Mr Tyson came to town and heard a choir sing.

There is something that happens when the word ‘exam’ is mentioned which causes a small part of each of us to become unhinged. It is the phenomenon which occurs just before taking the exam when one’s brain stops functioning.

For as long as there have been Alexis FitzGerald’s singing students sitting for their St Cecilia School of Music Grade Singing and Concert Certificate Performance exams, “Why am I doing this to myself?” has been the catch cry of many dry mouthed candidates waiting in the kitchen at the back of St Agnes’s Anglican Hall. It was a re-take of this on Friday March 5th when six of these singing students sweated and swatted as they awaited their turn to perform in front of Mr Matthews Tyson who had come all the way from Launceston, Tasmania to give his sage advice and final scores to the nervous nellies.

Denis, Sue, Eric with Mr Tyson & Alexis

Ruth, Di, Christine with Mr Tyson

Exam completed, each person in turn re-emerged from the examination room seemingly different having shed the veil of fear and replaced it with an air of confidence and pride in what they had just achieved. And is this not the whole point of sitting for singing examinations…to set goals; improve one’s knowledge of music and singing; to assess one’s capabilities and learn from inaccuracies; to build self confidence and trust yourself to know more than you think you do? Notwithstanding the hours of inspiring tuition and encouragement by Alexis, Matthews Tyson’s charm and warm demeanour did play a not insignificant role in relaxing these hopefuls.

Matthews Tyson is the Director and owner of the St Cecilia School of Music which he established in Launceston in 1974. His aim was to provide opportunities for students of all ages and development levels a chance to perform. Today, while principally providing tuition to students in the Launceston area, the school conducts examinations, masterclasses and private lessons to students throughout Australia, New Zealand, USA, Italy and Asia. Matthews is a highly experienced, well- qualified teacher, conductor and music examiner and the township of Esk has for many years now reaped the benefits of his vast skills and musical knowledge.

Towards the beginning of 2020 when a worldwide pandemic thwarted Alexis’s students’ plans for another year’s grading examinations, Alexis, who regularly has at least five dreams before breakfast, came up with the idea of utilizing the St Cecilia School of Music’s initiative for Ensembles to perform in an examination style Concert Programme in Toogoolawah’s Alexandra Hall and throw in a High Tea for a selected audience. The blueprint was set for a Ladies Ensemble of eighteen and a Mixed Ensemble of twenty-five to each perform a set number of songs, have Mr Tyson extend his stay in Esk to the following day for the purposes of examining and to provide a delightful morning’s entertainment with enticing treats for a limited audience. And so it was that ‘Elegance with Ensembles and High Tea’ was born.

The Ladies Ensemble with Margaret and Alexis

Songs by composers the likes of Chopin, Lowry, songs with lyrics by the Scottish poet Robert Burns, compositions by the esteemed English composer John Rutter and others by a favoured composer of Choral songs, Linda Spevacek had audience members transfixed to the stage during both Ensemble performances. If percentage results and final comments by Matthews Tyson were any indication, he too was abundantly impressed with the results of many months of hard work and commitment by Choir members. While Margaret, the Choir’s little miracle of an accompanist hardly missed a beat, it must be said without question that most of the credit for the successes achieved be attributed to Alexis whose patience deserves to be bottled; who continually goes the extra mile for the Choir she loves, her belief in her Choir unparalleled.

Following the performances, Mr Tyson’s inspiring encapsulation of his delightful Brisbane Valley experience and with audience members seated around daintily decorated tables, good company and conversation flowed over an exquisite array of meticulously crafted boxes of sweet and savoury treats, served alongside cups of tea and coffee. For their provision of this, the Choir’s Catering Queens Sue Cox, Di Chaplin and their band of Choir angels are to be congratulated.

It is a truth that winners are not those who never fail. Winners are the ones who never stop trying.

By: Sue Walker.