At the beginning of 2006, with the official opening of our new Music Centre, all 53 students taking Music as a subject presented extracts from “Fiddler on the Roof” on the lawn in front of the Centre.

Pupils study a variety of instruments: piano, organ, singing, flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, cello, trumpet, guitar and drum set. There are two full-time teachers and three part-time teachers teaching these instruments. An afternoon programme for extra music runs for students other than subject music students.

An Inter-house competition for solo and ensemble, and vocal and instrumental work, takes place every year during the second term and the winners take part in our annual Founders celebrations.
At the end of August, the Grade 10 music pupils organise a formal evening with a three-course meal where the Matrics perform their programmes for the final IEB exams. It is an evening of celebration, elegance and achievement of years of hard work.

Over the last 4 years, the music department has grown with over 10% of our current student body taking music as a subject. In 2009 we did a full-blown musical called ‘Two by Two’ with no pre-recorded music and our own orchestra played live. From next year we are introducing a DAM evening each term. DAM meaning Drama, Art and Music and these evenings will be held at the dam (weather permitting).

As always, we performed at Chapel Services and on Founders evening, we were congratulated by Mr Lovett, who was impressed by the number of boys in the choir.

I had the privilege to go to Johannesburg and work with international choir directors such as Prof Kare Hanken from Norway. It certainly broadened my mind and horizons and helped create new ideas which I could successfully implement in the choir.

After Founders, we were invited to sing at the launch of the new Audi in Nelspruit, which was a very special occasion and surely a feather in our cap! Although the fumes of the diesel-engined car were in our faces, we sang our hearts out and shortly afterwards we were privileged to be in the Lowvelder.

The annual Combined Choir Evening in our school hall, where the Prep choirs also sang and our orchestra took part, was held in August and the ‘surround sound’ placing of choirs was a hit! We ended with the audience singing the school hymn, accompanied by the orchestra.

All that is left for this year’s choir is Valediction and the Carol Service. Thank you to each and every member of the choir this year, who made it worth while for everybody else. A special thanks to Anthony, our gap from England, who became one of us and was at every rehearsal and performance.

See News & Events Highlights for Eisteddfod results.

Marimba Band
The Marimba Band performed at a wedding on 19 September 2009. This was wonderful exposure for them and the Culture Department and a wonderful opportunity to advertise Uplands College. The remarkable performance was largely African music to a mostly British audience.

The Band also made their mark again at the Eisteddfod. In 2010, the marimbas were used predominantly by the Matrics for their ensemble performances. Once again African music was our main focus. The value of performing on these instruments is not to be underestimated.