PR E PA R ATORY S C HO OL
Preparatory students celebrate Chapel centenary
For the first time in many years, the
Preparatory School has a Chapel Choir. This
enthusiastic group of nine students had
the amazing opportunity to rehearse and
perform a Mass composed for the Chapel
Centenary celebrations by Gerard Brophy,
in collaboration with the Song Company,
directed by Roland Peelman. It was quite a
daunting task to prepare such a work for
performance with both the Senior School
Chapel Choir and the professional singers
of the Song Company. However, it was
worth the many hours of rehearsals as
the performance was a great success and
the experience will surely remain with the
students involved for a lifetime. Here is
what a few of your young Chapel Choir
singers had to say about the rehearsal and
performance process.
organ and singing in the tiny monk’s walk
down the sides of the Chapel.”
– Haydn Lucas
“I really liked walking in the monk’s walk
because it was really tight and my shoulders
only just fit in the passage.”
– Ryan Tamby-Rajah
Tell us about the hard work
involved in preparing for such a
significant concert.
“In the beginning, we had to rehearse every
Wednesday morning. Later on, we had
to rehearse at weekends with the Senior
School Chapel Choir.”
– Lydia Dutton
What was it like to rehearse with
a professional conductor and
choir?
“It was an inspiring experience with lots
of fun. I found the professional singers
and conductor very expressive with their
work. I especially enjoyed seeing how the
conductor expressed himself.”
– Lydia Dutton
“It was amazing rehearsing with the
professional choir because they brought
their knowledge and enthusiasm to our
school choir which made the performance
more exciting.”
– Haydn Lucas
“It was really scary and fun at the same time
because if you sung the wrong note you
34
would get a really weird look and in your
head you would be saying, ‘I hope they
didn’t hear me.’”
– Ryan Tamby-Rajah
What did you like the most
about our Chapel Centenary
performance?
“I like the harmony of the music and
singing.”
– Lydia Dutton
“My favourite parts about the performance
were singing with a professional conductor
and choir, singing in the chapel loft with the
“It was extremely hard work to get this
performance ready for the Chapel services.
It included every Wednesday morning from
7.30am in the music room, and during school
time rehearsing in the Eric Palmer studio with
Senior School boys and the Song Company.”
– Haydn Lucas
What is the most important
thing that you learned from this
experience?
“The most important thing I have learnt
is that an important part of a successful
concert is good team work and lots of hard
work by everyone.”
– Lydia Dutton
“From this experience I learnt that if you put
in 100% and work hard on the task, it will
be a big success.”
– Haydn Lucas