IPSHA Music Festival
23 August 2018

Last Thursday evening, our Junior School and Concert Choirs participated in the 2018 IPSHA Music Festival held at Melbourne Town Hall. Run over two nights, this year’s event involved more than 1000 students from 21 Independent schools across Victoria.

When it was out time to perform, our Junior School Concert Choir led the way with El Vito, a Traditional Spanish folk song, arranged with English lyrics by Emily Crocker. This was followed by our Junior School Choir performing Adiemus from Songs of Sanctuary, with music and lyrics by Karl Jenkins.

Both choirs presented and sang beautifully, with choreographed movements timed perfectly. They were a credit to themselves and the School, and not surprisingly, the audience clearly showed their appreciation for Westbourne’s performance. Indeed, the staff and I even had principals, conductors and parents from other schools approach at the conclusion of the evening, passing glowing comments about the standard of the choral singing achieved by our choirs.

I congratulate all the students involved on a wonderful performance and also wish to acknowledge and thank Ms Belinda Rasen (conductor), Mr Jason Smith (accompanist) and Mrs Dianne Robinson (for all her work behind the scenes). Certainly, all the hard work in rehearsals has led to some outstanding choral singing, not at this festival but at other recent events, such as the Annual Concert.

Paul Barklamb – Head of Junior School