Music – Performance
Introducing the Music – Performance winners of our first ever Sydney Catholic Schools’ Lockdown Arts Festival.
To watch the amazing performances of our category winners and highly commended musicians – including the creators’ descriptions of their own work – simply click on the three lines in the top right-hand corner of the video playlist below.
Early Primary (K-2)
School: All Saints Catholic College LIVERPOOL/CASULA
Title: Praeludium harpeggiato
This is a peaceful and calm piano piece by Johann Casper Ferdinand Fischer. I played it with my own adaptation by adding the pedal, doubling some notes and slowing down the speed.
School: St Mel’s Catholic Primary School CAMPSIE
Title: Row Row Row your boat
Children’s Song Composed by Eliphalet Oram Lyte.
School: Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School BEVERLY HILLS
Title: ‘Journey to the Past’
This is one of the lead songs from the Musical Anastasia released in 1997. I am singing this to a backing track in my loungeroom with the help of my mum.
Middle Primary (3-4)
School: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School RANDWICK
Title: Tones & I ‘Fly Away’ cover by Stevie Wright
In a recent article, Tones & I suggested Fly Away was about Happiness; about chasing your dreams, reaching your goals, and the realities that comes with it. This meaning really resonated with Stevie as well as the fact that Tones & I is a fabulous Australian Artist. Whilst the theme is intended to be uplifting, some of the lyrics are really raw and describe how Stevie has experienced lockdown – feeling alone, searching how to fit in and no one knowing how she was feeling. Her interpretation includes both sadness and hope. Although closer than ever before, from a 9 year old’s perspective it still does feel ‘like a dream’ that lockdown will be over! Once she picked the song, she worked on the arrangement, music and vocals trying to stay within the 3 minutes. We are really proud of Stevie and think she has prepared a really special piece – one we hope you like and importantly Tones & I would feel she did justice.
School: St Declan’s Catholic Primary School PENSHURST
Title: Allegro
Composer: Joseph Haydn
School: Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School NORTH RYDE
Title: Base Jumper
This is a Rock School Grade 4 piece by Bob Graceful
School: St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School REGENTS PARK
Title: Kitten ‘n’ mousin on the keys piano performance
The piece is from a 4th grade AMEB piano series composed originally by Catherine Rollin.
Upper Primary (5-6)
School: Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School NORTH STRATHFIELD
Title: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road- looking forward to being out of Lockdown
“I am playing ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ by Sir Elton John. I was not familiar with his music before but I found myself really enjoying listening to it. I started a project for myself to learn to play the song with https://youtu.be/GJbVD4ZDKqQPiano as well as Drums, and I must say that I loved how it went. This song is very special to me because it truly let me enjoy the music more and helped me focus on something I like and get through the lockdown.”
School: Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School KINGSGROVE
Title: See you again
Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa.
School: St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School DULWICH HILL
Title: Bohemian Rhapsody Cover
The song I am performing is called “Bohemian Rhapsody” originally composed and performed by the band, Queen.
School: McAuley Catholic Primary School ROSE BAY
Title: I am Australian
Song originally sung by the Seekers. Adelaide sings unaccompanied version.
Lower Secondary (7-9)
School: St Ursula’s College KINGSGROVE
Title: Let it go’ cover by Jacinta Drumond
The original composer of the song, ‘Let it Go’ is James bay. In my cover I play all instruments including, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, piano, drum pads, vocals and bass (played on top 4 strings of guitar due to availability.) First time making a multi-screen video, so I hope you enjoy!
School: Marist Sisters College, WOOLWICH
Title: Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85 – Part of Movement 1
Edward Elgar ( It’s a good time to practice my favourite cello piece during lockdown )
School: Our Lady of Mercy Catholic College CRONULLA
Title: Maybe Its Time
Composer: Jason Isbell Genre: Folk Rock Country.
Upper Secondary (10-12)
School: Marist College EASTWOOD
Title: Losing My Way (COVER)
“Losing my way” is my rendition of the funk, jazz-pop song originally composed by Tom Misch and FKJ. As a part of my musical interest, I used body percussion, house-hold items, and of course my voice, guitar and keyboard to create a creative masterpiece. Such experimentation and effects allows me as an artist to go beyond the limits of my abilities and creativity especially during lockdown.
School: Marist College EASTWOOD
Title: “Robbery” – Lime Cordiale (lach’s cover)
I chose ‘Robbery’ because I thought it was fitting for our current lockdown scenario and the lockdown sessions’ theme of looking outwards from a life in lockdown. As stated by Louis, it was originally about; ‘When you meet someone, even just for a moment and they leave your life, you’re left feeling robbed. You feel as though you need to find them somehow but it’s no use.’ I felt as though this song could act as a metaphor for the time and freedom robbed from everyone during lockdown. However on a more optimistic note, it signifies how this experience of emptiness and robbery will encourage people’s appreciation for what they have in the present, that every moment is special and something to be cherished, since I guess we’re only able to truly appreciate what we’ve had in our lives until after it’s been taken for a period of time.
School: Marist College EASTWOOD
Title: The Instar Emergence by Cicada 3301 cover
This cover/adaptation was originally created by Cicada 3301, which is a secret organisation that created puzzles for people across the internet to solve. The song I have played was included as part of their puzzles. I have altered the song to better fit the theme of the festival.
Primary Class
School: Our Lady of Mt Carmel Catholic Primary School MOUNT PRITCHARD
Title: Windows
“I asked the students of 3 Green to reflect on the theme, ‘Looking outwards from a life in lockdown’ and I used some of their reflections to write the song ‘Windows’. We then remotely recorded individual students from 3 Green performing the song. We wanted to give people a sense of hope and anticipation about what is to come. ”
School: Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School, NORTH STRATHFIELD
Title: Majestically Marching out of Lockdown!
Our Junior Band have been rehearsing and practising so hard at home during the 2021 lockdown period. Students have been so motivated to bringing the joy of music to their school community, that they put together this wonderful performance of Majestic March to encourage their peers to continue to work hard as we move out of lockdown. Performers: OLA Junior Band Music: Majestic March composer Paul Lavender.
Secondary Class
School: Bethlehem College ASHFIELD
Title: “We are the world”
This performance was recorded by teachers Tom Lindner and Emily Weier (all original instrumentation, no backing tracks used). The teachers played guitar, bass, drum, piano, organ, synths and orchestral instruments as well as vocals and backing vocals (including choir) and mixed/mastered the track using Logic Pro. Solo and choral vocal performances are from the school’s enrichment music program. Students recorded themselves in lockdown with guidance from their teachers. Students also include two DLSA boys who are in co-instructional stage 6 music classes at BCA.
Staff Member or Group
School: Patrician Brothers College FAIRFIELD
Title: “Thank You Lord For Your Blessing’s” by Jeff and Sheri Easter
Music can not only heal the human soul but it can also heal our spiritual life. Through music God speaks to me and I want to share that same experience with my Brothers and Sisters who are going through this difficult time with Covid. Music is about uniting and bringing joy to the world.
School: McAuley Catholic Primary School ROSE BAY
Title: A Christmas Medley by teachers Miguel Sonnak and Liam Webb
A medley of duet carols put together by two friends on staff.
School: De La Salle College ASHFIELD
Title: Portrait of Brazil( Retrato brasileiro)
This piece was composed by Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell de Aquino in 1973. It is written in the Bossa Nova style with varying tempos in 4/4 time. The piece was written to be played solo on a nylon string classical guitar. I played the piece on a handcrafted 1984 K. Yairi YC100 classical guitar
Family Submission
School: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School FAIRFIELD
Title: Flourishing Age (Sheng Shi Guo Yue)
Guzheng ensemble work by Mr. Sun Jinyang and Mr. Zeng Wei. It was first performed on CCTV in 2017. The piece depicts the prosperity of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and is often referred to as the peak of Chinese civilisation.
School: Champagnat Catholic College PAGEWOOD
Title: A thousand years duet – violin/piano
“Soundtrack from the movie Twilight : written by Christina Perri and David Hodges Adapted for piano & violin by Strehle ”
School: Domremy Catholic College FIVE DOCK
Title: Hallelujah
Hallelujah is a 1984 song created by Leonard Cohen. It originally had 70 verses, but we did 2 verses in our performance.