In 1973 when Walter Mony was our Guest Conductor a most virulent "bug" hit the Camp-the effect of this intruder was that of being hit very hard by a sledge-hammer; all one wanted to do was to repeat Greta Garbo's plea and sleep. Some of the campers suffered severely, and it was not uncommon to see an orchestral player leave a rehearsal to be violently sick, and then return to his place. I was forced to crawl into bed after conducting the choir in Dyson's Three Songs of Courage at the final concert and thus missed a very fine performance of Beethoven's First Symphony.
Two years later, at the '75 Camp, we were televised. Those of us who were at that Musicamp will not forget the countless times we sang part of Michael Hurd's A Song for St Cecelia for the sound balance and lighting test, those seemingly miles of cable, the heat from the lights, and the interviews. Keith Simpson wrote, "Anyone still stuck on the myth that youngsters in this country only excel on the sports field have only to hear them play … the standard was impressive."
It was this year, 1975, that the new hall was completed at Marist Brothers' and the final (televised) concert-along with a colourful and ambitious variety show earlier in the week-took place.
It was this year, too, that I took over the Chairmanship from Wilf Budd. Musicampers, both past and present, of all races and all ages, owe an incalculable debt to both Wilf and Rita: the vision, the courage, the determination were theirs; the encouragement given to so many musicians in this country, the immense amount of work done on our behalf, their unflagging enthusiasm and so very much more-how can we adequately say "Thank you"?
Beverley Gibbs was leader of the orchestra for many years, as well as assisting with string groups; her quiet and efficient manner, which ensured the smooth running of this side of Musicamp, cannot go unacclaimed.
Guy Cary, who was present at the first Musicamp, and who has attended almost all the Camps since then, was appointed Camp Manager in 1972-a position he held until 2000! He was elected Vice Chairman in 1976. The duties of a Camp Manager are as many as they are varied: supervising the moving of pianos, setting up halls for concerts, seeing that lights are out and that those who should be in bed, are; the ordering of food and drink and their collection; that ice cubes and slices of lemon are available in the bar; the driving of school buses; these are but a few of his duties.
The very worst offender of saying "I'll see Guy about it" was myself, but here is the opportunity of telling him that Musicamps of the past-and of the future-are tremendously grateful to him.
Owing to the security position in the country in 1977 there was no Musicamp held that year.
1978 -1987
Arrangements were made the following year, 1978, to hold Musicamp at Nashville High School in Gweru (then Gwelo). This we did, enlisting the help of Mrs Byrne, who was the Cook Matron at Nashville. Following the Camp, Christopher Johnson has this to say:
"My first and most outstanding impression of Musicamp '78 was the impeccable organisation, and I firmly believe that this was the key to its success. Despite the rigid rehearsing schedule, free time was enjoyed by all: some of the more constructive played basketball while others tried to tan in biting north-easterlies! Although all may not agree on the use of their spare time, they were unanimous in their appreciation of Mrs Byrne's catering, which was quite excellent.
Coming from a school which has a high standard of music I found it awesome to see talented young musicians outshine older and reputedly competitive players from my own school. It was encouraging to watch very young children take an interest in what was happening around them. A factor which I believe helped the musicians to attain their maximum amount of guidance was the variety of bands and orchestras, from the nightingales in the madrigal group to Wilf Budd's jazz band.
The social aspect of an event that occupies a period of a week is of importance, and I was impressed how easy and relaxed was the relationship between the young and the not-so-young. Although numbers were smaller than in previous years, the difficulties and advantages balanced out well. Neil Chapman was our Guest Conductor, and he agreed to take camp the following year as well.
In 1979 we returned to Nashville. This was a difficult year: petrol was rationed-the political situation was tense-numbers were down to 50-yet we managed to keep going!
We continued to do our own catering: Guy Cary prepared the menus and a catering committee was formed. There was the added difficulty of having to transport all the Musicamp equipment and music from Peterhouse, where it had been moved for safe keeping from the office block and library which we had built at Marist Brothers' in 1972.
In 1981 we moved to Marondera High School, with 41 campers. We had tried to hold a mini-Musicamp in August 1980, but because of lack of support this plan had to be cancelled. In January 1981 we again considered Marist Brothers' College as the venue, so Guy Cary and Mrs Roberts (our Midlands representative) visited the College to check on facilities there; however, for various reasons it was decided to look elsewhere-and so it was that, following a successful Bridge partnership one evening, the Headmaster of Marondera High School gave permission for the Camp that year to be held there.
Neil Chapman was again our Guest Conductor, Olaf Axelssen not only drove the Bulawayo contingent to Marondera but also conducted the choir, and it was at this Camp that Dorothy Sibson was elected Treasurer. Looking through the Musicamp Minutes since 1964 I am amazed at the many and varied ways Dorothy has helped, willingly and enthusiastically, over the years: she has assisted and played in junior groups, she has been the disciplinarian in girls' dormitories, she has, latterly, organised the transport for the people coming from Bulawayo, and has been the Keeper of the Purse for seven years.
The financial position of Musicamp was never so secure. Having received financial help from the National Arts Foundation twice over the past ten year period we have tried to become independent of grants and raise money ourselves in order to be self-supporting. The part Dorothy has played in this fund-raising exercise, as well as the donations she has been able to gather, cannot go unheralded. The fact that we have been able to import conductors from abroad since this time and still remain in what is known as a "healthy" position is entirely due to the wise judgements and expertise, as our Treasurer, of Dorothy Sibson: no Chairman has been more fortunate than I was when Dorothy became our Treasurer!
Because of the reduced numbers at the 1981 Camp many suggestions were made on the question of publicity. Our activities appear in the magazine of the Zimbabwe Society of Music Teachers, information is sent to the College in Harare and the Academy in Bulawayo as well as to Committee members who advertise the Camp in their respective centres. In past years the work of Musicamp has appeared in the national press; we have been heard on radio and seen on TV; we have written countless letters to Choral Societies, Training Colleges and other interested bodies. Even so, after 18 years of existence, people were still asking "What is Musicamp?" - you can't win!
Thornhill School in Gweru was our venue in 1982, and for the second time we were able, thanks to the generosity of the British Council, to have a Guest Conductor from overseas-Wyn Davies. Not only did Wyn win (!) the hearts of us all with his patience, Cambrian good humour and friendliness but he also introduced us to Britten in his Dances from Gloriana and the Serenade of the Welsh composer William Mathias.
Again, we did our own catering and thanks
to Jenny Bourdillon and her committee we fed like the proverbial kings. Leo
Birsten returned to Camp this year and did his customary sterling work with
the string groups. Felicity van Jaarsfelt from Gweru did magnificent work
with the younger players as well as proving invaluable as our liaison officer
between Musicamp and Thornhill School.
