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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-06-27 Daily Xml
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MATTERS OF INTEREST

CABRA DOMINICAN COLLEGE

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:24): I bring to the council's attention the recent US trip of Cabra college music department's drum corps, jazz band and show choir. On 16 March, under the direction of Miss Saz Burton, music coordinator for the trip, and Rob Boundy, the instrumental percussion teacher and ensemble director, 28 Cabra students went on the school's first music trip to the USA.

The drum corps and show choir's first performance was at the Watseka Show Choir Invitational, where they shared the stage with high schools from all over Illinois. They then performed at the Alan B. Shepard High School showcase where the drum corps played two sets of compositions written by Rob Boundy, followed by another performance at the high school's St Baldrick's Day celebration—a fundraiser for children with cancer.

This allowed the students and teachers to play with the school's cheerleaders, jazz band and basketball players to around 2,000 people, one of the many highlights of their trip. Another exciting visit was to Western Michigan University where they performed under the guidance of Dr Stephen Zegree of the widely-known Gold Company program at WMU.

Following this, they performed as special guests at the Next Generation Jazz Festival in Monterey, a three-day event for high schools enabling them to perform, compete and compose in many divisions. The last stop was Disneyland with a performance at the Magic World of Disney in Anaheim which both captivated the audience and left the students with an experience they will never forget.

During the tour, students gained valuable exposure to competitions, watching rehearsals of world-class drum corps internationals, experiencing a performance from five times Grammy-nominated jazz pianist, Fred Hersch, as well as being a part of many educational experiences.

The benefits of this trip were not just one way. Showcasing Australian heritage and culture through Australian-themed performances involving drums, choir, band and Indigenous instruments was highly appreciated by the Midwest audience. Building a relationship with other schools and audiences and witnessing the commitment and enthusiasm of American schools and communities is something that these students will bring back to Adelaide.

I will say just a little bit about those who organised and ran the trip. Rob Boundy started at Cabra college in 2008 and has built up the school's drumming community to include the Cabra Dominican College Drum Corps, involving students from year 7 to year 12. I might add that other students aged 15 to 17 are also given this opportunity through the school's extracurricular music program. Saz Burton, also a teacher at Cabra as previously mentioned, is an alumnus of WMU, which was invaluable in smoothly organising and coordinating the trip.

The commitment from both teachers shows that passion for music in South Australia is well and truly alive. Countless hours of rehearsal during lunch, after school and weekends, together with a fundraiser night and performances for the junior and senior drum corps at WOMADelaide and a twilight USA farewell concert, were part of the preparation for their successful tour. We must not forget the parents and school community for their efforts in bringing this tour to reality.

I conclude by acknowledging the commitment and contribution by all in achieving such a successful musical tour showcasing South Australian talent to a wide American community. Without such dedication, the growth of music in South Australia would not be possible. This was an excellent opportunity to show that, while South Australia may be a little state, it is one that drives the quest for excellence equal to anywhere in the world. Finally, I thank Kelly Reynolds for her assistance in compiling this matter of interest.

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