AROUND THE SCHOOL
Retro on Swan a resounding success
Retro on Swan was held on the Banks of the Swan River on a still, warm evening on Thursday 12 April. With performances
by students from the Preparatory and Senior School, hosted by Kirste and Morro from 98.5 Sonshine FM, it was another
memorable night of music and fun.
To look forward you sometimes have to
look back.
How do we build on the success of last year’s
Symphony on Swan, whilst also highlighting
the full depth of student musical talent that
we have in the School of Music?
Simple. Take some of the best known songs
of the past 40 years, re-orchestrate them,
rehearse them and present them in a fun-
filled family night, complete with awesome
sound, staging, lighting and fabulous food!
Retro on Swan brought together over six
months of logistical planning, two months
of rehearsal, two days of final preparations,
hours of praying that the rain stayed away
and many, many sleepless nights for all
involved.
The event featured the Guildford Grammar
Symphony Orchestra accompanying many
of our vocalists, both performing solo and
as a part of our new contemporary vocal
performance groups.
The Orchestra was forced to work hard
to learn the 14 charts that would go into
making up the concert, with some charts
only really learnt in the two days before the
final event! With music from Neil Diamond,
Prince, The Temptations, Johnny O’Keefe,
Adele and many others, all arranged by the
talented Mr Mark Underwood, this was
never going to be an easy task!
The singers worked hard at their solo pieces,
needing to learn not only the words, but also
the stage presence and technique s required
for successful performance.
Hosted by Kirste and Morro, of 98.5
Sonshine FM, Retro on Swan was a
wonderful event that highlighted the
awesome sense of community that exists
here at Guildford Grammar School. From the
incredible food to the awesome music and
the breathtaking venue, this is an event that
will continue to be a central part of Guildford
Grammar School Music for years to come.
Now, what to do next year?
Mr Kieran Hurley
Head of Music
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