The St John’s College community, family, and friends gathered on Burger Field with picnic baskets, blankets and deck chairs for a splendid evening of light and sound as we celebrated 125 years of St John’s at Light on the Night.
More than 250 musicians from Pre-Prep, Prep, and College took to the stage at Light on the Night for a memorable performance as they entertained thousands of spectators and basked in the applause of the appreciative audience.
The lineup featured an array of musical talents, including the entire Pre-Prep Grade 2 class, College and Prep marimbas, Prep wind band, senior and junior strings, rock band, College wind band, SKA band, senior strings and quartet, symphony orchestra, and Big Band, all contributing to an exhilarating two-hour musical marathon.
This was followed by a whimsical fusion of light and sound projected onto our northern facade by artist Marcus Neustetter in collaboration with OMAi and their revolutionary light drawing Tagtool supported by the Embassy of Austria, and the College's visual art and drama students and musicians. “It was an immersive creative experience,” said Estelle Potgieter, Head of Visual Art. “The students involved truly excelled in their roles, embracing the opportunity to learn new digital techniques for creating great art. It was a collaboration of the arts unlike any other, where musicians and visual artists came together to push the boundaries of creativity.”
The Pre-Prep, Prep, and College joined in singing a special 125 song composed by Old Johannian Greg Nottingham (Fleming 2006) as part of the mesmerising light show.
Artist Marcus Neustetter noted that the performers took on their roles with dedication and passion, both in the creative studio session and on the massive stage. “The musicians displayed remarkable improvisational skills, performing with Micca like professionals. Simultaneously, the visual artists seamlessly blended their drawings of the school, their lives, and their interpretations using the Tagtool software, creating a captivating collage of wonder.”
The evening ended with the music of Mango Groove, joined on stage by the College symphony orchestra and under the baton of Dr Ben Oosthuizen, Director of Music, for four exceptional performances together. “It was inspiring to collaborate with such internationally renowned musicians and share the spotlight with them,” said Dr Oosthuizen.
It was a delight to have our greater community come together in our shared love for St John’s as we celebrate 125 years of this fine institution.
Pictures: Steve Lawrence, Matt Jacobson (UV Hodgson) and Tom Dewar (UIV Hodgson).
