Scotch College Symphony Orchestra

The Scotch College Symphony Orchestra has been part of Scotch College for some fifty years. It first developed an enviable reputation for excellence under George Logie-Smith in the 1970s. Chris Latham took over from George, and brought with him a more holistic participation approach. From 1987, Dick Sheriffs conducted for the last four years of his extensive career at Scotch. The orchestra has been conducted by the current Director of Music, Dr John Ferguson, since 1991.

The orchestra rehearses for two hours on Fridays after school, with weekly sectional rehearsals on Wednesdays for about 40 minutes. Places in the orchestra are determined by audition and staff recommendation, with minimum standards for string players set at above AMEB grade 8. Most first violins would normally have A.Mus.A. or L.Mus.A. diplomas.

The aim of the orchestra is to give the students an opportunity to play classical repertoire in its original form in a properly balanced orchestra of some 70 or 80 players, comprising 40 – 50 string players, along with the required wind and brass. Parts are not ‘doubled’ (except when specified by the composer), so wind players learn the art of solo playing in an orchestral context. Symphonies and large-scale works are generally performed in their entirety, and recent repertoire has included Dvorak’s symphonies No 8 and 9 ‘New World,’ Franck’s Symphony in D minor, Tchaikovsky’s 2nd, 4th and 5th symphonies, and Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Other works include a host of concertos and overtures.

The orchestra receives invitations to accompany various artists and organisations, including a performance of Yeomen of the Guard, presented by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Victoria. It also accompanied the Eton College Choir in a performance of Parry’s Blest Pair of Sirens in 2013.

The orchestra has also received invitations to perform for festivals and events beyond the school. In recent years these have included an invitation to perform for the Governor of Victoria, an anniversary dinner for Ford cars, the Woodend Winter Arts Festival and a Tait Memorial Trust benefit concert. The orchestra has been broadcast within Australia as well as by the BBC, by Singapore Radio and by China Central Television. Most recently, the orchestra was selected to perform for the 2022 International Society of Music Education conference. It performed Elgar’s Enigma Variations in entirety.

The orchestra often tours internationally. The first was a tour of Asia in the 1979 under George Logie-Smith. Other notable tours include China in 1986, England France and Belgium in 1995, 2005 and 2013, tours to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Spain, a wonderful tour of five cities in China in 2010, and two tours to the USA (the last in 2020). The Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players have also performed in Zimbabwe, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai.