Term 3, edition 1 2018 From the Head of School’s Desk

Half term is a wonderful respite in a very busy year. While we all look forward to time away from school, we do need to take cognisance of the girls’ involvement in all school activities so far this term. There has been great excitement around our official birthday celebration and we hope you have enjoyed the video of the day. This newsletter will confirm the many highlights. I would like to comment on our “piping hot” beginning to half term. We were thrilled to officially reopen and rededicate the Epworth Chapel in January this year, especially as it is our 120th year and 60 years after the completion of the building of the Chapel. We moved the choir from the gallery to the front of the Chapel, providing a stage area for worship and performances, opened up the transepts to increase visibility and improve acoustics, and most recently, installed a new organ in such a way as to complement the original architecture of the building. This project required particular sensitivity given the place the Epworth Chapel has in the hearts of the extended Epworthian community. We are grateful to the school’s architects (Jeremy and Patrick Hathorn) for the sensitive way in which they have remodelled the space and to the contractors and cabinet makers for their superb handiwork. We are delighted with the result, and already the venue has been used for major chapel services, a number of concerts including “Singing in Time” which saw a sizeable orchestra and choir on stage, and the Prep School’s recent production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. To achieve the replacement of the chapel organ we had to rely on the help of the extended Epworthian community to raise the money needed to purchase the new instrument. Val Cameron, who taught music, directed the choirs and was the school’s organist here for many years, was approached and so the Val Cameron Organ Appeal was launched. We are very grateful to Val for her willingness to support this project. Huge thanks also to Sue Keyworth (Epworthian and Epworth Trust Chair) and Renée Alcock (Epworthian and Curator of the Epworth Museum) for their unstinting efforts to communicate the appeal to our Epworthians. Sue also chaired the Chapel Refurbishment Committee. We are enormously grateful to the many Epworthians, friends of Epworth and friends of music in this area who gener- ously donated money towards the purchase of this new instrument, which will support Epworth’s tradition of Methodist hymn singing and will accompany choirs for services and concerts. A special thank you to David Orr for his dream for this evening. The following excerpt gives a brief background to David and his music career. “David started organ lessons when he was 12, when the organist at his family’s parish had the foresight to offer two youngsters in the congregation free introductory lessons. He completed the ABRSM Grade 8 examination in both piano and organ while a pupil at Rondebosch Boys’ High School and continued his musical studies at Rhodes University, studying6 distinctions organ with Christopher6 distinctions Cockburn. Following the completion of a MMus6 distinctions degree in Organ Performance,6 distinctions David taught88,4 music% aggregate for seven years,87,6 initially % aggregate at Epworth and later at St Anne’s Diocesan83,2 %College, aggregate with a particular80,8 % focusaggregate on the Head Girl Cell Group Leader Badge of Honour: Head of Junior developmentDux of School of the choirs and Jazzchapel Band music. In 2007 he was appointed DirectorEquestrian of Music Show at St George’sReading Cathedral Groups in Cape2nd Town team andHockey played for many of the cathedral services. He developed and implementedJumping a comprehensiveCross-country programme Vice Captain KZN Show Jumping Captain of concerts – the Raise the Roof Concert Series – which drew sizable audiences into the cathedral for monthlyCanoeing concerts. team In 2013 David returned to Epworth as Head of Music and Culture.” Laura Bekker New performing arts complex Work has started on the construction of a state-of-the-art performing arts complex, which will provide new and vastly improved facilities for Epworth’s varied cultural activities. The Haley Hall is being extensively renovated and will include a side gallery with extra seating. A dance studio is being built alongside it, as well as a double story drama and music wing. This will include classrooms, two music ensem- ble rooms, a marimba/percussion room, teaching offices, and a large number of instrumental teaching rooms. Happy 120th birthday, Epworth

6 distinctions 6 distinctions 1898 - 2018 6 distinctions 88,4 % aggregate 87,6 % aggregate 83,2 % aggregate Head Girl Cell Group Leader Badge of Honour: Dux of School Jazz Band Equestrian Show 2nd team Hockey Jumping Captain KZN Show Jumping A Wild Coast adventure

On the last day of the second term, a group of eight pupils left Msikaba, in the Eastern Cape, on the second Epworth Mpondoland Odyssey. The six-day hike, along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, tested the group’s resolve as they crossed long sandy beaches, climbed steep hills in howling winds and negotiated tidal rivers carrying all their supplies on their backs. Each pupil was given the opportunity to lead the group, which taught them valuable map reading and navigation skills. The trip was also a unique cross-cultural experience as the group was hosted by local communities along the way. Sixty-seven minutes for Mandela Day Epworth pupils and staff marked Mandela Day by dedicating 67 minutes of the school day to various activities that involved giving back to the community. They picked up litter in and around the school, made eco bricks and puzzles for Singakwenza and posters for Nichols School, and iced cupcakes for CANSA.

Epworth hosted Bands to the Max, which featured a variety of bands and music styles, including marimba, jazz and Epworth presented the Cancer Association of orchestral, from Epworth, Hilton College, , with a cheque for R20 000 from a portion of the proceeds Maritzburg College, St Anne’s, St John’s DSG and St Charles from the 2018 Epworth Mudman. College. A showcase of academics

The Grade 8 and 9 Academic Showcase was a wonderful illustration of some of the varied academic activities in which the pupils are involved. Posters, projects, presentations, assignments and role plays were part of the programme.

Reaching out to the SPCA

The SPCA civvies day was a great success, enabling the school to hand over a generous 6 distinctions donation of pet food to 88,4 % aggregate Head Girl the local SPCA. The Dux of School Grade 12’s were the 2nd team Hockey winners of the “Tin Captain Tower” competition.

Celebrating Epworth’s new organ

“Piping Hot”, a concert to showcase Epworth’s impressive new three-manual organ was held on 15 August. Together with organ accompaniment, it featured the High School Choir, the Pietermar- itzburg Caledonian Pipe Band and various instrumentalists. In addition, there was a selection of strongly contrasting solo organ music performed by David Orr. Noteworthy items included the beautiful theme music Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission and an organ duet based on Scarborough Fair, composed by Grant McLachlan after Simon & Garfunkel. The programme was a memorable introduction to the “The King of Instruments”. Cultural Achievements

World Choir Games The High School Cantabile Choir joined over 300 choirs from more than 60 countries at the 10th edition of the World Choir Games, which were hosted by South Africa in Tshwane. The Choir excelled in their performances, receiving silver diplomas for the three categories in which they participated: “Sacred Music – Unaccompanied”, “Contemporary Music” and “Folklore with accompaniment”.

Epworth was one of only two schools in South Africa that entered both a prep and high school choir in the competition. Eisteddfod accolades Marimba and Steelpan Festival Alida Esterhuizen received the following awards for piano: The Elma Britz Floating Trophy for 14 and under, The Landi Schaap Floating Trophy for the best Quick Study, The Alethea Matthews Floating Trophy for the best U14 recital and the Runner Up award for senior piano. Debating success The Senior Marimba band participated in the International Marimba and Steelpan Festival in Eight Epworth debaters represented the PMB Debating Johannesburg. The team came second in the "Strictly League at the KZN Provincial Debating Tournament during Classical" category and 3rd in "In the Mix" category. the holidays. The following pupils were selected to KZN teams: Kimberley Gemmell, Sunusha Moodley, Faye Crawford and Reabetswe Pekile. Sports achievements

Eleven pupils were selected for KZN Catia Cocciante and Tayla-Jade Tayla-Jade Weiss and Yasmin De Inland hockey teams in various age Weiss were nominated best goal- Meyer were selected to the groups. keeper and best junior player at South African U16 hockey the KZN Schools’ Inland hockey squad. Yasmin also made the SA prize giving. U16 squash team.

Gemma Phipps and Micaela Viljoen received Most Improved Player Epworth canoeists claimed many awards awards for their respective age Lisa McKenzie was re- at the KwaZulu-Natal Canoe Union groups at the KZN Inland action selected for the KZN Inland awards ceremony. netball awards ceremony. U19 team.

Tayla von Benecke and Megan Carla Meikle and Ellie-Jo Ng-Yu- Hatch were selected to the Tin were selected to the KZN South African U16 Epworth came third in the South African swimming team that will team. Top Schools’ squash tournament. compete in the Three Province Swim Challenge. Cross Country Katja Vonkeman, Francis Forsyth, Pippa Braithwaite, Jade Miller, Rachel Woodburn, Christina Stanton and Nicolette Challenor made the uMgungunlovu district cross-country team.