King Island October 07
What a week! I arrived on the island Sunday afternoon, a slightly bumpier intro than I've had on previous trips.
On the ground, King Island was living up to it's name as the place where "Nothing Ever Changes But The Weather". Well, not strictly true. The weather did change every five minutes or so but the kids I was working with had certainly changed. Mostly grown in stature but also in attitude and outlook. The new-found maturity of many of the kids I'd worked with previously was quite beautiful.
In between blowing a gale and being balmy and spring-like, it poured with rain and I wondered if I'd brought enough warm clothes with me! Nevertheless, I didn't have time to think about anything as mundane as being warm for the next seven days as we got into the swing of rehearsals for the KIDHS Theatre Restaurant.
Prior to my arrival the students and staff had chosen a theme for this year - sustainability - and some of the material that they wanted to sing as a choir. Big Yellow Taxi (Counting Crows version) We Are All In This Together (Ben Lee) and I suggested Saltwater (Julian Lennon). With only a week it was a bit impractical to try and develop original work as well as performance skills so we opted for doing covers. The Grade 6 class were also keen to get involved so we developed an arrangement of the Saint Saens melody If I Had Words (with lyrics by Fitzgerald & Keeley).
Everyone seemed a little tentative to start with and I recall feeling a bit panic-stricken around lunchtime Monday, but by the end of school Tuesday everyone seemed to be pulling together better and I knew we'd be ok. The outstanding efforts of staff and students got us all over the line!
It was a shame I couldn't stay for two weeks and perhaps next year we'll organise it better so I can do that, but this time round I had to go to Melbourne to fulfill long-standing engagements for gigs and workshops. In fact, when the students were giving their main performance the following Thursday night, I was playing at the Lomond Hotel in Brunswick! I left messages with staff that afternoon to wish everyone well but I admit it was difficult not being there.
Reports I've had back are that it went very, very well. The theme of sustainability is one that's very close to the hearts of these kids and they worked incredibly hard to develop theatrical and revue-style pieces that would portray what they feel, think and (in some cases) fear. I guess what most of them want is the same as any generation that's come before - a safe, clean and secure world to live in.
All power to them!
Leaving The Island Again
7th October 2007
On the ground, King Island was living up to it's name as the place where "Nothing Ever Changes But The Weather". Well, not strictly true. The weather did change every five minutes or so but the kids I was working with had certainly changed. Mostly grown in stature but also in attitude and outlook. The new-found maturity of many of the kids I'd worked with previously was quite beautiful.
In between blowing a gale and being balmy and spring-like, it poured with rain and I wondered if I'd brought enough warm clothes with me! Nevertheless, I didn't have time to think about anything as mundane as being warm for the next seven days as we got into the swing of rehearsals for the KIDHS Theatre Restaurant.
Prior to my arrival the students and staff had chosen a theme for this year - sustainability - and some of the material that they wanted to sing as a choir. Big Yellow Taxi (Counting Crows version) We Are All In This Together (Ben Lee) and I suggested Saltwater (Julian Lennon). With only a week it was a bit impractical to try and develop original work as well as performance skills so we opted for doing covers. The Grade 6 class were also keen to get involved so we developed an arrangement of the Saint Saens melody If I Had Words (with lyrics by Fitzgerald & Keeley).
Everyone seemed a little tentative to start with and I recall feeling a bit panic-stricken around lunchtime Monday, but by the end of school Tuesday everyone seemed to be pulling together better and I knew we'd be ok. The outstanding efforts of staff and students got us all over the line!
It was a shame I couldn't stay for two weeks and perhaps next year we'll organise it better so I can do that, but this time round I had to go to Melbourne to fulfill long-standing engagements for gigs and workshops. In fact, when the students were giving their main performance the following Thursday night, I was playing at the Lomond Hotel in Brunswick! I left messages with staff that afternoon to wish everyone well but I admit it was difficult not being there.
Reports I've had back are that it went very, very well. The theme of sustainability is one that's very close to the hearts of these kids and they worked incredibly hard to develop theatrical and revue-style pieces that would portray what they feel, think and (in some cases) fear. I guess what most of them want is the same as any generation that's come before - a safe, clean and secure world to live in.
All power to them!
Leaving The Island Again7th October 2007
posted by Debra Manskey at 4:41 pm
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