The department have played at various events in the school calendar and also for community events. These have included the Parent Forum AGM, An Comunn Gaidhleach Post Mod Ceilidh, Jim Mather MSP visit, the annual Pipe Band Ceilidh and the Northern Lighthouse Board Christmas Event. We are extremely lucky to have such a variety of talented musicians who represent the school very well within the local community.

 

 

 

Big Beat Junk Orchestra visited Oban High School on the 8^th and 9^th of March and delivered Junk Music workshops to all of S1 and the Learning Centre. The workshops were funded by Skills Development Scotland who have been working with 1.11. Pupils were making music from lots of items of junk that the group had brought with them and as well as playing music the pupils were also learning about recycling. Big Beat have worked with bands such as the Kooks, Kasabien and are performing at Glastonbury this year. In addition to this they also broke the world record last year for having the most number of people playing recycled instruments in one place at one time. 

iCompose is a new competition run by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in partnership with the National Galleries of Scotland, Drake Music Scotland, Roland and Linn Records. There are 6 categories for different age groups, each with a different theme.

 

Competitors had to compose a piece of music inspired by an art work from the National Galleries Collection, schools had a choice of 3 works in each category.

 

Rather than 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd places there is a Winner, Runner up and Highly Commended.

 

 

Four students from this area entered the competition and all four got a place. 

Mairi Beaton, S3 pupil at Oban High School was Highly Commended in category C.

This means that our youngsters won 4 out of the 9 places in these 3 categories. The remaining 5 places were not awarded so these four students were the only ones who’s compositions were of a high enough standard to gain a place in the competition.

 

All four attended a reception at the National Gallery in Edinburgh on 23^rd June where they heard their work performed by members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The winners also get to attend the recording of their work in Glasgow City Halls. They also each win a Roland keyboard and a music workshop for their school.

 

Mairi is taking Standard Grade Music and used some of the ideas from her S Grade Inventing in her composition.

Full results have been published on the competition website www.icompose.org

 

 

 

Both Oban High School and Inverary and District Pipe Bands have got off to a successful start in the new competing season. As well as our own school band we also have pupils who play in both the Novice and Grade 1 Inverary and District Pipe Bands. We are very proud of the pupils who represent their school and Argyll. The results so far are listed below.

The music department drew the summer term to a close with a highly successful and enjoyable trip to Barcelona. 81 bleary eyed pupils and 8 bright eyed members of staff set out in the early hours of June 14^th bound for East Midlands Airport, with the instruments following by road with Mr McKenna and Steven Carson. We boarded BMI Baby’s flight to Barcelona and were greeted by torrential rain!

 

We stayed at Hotel Sorra Durrada in Malgrat de Mar, which was about 40 minutes outside Barcelona. Its situation near the beach and town centre made it the ideal venue for spending some of our free time. On Tuesday we visited the beautiful and sunny Gaudi Gardens in Barcelona. Half of the group then went to see the Neu Camp Stadium (home of Barcelona FC) while the other half visited the Olympic Stadium and Museum. 

On Wednesday we started the day with a rehearsal and impromptu concert in the hotel. After a day touring Malgrat de Mar we performed the first of our evening concerts in the resort. 

The pipe band started a fantastic evening, processing up the cobbled streets before the wind band, string group, choir, dancers and soloists entertained a curious but enthusiastic audience. A rousing rendition of Highland Cathedral from all performers ensured a successful end to the evening. 

On returning to the hotel we were asked to perform again, showing highlights from the earlier concert. The other hotel residents were highly impressed by Mr McKenna’s usual energy and enthusiasm, along with some spur-of-the-moment ceilidh dancing to Murray Willis on the accordion.

 

On Thursday we travelled to the famous Las Rambla in Barcelona for some more shopping, browsing among the many stalls and markets, before heading back to our second concert in the old town of Hostalric.

Friday saw a chance to relax in Malgrat, taking in the sun before travelling to our final venue in Tossa de Mar. There was time for a bit more shopping before the evening. Unfortunately the concert was cut short due to more rain and thunder storms, though the locals were treated to an extended performance from the pipe band as we waited hopefully for the downpour to stop!

On Saturday we visited Portaventura theme park where the braver amongst us sampled the various roller-coasters and other stomach-churning rides!

Staff were very proud to be accompanying such a wonderful group of pupils, and we will all have memories from the trip to last a lifetime. 

We would like to thank the Oban Rotary Club for purchasing polo shirts for every pupil on the trip and also a huge thank you to Mr McKenna who, as always, was an exceptional compere (and a fair tuba player too!).

Pictured is Gregor Brydon playing our new 5 string violin.  The school was given £500 from the EMI Music Sound Foundation to buy it and the school fund made up the rest.  It can be used as both a violin and a viola and will hopefully introduce more students to viola playing without having to give up violin.