Month: April 2023

280 current students attended the Sydney Dawn Service on Anzac Day. This was followed by the College Service of Remembrance at 10 am when Senior Student Simon Toscan and Students Club Treasurer Jack Holt read the names of Paulines fallen during war. Part of the Anzac tradition at College is to organise ‘vertical’ groups of undergraduates bringing seniors and freshers together for a visit to the city to join post-parade celebrations.

The Annual Anzac Commemoration Dinner was held on 19 April when 260 members of the undergraduate community heard from Rev’d David Hastie who has served for many years as a naval officer, and soon to return as a naval chaplain. He was our guest speaker at the Anzac Service as well. The dinner speech from the Alex Back (Lord of Yore) reminded the College of the extraordinary sacrifice of its men in world conflicts.

Alex Back addresses the Anzac Commemorative Dinner

 

Faultless performance by exciting young choir

Allegri’s “Miserere” – a special performance was included in the Tuesday Evensong during Holy Week. The College Chapel Choir brings together 34 students, and sings every Tuesday during semester and for other special services and events at the College.

On 4 April the St Paul’s College Chapel Choir performed Allegri’s “Miserere”. This iconic piece of 17th Century unaccompanied music for choir is a regular part of the choral repertoire of the great cathedrals of Europe. Composed around 1638, Allegri’s setting of the Miserere was used by the choir of the Sistine Chapel during Holy Week liturgy, a practice dating to at least 1514. The Choir sung the ‘Evolution’ version of the work, developed by The Sixteen. During the Choral Pilgrimage 2013 Harry Christophers and The Sixteen presented a new version of Allegri’s Miserere charting its evolution. The version intends to shed light on the complicated history of this most famous of choral pieces. Listen out for the famous “top C” in the second-half of the 4-voice, sung here by Ariana Ricci, Elsa Susnjara, William Varga and Gabriel Desiderio.

On Friday 31 March we ventured into the labyrinth to discover a very personal path to enlightenment. Anna Fraser (soprano), Thomas Wilson (organ) and the women of St Paul’s College Chapel Choir (Jack Stephens, Director of Music) gave a sumptuous and spiritual journey, guided by College Chaplain, Rev Antony Weiss, showcasing this beautiful and rarely heard French Baroque vocal work. Michel-Richard de Lalande’s “Leçons de Ténèbres” and “Miserere” (1730) is a beautiful, decorative, introvert sacred music of great style and grace and showcased the true baroque tone of the College Chapel’s two-manual Flentrop pipe organ.

Here is a pdf copy of the March Boomalakka which can be viewed on screen or downloaded to your computer and printed.

Click HERE

By Harry Croker, Dean of Undergraduates

Photo Credits: Jason Zhu He and his team

The Rawson Cup and Rosebowl tournaments roll forward with the College giving its all in both competitions. In Rosebowl, the College finished in 5th place for Netball, and 6th place for Swimming.

Rawson Swimming; 3rd place.

Overall Rosebowl standing: 5th place. Overall Rawson standing: 2nd place.

History was made on Monday 13th March when the St Paul’s netball team took the court, marking the College’s maiden undergraduate participation in the history of Rosebowl.

And who else to play our first Rosebowl match against other than the old foe, St Andrew’s.

A formative opponent, no doubt, but the girls in gold and gules showed no sign of backing down.

Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the contest was the sheer amount of support from the rest of the College who headed down in droves to show support. Final score: Andrew’s 61 def Paul’s 34 (Q1 13-8, Q2 30-14, Q3 45-28).

Round 2 (Thurs 16th March): Wesley 52 def Paul’s 35 (Q1 13-12, Q2 25-19, Q3 39-24). Round 3 (Fri 17th March): John’s 41 def Paul’s 26 (Not Listed).

Exactly a week later from the College making history by fielding the first undergraduate Rosebowl team, it happened again on Monday the 20th March with the College’s maiden Rosebowl victory against Sancta. Paul’s 34 def Sancta 16 (Q1 14-7, Q2 24-11, Q3 34-16).

Round 5 (Wed 22nd March): Women’s 49 def Paul’s 38 (Q1 15-8, Q2 29-16, Q3 38-29).

St Andrew’s finished first overall, Wesley second, Women’s third, St John’s fourth, St Paul’s fifth, and Sancta sixth.

Swimming proved to be a challenging event for the College in both Rawson and Rosebowl.

St Andrew’s may have won both tournaments overall, but it was great to see Fresher, Tilly Wittenoom, get the gold in the 50m Rosebowl breaststroke.

The next event on the sporting calendar is Rawson Rugby on the 26th April (Week 9), which will run until 17th May (Week 12). Rosebowl Hockey will run throughout Weeks 11 and 12, starting on Monday 8th May. Rowing for both tournaments will wrap up the semester on Tuesday 23rd May (Week 13).

News of other achievements in sport:

• National Athletics: Connor Whitely won the NSW State Championship 5000m event and has gone on to represent NSW at nationals coming 5th.
• National Rowing: Henry Blackwell rowing for UTS achieved a first and second in events in the March 2023 championships in Perth.