On Monday, 30 July The Newington community was treated to a fantastic evening of music at the annual Founders Concert, which was held at City Recital Centre, Angel Place. In his welcome, Director of Music Mr Mark Scott explained the power of music in our lives.

Music means something different for everyone. Throughout time and across cultures, it forms the soundtracks of our lives. There is little more powerful than a familiar melody, a memorable rhythm, or a combination of sounds. The feelings within musical creations invade our humanity in deeply personal ways – even if simply to make us feel brighter, get us moving, or remember something that we thought we’d forgotten.

Music can be played with passion because it embodies passion. A musician’s job is to tap into the essence of a piece and convey the intent of the composer to the listener. Sometimes an expected emotional message will be conveyed depending on who plays the music, who receives the music, and when the music is presented. The magic of music is in the mystery.

With one foot planted in the Age of Reason, Beethoven redefined the purpose of classical music, shattering conventions and infusing it with new views on the artistic expression of passion. For this reason we selected his image to represent our concert theme this year. The repertoire has been assembled to encourage thoughts about passion, how it can be represented musically, and the changing nature of the purpose of music.

Our boys and staff begin each day with purpose driven by a passion to make music. We are grateful for this opportunity and for the support given by our school community.

It was an incredible evening for the Newington Community. Bravo to all involved!