After attending the recent Music at Midday concert by the RMC Band, Year 6 students at Canberra Girls Grammar School were tasked with writing a review of the performance.

Their music teacher, Wyana O’Keeffe, selected two reviews for publication by Canberra Daily: the first by Eleanor Harley, the second by Eleanor Hall.

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On Tuesday 7 June, the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon played at the Canberra Theatre for the Music at Midday concert. The band’s main role is ceremonial, but lucky for us, it is also a concert band. Conducted by Major Matt O’Keeffe, the theme for this concert was the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, so all the pieces were made popular in 1951, 1952 and 1953. The atmosphere was exciting and filled with anticipation. The performance was interesting, and the music was played without a noticeable fault.

The third piece they played was called ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, by Robin & Styne, with a solo by Sergeant Jen Cooke. It was originally in a movie called Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and sung by Marilyn Monroe. It was in four/four time, and was a homophonic piece, which means it had a melody and a harmony. The atmosphere was jazzy, and the audience was excited as soon it was announced. The sixth piece they played was from one of my favourite movies, Singin’ in the Rain. The piece they played was Good Morning, by Brown & Freed. The audience was buzzing with excitement, and the singer, Sergeant Deb O’Toole’s voice went perfectly with the music. The trumpet part was particularly prominent, given the opportunity to shine in the instrumental section. Without doubt, the most popular piece they played was Pomp and Circumstance No 1, by Sir Edward Elgar. This piece is often called the UK’s second national anthem and it was fitting to be included in the concert, as it was played at the Queen’s coronation. The audience was invited by Major O’Keeffe to sing along, and the words and a slideshow of photos of the Queen were put up on the screen. At this point, where the audience began to sing Land of Hope and Glory, the dynamics dropped from forte to mezzo piano, so the singing could be heard. It was interesting to see sections of the piece which are normally played by string instruments being played by brass and woodwind instruments. 

I really enjoyed the concert, as the pieces that were played were enjoyable and fitted the theme very well. As a clarinet player myself, I particularly liked watching the clarinet section, and hearing the clarinets harmonise with the other instruments was pleasing to hear. The next Music at Midday performance by the Duntroon Band is on Tuesday 9 August and I thoroughly recommend going to it.

• By Eleanor Harley, Canberra Girls Grammar School

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On Tuesday 7 June, we went to the Canberra Theatre and watched a performance by the Royal Military College of Duntroon which celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. There were ten songs, all from the early 1950s, three of which particularly grabbed my attention. 

English Dances, Movement 2, by Malcom Arnold happened to be one of them. This piece was light, sharp, high pitched, and had an upbeat tempo. The speed of this song moved between fast and slightly less fast throughout its duration. Mainly wind instruments featured in this piece, with a consistent cymbal beat in the background which was quite quick. Another common feature was the use of buildup. I think this made the piece more enticing and interesting to listen to because it was very dramatic and left you on the edge of your seat as the ensemble played louder and louder. This song was composed for an orchestra by Arnold in 1950 and 1951. It is part of a set of tunes all inspired by country folk dances. I think the performance by the Royal Military College well reflected this era of music through their use of texture in this piece. All the layers of the song, with the chirpy flutes and piccolos playing on top, gave me an image of the flowers blossoming and the birds chattering at the beginning of spring. This piece was a breath of fresh air, and was very different in terms of speed and sound to the other lower and slower songs in the concert.

In all its charm and jazziness, Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend, created by Robin & Styne and performed by Sergeant Jen Cooke and the Royal Military College, was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. This song was first seen in the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1953. I, too, enjoyed this tune because of the shockingly strong lead voice which was complemented greatly by the instrumentalists. I heard a lot of trumpets, saxophones, and other jazz instruments playing alongside a quiet drum beat hidden behind the glamour of the other musicians. The music was sort of slow and gentle, while the lead voice was loud and powerful. Near the end of the piece, more percussion instruments joined in, providing a grand and classy atmosphere which went well with the lyrics of the song, talking about diamonds and expensive jewellery. This song is not necessarily something you would expect at a Jubilee Concert, but I think it was much appreciated by the enthusiastic and animated audience members for its thoughtful composition and amazing performance by Sergeant Cooke.

It was majorly exciting when bagpipe player Dave Leaders and some of the musicians from the Queen’s Royal Hussars appeared on stage to perform Highland Cathedral by Roever & Korb. This piece began with only a single bagpipe musician and a rhythmic drummer playing, but when many more instruments eventually joined in, the song was truly brought to life, just like a traditional Scottish performance. I could make out a vast range of instruments, from flutes and clarinets to trumpets and french horns. Mostly woodwind musicians, accompanied by percussionists with all kinds of fancy drums. This tune definitely reminded me of a Royal Jubilee with its fluctuating speed and loud bridge or climax of the piece. I could clearly picture a grand event like a coronation, which is interesting given that this song is often performed at huge Scottish cultural events, including Scotland’s Rugby Union games. You may have also heard this piece at a wedding or funeral, and it is also a popular choice for an alternative National Anthem of Scotland. I think this song may be suited to these events because it was forte and loud and exciting, with a fast and slow tempo to thrill the audience. Overall, this performance captured the essence of a true royal ceremony, and I could tell that the bagpipes were highly commended by the audience. 

In conclusion, this concert was a colourful display of many pieces of music from the time of the Queen’s Accession which was beautifully performed by the Royal Military College Band. 

• Eleanor Hall, Canberra Girls Grammar School