Grove Academy Celebrating Success at Caird Hall Prizegiving

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Yesterday, I attended Grove Academy's annual Celebrating Our Success ceremony held in the Caird Hall.

The school's annual prize giving is a good opportunity to hear about the achievements of the pupils and their teachers as the school session comes to a close.

In his address, the Rector, Graham Hutton drew attention to Grove's very positive HMiE report following their school inspection in early 2013; the improving examination results and the adoption of a Values statement for the school.

He also referred to the commitment of his staff undertaking continuous professional development to help inform their implementing the curriculum for excellence and preparing to teach towards to the new examinations in S4.

The prizegiving programme also included some enjoyable and accomplished musical performances by Grove pupils featuring the String Group, the Rock Band, the Pipe Band and Douglas Clark who played the Caird Hall organ.

The leadership of senior pupils was also evident in the participation of Prefects who took it in turns to announce the Merit Award winners as they came up on stage to receive their certificates. Head Girl, Danielle Parsons and Head Boy, Neal Miller rounded the afternoon off with a confident and polished vote of thanks.

Dundee Schools' Bands and Orchestras Spring Concerts 2013

Last night I attended the second of the two Spring Concerts in the Caird Hall featuring performances from the Dundee Schools' Bands and Orchestras.
The programme last night featured the Guitar Ensemble, Junior String Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Concert Band and Schools' Symphony Orchestra. On Tuesday night I would have seen and heard from the Junior Wind Ensemble, the Intermediate Orchestra, the Rock Band and the Senior Wind Ensemble. It was good to find that a variety of musical instruments and genres is embraced and supported by the Instrumental Music Teaching Service.

At the concert, talented young musicians from our primary and secondary schools performed a variety of pieces from Bizet to The Beatles.  

My favourite musical moment of the evening was the stirring performance of the Intermezzo from Sibelius's Karelia Suite. Members of the audience with longer memories no doubt remembered that this piece were used as the title music for the former ITV current affairs programme This Week. A stand out individual performance was the young singer who sang with the percussion ensemble.

As a regular at these evenings, I appreciated the slicker staging of the performances. Clever use of the entire Caird Hall stage and the choir stalls meant that there were fewer intervals between performances when the chairs and music stands had to be shifted around. When this was necessary however short videos were informative and entertaining.

Well done to all our young performers and the staff and parents that nuture their musical talent.

Demolition of Tayside House - Slowly Does It!

A number of constituents have asked me why Tayside House is taking so long to demolish. It seems ironic that the most unloved building in the city centre is having such a lingering last stand!

When Dundee House opened and Tayside House emptied, I had hoped that the City Council would have organised a public raffle with the winner given the honour of operating the demolition switch. I certainly would have bought a ticket for such an exciting prize.

Council staff advised that the proximity of Taysdie House to the Caird Hall and the railway tunnel running under Dock Street meant that a dramatic demolition was out of the question.

As a result, the method of demolition adopted has been slower and less dramatic and Safedem, the demolition contractor, is demonstrably living up to its name.

Later this year the Hilton, the Casino and the 'original' Olympia Swimming Pool will follow Tayside House. Once the are all demolished, the central Waterfront will be substantially cleared and ready for the VandA to rise like phoenix from the ashes. For the time being, roadworks will occasionally disrupt journeys to and from the city centre. In the end however, I trust constituents will accept that any delays and disruption will be worthwhile.

Concert by Dundee Schools' Orchestras and Bands at The Caird Hall

Earlier this evening I had the pleasure of attending the second of the two Annual Spring Concerts by Dundee Schools' Orchestras and Bands at the Caird Hall.
The diverse programme of musical offerings included a magisterial performance of The Great Gate of Kiev from Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky and a fun filled rendition of Desk by the Percussion Ensemble
The Wednesday night programme showcased music making by:

• the Percussion Ensemble;
• the Junior String Orchestra;
• the Guitar Ensemble;
• the Concert Band and 
• the Schools' Symphony Orchestra.

They all produced spirited and enthusiastic performances which were a fine showcase of their talents as accomplished young musicians.
Bravo and magnifeque!

Dundee Choral Union Christmas Concert 11 December 2011 Caird Hall City Square Dundee

Dundee Choral Union Christmas Concert
Caird Hall, City Square, Dundee 
7pm Sunday 11 December 2011


Tickets will be available from the City Square Box Office or at the door on Sunday evening.


Programme 

• Poulenc - Quatre Motets pour le temps de Noel Faure - Requiem 
• Finzi - In Terra Pax 
• Vaughan Williams - Fantasia on Christmas Carols 
• Christmas Carols from 100 Carols for Choirs 

Performers

• Libby Crabtree, Soprano 
• Stewart Kempster, Baritone 
• Morley Whitehead, Organist 
• Derek Clark, Conductor

Grove Prize Giving at the Caird Hall

Grove Senior Rock Band

Yesterday I attended the Grove Academy Prize Giving at the Caird Hall. This event marked the end of another very successful session at the school. 


During the afternoon our attention was drawn to the breadth of the attainment and achievement of Grove Pupils:

• from eco school to english;
• from debating to digital media
• from cross country to chemistry;
• from hockey to history;
• from water polo to physics and
• from making music to mathematics.

The prize giving also celebrated the work of Head Teacher John Hunter and his Depute Sheila McLuckie, who are both due to retire tomorrow after many years very effective and dedicated leadership of Grove.

Mr Hunter delivering his report.

Mrs McLuckie announcing the award winners.

They both made impressive contributions to the event. Mrs McLuckie was a feisty and unflustered compere and Mr Hunter delivered his Annual School Report with his his usual frankness and eloquence about recent changes at Grove. They will be a formidable act to follow.

Scottish Boys' Brigade Battle of the Bands Caird Hall Saturday 12 March

Dundee Schools' Orchestras and Bands - Caird Hall

The annual performances by the Dundee Schools Orchestras and Bands once again demonstrated the wonderful depth of musical talent we have amongst our young people in our schools. It was also a reminder of the quality of the music teachers in our schools, and the gifted and dedicated team of peripatetic music teachers that coach our young musicians in their own schools and in the orchestras and bands that practise at the Bell Street Music Centre.

I attended the Wednesday evening concert with my wife Rowena. I enjoyed the wonderful variety of musical styles from the Rock Band, the Junior String Orchestra, the Concert Band to the Symphony Orchestra. Our Schools' Music service is, I believe, a service of which Dundonians should be proud. It would be criminal if such a well established and talented team of staff was subjected to the same treatment as the team of visiting drama teachers in our Primary Schools whose posts are to be discontinued through budget cuts by the SNP Administration.