Cultural Events
The annual Visual Arts Exhibition takes place at the beginning of Term 4. The exhibition curates a collection of three years work by the Grade 12 class. The opening is on a Tuesday evening from 18:00 – 21:00 in the Gym and remains open from 08:00 – 15:00 for three days. All are welcome to attend the opening or visit during the day, no formal invitation is required.
At this concert we pay tribute to and thank the Matric members of the Concert, Jazz and Gig bands for their loyalty, dedication, leadership and contribution to the musical life of the school. By the end of their school careers, most of them will have attended up to seven rehearsals per week for a period of three years or more – which represents a significant number of hours. Attendance is by invite only and each Matric boy’s family can book a table for a party of six to eight people.
Cabaret is an annual rock show and fund-raiser for the following year’s Matric Dance. A committee of Grade 11 boys organise and co-ordinate all aspects of the show, including selecting the music. Auditions are held in June and open to all boys from Grades 8-11. In Term 3, members of our Music Department train the musicians over seven weeks of rehearsal, which take place after school hours. Cabaret is presented in the Reeler Theatre and runs for four nights in October.
The annual Cape Town Big Band Festival has been running at the Baxter Theatre for over 20 years. The show runs for four nights in May, and sees six school, community and university Jazz Big Bands on stage each night. The shows are usually sold out and the event provides a wonderful showcase for those participating. Proceeds from the Festival are channelled into music development and scholarship programmes.
The Carols Evening brings together all three legs of the Rondebosch school community with Little Bosch, the Prep School and High School combining for a celebration of the spirit of Christmas, in the Memorial Hall. The program consists of bible readings and performances by the various school choirs, as well as congregational singing of popular Christmas Carols. A collection plate is passed around and thanks to the generosity of the Rondebosch family a significant amount of money is donated to a children’s charity each year.
Every three years Rondebosch Boys’ High School, SACS High School and Rustenburg Girls’ High School combine to form a Choir about 200-strong, to perform a major choral work, accompanied by a full orchestra, in the City Hall. Past works have included Handel’s Messiah, John Rutter’s Requiem, Karl Jenkins’ Mass for Peace: The Armed Man, Vivaldi’s Gloria and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.
Each year, Rondebosch Boys’ High School collaborates with Rustenburg Girls’ High School to stage a theatrical production in the Memorial Hall. This provides an opportunity for budding male and female performers to act alongside each other in drama productions of a professional standard.
The Gala Concert takes place in the Memorial Hall in Term 2 to showcase the school’s senior ensembles, as well as a selection of our top performing soloists. An entry fee is charged and all proceeds from the event go towards the Music Scholarship Fund.
As part of their Creative Arts Music course, all of the Grade 8 and 9 boys are placed in ensembles, which rehearse weekly. The Ensemble Concert, which takes place in Term 3, sees all of these instrumental groups, for each grade, take to the stage: the wind band, guitar ensembles, piano duets / trios and drum line.
This concert takes place in the Reeler Theatre in Term 2 just before the mid-year music exams. It helps to prepare the boys for their exams and affords those who are working well to gain solo, public performance experience.
Interhouse Events
Concerts
Boys from any grade sign up and present their idea to Ms McLean. On the last day of the third term, the boys perform their chosen talent in the Memorial Hall in front of the whole school. A panel of teachers and external adjudicators rank the various performances and prizes are handed out for first, second and third place.
This, the musical leg of the school’s interhouse competition, sees each House learn a prescribed song, (with every boy in every House taking part), and each House put together a Band to perform a song of their choice. The competition takes place during the school day in the Memorial Hall.
Each of the five houses put on a short play, often called a ‘1 Act Play’. Boys from all grades can sign up to act, direct, write a script, be part of the stage crew or be part of sound and lighting. The five plays are performed on stage in the Memorial Hall on the last day of the first term in front of the whole school and are adjudicated by a panel of teachers and external judges.
Coordinated by our piano teachers, Mr Buitendag and Mrs Joubert, this concert takes place in the Reeler Theatre in Term 3. It provides the opportunity for numerous piano students to gain valuable, public performance experience.
The Prestige Concert takes place in the Reeler Theatre in Term 3 and attendance is by invite only. The boys compete in solo performances for two trophies, one for classical music and one for jazz. Included in the programme is a recital by the Matric music pupils, which forms part of their preparation for the mock and final music practical exams.
This event takes place in Term 2 and features many solo performances by our Grade 10, 11 and 12 musicians. Besides providing the opportunity for them to develop their public performance skills, the concert also helps to prepare them for their mid-year music practical exams.
The Sunset Concert takes place on the Cricket A field in Term 1. It is an open air, picnic style concert for the whole family. The senior and junior Concert, Jazz and Gig bands take to the stage for what has proved to be a very popular format for the Music Department’s first concert of the year.
Grade R
Prep School
High School
Old Boys’ Union
