ANNOUNCING THE BROTHER COLIN SMITH ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP To honour the memory of Br Colin Smith, his contribution to Australian Catholic liturgical music and choirs, and to fund organ lessons for organ students at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney The Brother Colin Smith Organ Scholarship was set up during 2006. It awards $1,000 per annum to a selected Organ Scholar who will have lessons at Saint Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. We are now seeking your support in contributing to the fund which will ensure the ongoing viability of the Scholarship. The primary purpose of the Organ Scholar position is to build a young musician, between the ages of 10 an 20, into an acomplished Church organist. The Organ Scholar will assist the Principal Organist and Assistant Organist regularly at services at the Cathedral. We would be grateful for any contribution you are abe to make to keep his memory alive, and to support organ scholars into the future. WHO WAS BROTHER COLIN SMITH? ERROL LEA SCARLETT REFLECTS Brother Smith was a leader and one of the last survivors among enthusiasts who formed the Liturgical Guild of St Pius X in Sydney (1953) ... I first met him as a young Christian Brother on the staff of St Mary's Cathedral School, Sydney, where he had charge of the school choir ... He was transferred to St Patrick's College, strathfield, where hesecured the installation of a good electronic organ in the newly-built College chapel ... Working with Sister mary Gabrille SGS, he played a leading role as conductor of several Psalm Festivals held in Sydney in the 1960s. From the various choirs participating in the festivals a core of members formed the appropriatley named Singers of David ... he continued to direct that choir until ill health necessitated his retirement. Meanwhile he had conducted the music at the papal mass at Randwick Racecourse during the visit of Pope paul VI in 1970. He was also organist at the mass for Clergy and Religious in St Mary's Cathedral during that Visit ... DONRITA REEFMAN REFLECTS THE JOHN PAUL SINGERS …I was a member of the Singers of David while still a school-girl, having been recruited by my piano teacher at Stella Maris College, Manly, the one-and-only Sr Gabrielle. I continued to be a member of the choir until Sr Gabielle’s passing, when the “Singers” sang for her funeral in the ‘80’s, (directed, of course, by Colin at St Mary’s Cathedral). The “singers” passed with Gabe, possibly because she had been the secretary and force that drew the group together. With Colin as maestro, we rehearsed every Saturday afternoon in the rooms under St Peter Julian’s, Haymarket, where we also assisted at evening Mass once a month. Some of these Masses were televised on the ABC. I remember doing audio recordings for the ABC there also (briefly interrupted by the ‘locals’, sometimes), as well as at the Good Samaritan Convent chapel in Glebe (to which Gabrielle had subsequently moved) and also at St Patrick’s Chapel, Manly. The latter, as I remember it, was where Colin’s Mass, Shalom, was launched. After Gabes passed away, the Singers fell apart, and the John Paul Choir formed from members of the combined “papal” choir in the ‘80’s. The John Paul Liturgical Singers is the current choir. Colin had resigned from the JPC to form this new one, recruited by invitation from membership within the JPC and from other contacts and I was included in this number. This happened after the third papal visit and the Mass at Randwick for the beatification of Mary MacKillop in 1995, where there had been a massed choir joining the JPC. The memorable events with the John Paul Liturgical Singers were the recording of Sing to the Lord, Colin’s first album, at the Joan Sutherland centre in Penrith and, of course, the tour to Rome for the beatification of Edmund Rice. We also sang at Waverley for centenary celebrations there, joined by Sydney Brass. We were working on a programme for the Veech Library Symposium concert when Colin’s health finally deteriorated to the point of having to cancel this event, as the committee agreed that only Colin would have the knowledge of the music and composers featured, as well as the charisma to deliver and tie it all together. From the 1970s until now! THE JOHN PAUL SINGERS When it was announced that the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, would be visiting Australia in 1986, Br Colin was asked to look after the music for the open-air Mass at Randwick Racecourse. From a large number of people he selected two choirs of singers. One was known as the people's choir, and the other was a special group of a four-part choir which he trained to a very high standard. The John Paul Singers was formed from this four-part choir for people wanting to continue under the guidance of Br Colin, and it would become a choral group available for future performances required to promote good liturgical music. Br Colin was Musical Director culminating in the celebrations for the beatification of Blessed Mary MacKillop in Sydney in 1995. Also, he was Musical Director for the first Mass of Blessed Edmund Rice, celebrated in St Peter’s Rome on the day following the beatification of Blessed Edmund Rice in October 1996. His Sydney choir, the John Paul Singers, were the main singers in a large group of choristers from Ireland, Canada and Australia. The John Paul Singers has become a strong group, and Br Colin’s death has reinforced their desire to continue to promote good liturgical music, now under the direction of Donrita Reefman. Pat Ryan CONTRIBUTING TO THE BROTHER COLIN SMIT ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP YES! I WISH TO SUPPORT THE BROTHER COLIN SMITH ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP Yes, I would like to make a donation. Please accept my pledge of: $50 $100 $500 $1000 Other $ My Cheque or Money order to The Brother Colin Smith Organ Scholarship is enclosed OR Please charge my: Bankcard Visa Amex Mastercard Card Number Expiry Name on card Signature PLEASE RETURN TO: CHRISTIAN BROTHERS, PRIVATE BOX 154, BALMAIN NSW 2041