ENSEMBLES 2024

Hale St Mary’s Camerata

Hale St Mary’s Camerata, a distinguished string ensemble, combines the talents of students from Hale School and St Mary's Anglican Girls' School. This group, established in 2002, is devoted to cultivating a sophisticated understanding of string performance among its members, who range in age from 13 to 17. The ensemble has mastered an extensive repertoire, celebrating the breadth of orchestral literature from classical masterworks to modern compositions. Camerata performs extensively at school events and has embarked on tours that have taken its members from the UK to Singapore, enriching their artistic and cultural experiences. A recent highlight of the combined Hale St Mary’s music programs was their collaboration with Sydney Grammar School in 2023, premiering the dynamic "The Cave of the Sleeping Lady," a Choral Symphony that fused the dramatic forces of voice and strings in a powerful testament to their collaborative spirit and musical ambition.

Elisabeth Vickery

Conductor

Elisabeth Vickery's interest in music commenced at the age of 6 when she first embraced the violin. Recognising this innate passion, she embarked on a journey dedicated to mastering her craft. Following her secondary education, Elisabeth pursued Music at Edith Cowan University, West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, where she earned a Bachelor of Creative Arts/Education degree. Elisabeth's career has taken her across Australia, from Perth to Sydney and back again. With a particular affinity for girls’ school settings, she has worked at enriching the lives of many students. Her interest in travel led her overseas, where she immersed herself in Malaysian musical culture for a year, further enhancing her expertise as a music teacher. In 2022, Elisabeth Vickery found her musical home at St Mary's Anglican Girls' School, where her position as a String Specialist evolved into her current role as Coordinator of Strings and Classical Performance. Whether leading a quartet, guiding chamber music ensembles or conducting an orchestra, Elisabeth's infectious joy for music is always evident. Her dedication to nurturing the next generation of performers is matched by her unwavering commitment to the timeless art of classical music performance.

Philip Venables

Conductor

Philip Venables has been a secondary school music teacher since 1988.  He has worked in schools throughout Western Australia and has been a permanent member of the Hale School Music Department since 1993.  He is a classroom music and lower brass specialist.  Alongside his teaching he has also been professionally engaged as a tuba player.

Throughout his career Philip has assumed various roles at Hale School, and they have combined to further his dual passions of pastoral care and music.  He is a very experienced Head of House and, in this position, he is directly responsible for the pastoral care of sixty Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 students.  Philip is also currently employed as the Acting Director of Music, which sees him revisiting a role in the School that he held from 1997 – 2001.  During this time, he was an integral member for the design committee for the John Inverarity Music and Drama Centre, the centerpiece of which in the 353 seat Auditorium, an acoustically sensitive venue that is highly effective for all manner of live performance.

As a conductor, Philip has had great success with choirs, orchestras and bands.  He has been conducting, both professionally, and voluntarily in the community, since 1983.

Celebration Program

Additional Concerts Program