The Ridge School Magazine 2020

MUSIC & CULTURE
MUSIC REPORT
This year has been one of the strangest by far, and
music took a hard hit by the pandemic that swept
over the Nation in a flurry.
2020 has been one for the history books in many ways, and for our
Music Department the same is true. The year started off at a presto
pace with new instrumentalists signing up and music filling the corridors
of a packed department. All rehearsal spaces were filled to the brim
with music lessons,
Performing Arts classes, choir practices, rock bands, drummers
drumming and the ever-present resonant marimbas. Friday assemblies
were abuzz with showcases from each musical ensemble and the staff
had worked hard to start the new Ridge Century off on a well-tuned
musical note.
Covid-19 came quickly, and all activities were put under a large musical
pause. The once lively Music Department was plunged into darkness and
the deafening silence permeated through the hallways with a gloom that
hung in the air. Music Departments are not meant for silence, they are
the home of the squeaks of the saxophone and the screeches of a violin
being bowed for the very first time. They include the musical elegance
of accomplished piano students and the electric vibes of a budding Rock
Band. We had silence, deafening silence, unbearable muted silence.
Even though the tangible sounds of music were not evident in the
hallways, the boys managed to continue their musical journeys with
the help of technology, and we learnt a new way of connection and
harmony, from behind our screens. Individual lessons moved onto Zoom
or Google Meets and lessons continued from the comfort of their own
homes. Boys and staff upskilled themselves and learnt a new way of
teaching and learning in order to keep the music alive.
I joined the team in the middle of this strange world, in isolation, in
silence, without having met the boys or staff. The wonder of technology
allowed us to connect with each other while in separate spaces and
enabled the important link between teacher and student to continue.
Choir began online rehearsals, where boys logged in to their voice part
and learnt their musical line. It was not the usual sounds of a group of
boys singing, but rather, everyone remained on mute and showed their
enthusiasm through their camera, which for some never worked and
proof of life was often left unverified. The aim was to put each part
together to form a harmonious refrain. The boys videoed themselves
individually and it was all edited together to form the spectacular Virtual
Choir project I am but a Small Voice. This was showcased at the school’s
first ever Virtual Founders Day.
The Jazz band and Wind bands also tried their hand at Virtual rehearsals,
although this did prove quite tricky with delayed internet and loadshedding
as well as tuning from a distance. We organised a Virtual Soiree
for all the individual instrumentalists, where the boys sent in videos of
their home performances and we edited them together for a virtual
concert. These can be found on the school’s YouTube page for posterity
and include performances from boys in Grade 0 all the way to Grade 7.
Term 3, thankfully, brought a well needed reprise into the department
as we slowly reintroduced individual teaching back on campus. This was
only allowed for a few instruments as regulations and safety protocols
now became a daily routine. Masks formed part of our day-to-day
uniform and boys returned subdued but happy to reinvigorate their
learning. After months of untuned violins, bad lighting, and non-optimal
camera angles, it was the best gift to have the boys back in class.
The Marimba bands were reintroduced alongside the Clubs when we
finally reached Level 1. Boys came bounding into the make-shift marimba
space where the walls began to reverberate with energy and excitement
as the notes were played again after months of stillness. The String
Ensemble and Choirs came back to life at the end of the year with
muffled singing and stifled chats in rehearsals as we all slowly navigated
our ‘New Normal’. The boys learnt new auditory skills as being so far
apart meant that listening carefully to each other would prove the most
important skill to holding each ensemble together.
The subject of Performing Arts was introduced this year and is a hybrid
subject of Music, Dance and Drama. The boys have flourished in this
new realm and have had a lot of opportunities to express themselves
in several different Art Forms. The Heritage Day Assembly showcased
a wide range of skills and talents learnt in these classes and was a
wonderful celebration that took place on the Hersov Field. It culminated
in the Jerusalema Dance Challenge with staff and boys dancing together
in safely spaced celebration.
Some performances to note after a long hiatus include: The Marimba
performance at the Grade 0 Parents Information afternoons, The Grade
7s fabulous Remembrance Day assembly where Thabo Mngomezulu
gave a confident solo piano performance and the emotional last post
played on Trumpet by Gcobani Ndadana and Thomas Dewar, and The
2015 Ridge Leaver’s assembly where Kabir Budlender played the 1 st
Movt of the Seitz violin Concerto no. 5.
The department culminated the year with two special Christmas
Assemblies where the boys and staff celebrated Christmas together in
the main parking lot and showcased some of their musical talents to one
another after one of the most challenging years. The Junior Assembly
was led by the very capable Grade 3 boys who told the Christmas story
and had an opportunity for public speaking, where otherwise a Nativity
play would have been. They excelled in weaving the assembly together,
as each Grade had an opportunity to sing and present a musical item to
the school. The Senior Assembly was led by a few eloquent Grade 7s as
they presented the Nine Nativity Lessons and were joined by the school
to sing Christmas Carols. The String Ensemble, Concert Band, Choir and
Marimba bands each showcased an item at these Assemblies.
The definition of a Christmas Carol is a “Song of Joy”, and these
assemblies brought about much musical joy as we ended the year on a
high note after months of silence and unchartered navigation during the
Pandemic. All the boys who chose to persevere and continue on their
musical journeys, despite the challenges of the past year, are commended
for their efforts and endurance. The music department looks forward to
the New Year with new possibilities and with committed boys and staff
this is definitely an achievable goal.
CAROL ACKERMANN
Director of Music
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