Ahh, the memories
The first Friday of camp is officially 'T-shirt Day'. It's a bonding leveller of an exercise in which fashion comes second to the experience of finally being utterly confident of exactly who IS, and who IS NOT, a camper! This year's t-shirt design was suggested by an artful trumpeter at an earlier AYO program in 2010.
For the staff, donning camp 'uniform' prompted some reminiscences of days of old. Kirsty McCahon, double bass tutor, was reminded of her own NMC days when T-shirt Day gave students a means of personal expression. 'I can't remember a single student NOT taking up the challenge of creating their own individual t-shirt - ripping off sleeves, altering necklines.'
Cello tutor Louise King recalls a camp (albeit in England) when her section earned kudos from fellow campers by wearing their pyjamas all day. 'I think we really earned their respect!' Perhaps that’s a challenge to our current crop of campers to come up with their own alternative uniform for a day?
Over its 63-year history, camp has certainly evolved. [You can read more about this in Anna Doukakis' piece in Musica Fever, due out next week.] From seaside beginnings on the shores of Geelong, to now being hosted in the hallowed halls of Adelaide University, camp and its participants have always reflected a character of their own.
NMC campers 1959
We’re looking forward to a fantastic couple of concerts on Saturday. Keep an ear out on ABC Classic FM from 8pm for the life broadcast: SMALLEY Birthday Tango SHOSTAKOVICH Chamber Symphony No.1 (arr. Barshai) STANHOPE Machinations and VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Symphony No.6.
And if you’re in Adelaide, there’s another free concert at 4pm featuring TELEMANN Don Quixote Suite STRAUSS Death & Transfiguration and SAINT-SAËNS ‘Organ’ Symphony. Hope to see you there!
by Genevieve Lang, WAM tutor
