Notifications
Clear all

WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER, WHEREVER WE MAY BE?. - Godfrey Senaratne


(@admin)
Member Admin
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 85
Topic starter  

It was a wintry afternoon in Melbourne. A small congregation assembled at Haileybury College Chapel, to participate in a recording of Choral Music.
The "Event Booklet" handed out to those present, described the nature , people and purpose of the proceedings as follows:

A FESTIVAL OF CHORAL MUSIC FOR CHURCH SEASONS, FEAST DAYS AND SPECIAL OCCASSIONS IN THE THOMIAN TRADITION (as performed in the Chapel of the Transfiguration,
S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka) Dedicated to Rev. Roy H. Yin , Former Chaplain and Master of the Choir (1946-1962), S. Thomas? College, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka.

SUNG BY A CONGREGATION OF OLD THOMIANS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS: WITH THE CHOIR ?TRANSFIGURATION? - Directed by ROGER ALDONS, Convenor, with ROGER BROWN,
Organ
Presented in co-operation with S. Thomas? College Old Boys? Association (Australia Branch) Inc., on
Sunday 11th July 2010, at Haileybury College Chapel, Keysborough, Victoria, Australia.
The Men and Women who made up the Choir, ?Transfiguration?, who had given their time and talents in preparation and rehearsals, sang beautifully - accompanied by Roger Brown (who over very many years has played the organ at our Carol Services) at the Organ and under the Direction of Roger Aldons ( the veteran Director of Choir of our Carol Services for a quarter century).
It was in January 2008 that Roger Aldons contacted me and requested me to collect the hymns we sang at College Chapel and to do a classification under the various Seasons of the Church Year (at Holy Eucharist, Evensong, Compline) as well as the Feast of Title of our Chapel and at Beginning and End of Term etc.
I did not have try hard ?to go down memory lane? because the hymns of my youth at College Chapel , are not just ones I have loved and lost , but are ones I do love today- as valuable and current spiritual resources - along with
many lovely ?new? hymns of today.
I provided Roger with a comprehensive referenced list of First Lines and other related information ? as may be helpful.
In August 2008, Roger Aldons informed me that he had begun the process of choosing hymns for inclusion in the production of Compact Disc(s). Roger has also included the College Song (all 5 verses) and ?
The School by the Sea?- to interesting musical arrangements.
The recording session at Haileybury College Chapel on Sunday 11th July 2010, was the culmination of this lengthy process. To all those present at this event , it was a pleasing- listening and singing- experience . For
many, it was more than that-it was a spiritual (and even emotional) reconnection with what was important and loved , early in their life-journey (one?s school-days).
Given the pressures of work and family, I can only describe this effort as a ?labour of love?- by each member of the Choir, by Roger Brown ? Organist, and by Roger Aldons- Director of Choir and Convenor (for whom this is
the fine-product of a visionary effort). Thank you one and all.
Thank you to the Executive Committee of the STC-OBA (Australia Branch) for your cooperation in this effort.
When this recording comes up for sale in CD format, it is hoped that these will be sold in large numbers; The net proceeds will be donated towards a new STC Organ Scholarship Fund, (hopefully bearing the name of Rev. Roy
H. Yin) which Father Yin suggested, in a letter dated 6 Jan 1994, to the Warden, and/or to the Rev. Roy H. Yin - Scholarship Fund at our Alma Mater. In this letter Rev. Yin suggested that the Warden and Governors might
consider the institution of an Organ Scholarship at S. Thomas College and envisaged that such a scholarship might entitle the holder to free education at the college and cover the cost of special tuition in music, and particularly the organ, possibly partly in Sri Lanka and partly overseas. He believed that such a scholarship could be of immense benefit, not only to the college, but to the whole music scene in Sri Lanka. He also stated he believed that such a
scholarship would have the support of many Old Boys throughout the world, and not least in the OBA of Victoria.


Quote
Share: