The parish community at Camberwell, Balwyn & Deepdene have been blessed to have some wonderful musicians playing and singing in our Churches. Two faces you may be familiar with are Madeleine Ryan and Johnny De Simone. Not only do they sing at Mass, but they graced the cover of the Parish Annual Report in 2019 (above image).
Both Madeleine and Johnny have been accepted into the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music to study music.
Here’s what they had to say about what it means to them….
Madeleine: The transition from music at high school to music at the Conservatorium has been exceedingly interesting. Though I love being at the Conservatorium and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to study surrounded by so many talented musicians, coming from a school where you are one of only a handful of classically trained musicians to then study with some of the best musicians in Melbourne is quite a shift. It’s intimidating, but also very inspiring.
Johnny: The first week at the Conservatorium has been a mixed bag of emotions. Excitement, nerves, happiness and content just to name a few. I feel for the first time in a long time that I belong when I walk into the Conservatorium. There is something very special about being surrounded by and creating music with other talented musicians. I love having my studies revolve completely around music performance as opposed to the breadth of learning that takes place in the final years of high school and I can’t wait to see how I grow and develop as a musician over the next few years.
Madeleine: I’m hoping that my time at the Conservatorium will give me a clearer understanding of what career path I want to take. I’ve always been one of the ‘hybrids’ who loves performing both musical theatre and opera, so I’ve never been quite certain of which of these I will ultimately want to pursue a career in, perhaps I shall continue my hybridity and pursue both! Either way, a foundation of classical training will be incredibly beneficial, so I am very excited to see where my time at the Conservatorium leads me!
Johnny: I have big dreams all revolving around music and the entertainment industry. I hope that the study that I am doing at the Conservatorium now will propel me into a career full of music. I really don’t mind what I do. I might be an opera singer, musical theatre performer, a producer of some capacity or a singer songwriter. At this point the sky’s the limit. That’s what is so exciting about starting at the Conservatorium; it means that I am one step closer to doing what I love.
Madeleine: Music has always been a central pillar of my life. Growing up, I was often asked whether I was ‘forced’ into playing instruments at a young age; and my answer was always the same: why would I need to be forced into doing something I love? Music to me has never been about how many hours of practise one does, or what grade AMEB (Australian Music Examination Board) one achieves, or how many diplomas mount the wall as a testament to musical talent. Music has always been about something greater; passion and human expression. Sacred music is a shining example of this. We perform hymns written by composers who used music as a means of expressing their awe and admiration for the figures of our faith. Having come from a family that has contributed to the music of the Parish since 2003 (coincidentally the year I was born), I grew up surrounded by sacred music, experiencing the profound effect it had on the Mass, as well as the effect it had on my own feelings of love for my faith. In the famous words of St. Augustine: ‘to sing is to pray twice’.
Johnny: I cannot go a day without listening to music on my phone. If I did, I think I would go crazy! Music has meant so much to me throughout my life. When I was a toddler, I loved singing in my playgroup. I think that’s where my love for music began. From there I got involved in piano lessons, trombone lessons, bands, choirs, events, school musicals and the list goes on. My earliest memory of music and the church was when I was about seven years old in prep. I used to love humming quietly along and harmonising with the organ and the congregation during the hymns. It gave me such satisfaction. Music also helps me connect with myself and connect with God. There’s something about the way you can not only hear music but feel music that is ethereal. It’s this otherworldly quality, the way that music makes me feel, which helps me move closer to God.
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