in Canada and matriculated from St Andrew’s College in 1993. Ndodana is working on a composition for the Jubilee. It is hoped that he will also have time to visit the school to impart his musical knowledge and experience. (this will have to be updated not sure if he is visiting the school).
“It is an enormous privilege for the school to have such high profile musicians contribute to the Jubilee in this way. The rights to perform and record these works are being donated to the school by Guy and Bongani, and the magnitude of this gesture cannot be underestimated. These new compositions, being written by two artists whose musical foundations were laid at St Andrew’s College, are sure to become favourites for our vocal and instrumental performers,” said Mandy Carver, Director of Music.
Missing Helen8th May 2012
"Missing Helen" will be St Andrew's College and DSG's Dance 2012 Production. Updates on the preparation and production will be posted here.
Ireland Debating Tour4th May 2012
13 College Debaters participated in the St Andrew's Ireland Model United Nations competition in Dublin.
