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GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
Fr Joe Kavanagh SJ
Certain people have a
lasing efect on you The earliest menion of Music in the writen records of the College was a reference in the
that’s almost impossible Prospectus of the mid-sixies (atributed to Fr Joe Veale SJ) to the aims of the College including
to put in words. Gerry “…fostering an appreciaion of Art and Music”. How this was to be done is unclear since no
Murphy was one – never formal classes in music existed in the Senior School at that ime and such musical educaion as
taking the obvious
or easy course, never was imparted in the Prep school depended on the interest and individual ingenuity of the class
allowing the mundane. teacher.
The world, and especially Yet music was not absent. As early as the1952 end of year Mass (in Milltown Park Chapel)
music, demanded your records note that “…Fr Hutchinson directed the boys’ singing”. The following September at the
involvement when opening Mass of the new academic year the direcion of the116 boys in the “boys’ choir” fell to
Gerry was around. And Fr Joe Kavanagh SJ while Fr Stephen Redmond SJ accompanied on the organ. This event is trebly
imagining life growing up signiicant: it is the irst menion of a boys’ choir which henceforth was to be a fundamental
without a Gerry Murphy
leading the pack – caped feature of College liturgies (though that term was unused at that ime); it introduces Fr Kavanagh
crusader that he was – as choir director and Fr Redmond as organist. Both men were accomplished musicians and
seems unthinkable. God though neither was ever to teach music as a class subject each was involved in the promoion of
only knows where we music either as choir master or as organiser of visits to the Symphony Concerts for schools given
would all have ended up! by the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra in the Phoenix Hall.
By the late sixies Fr Redmond’s reputaion as a musician was enhanced not just by his
David Downes composiions for the choir of Preps I and II but by being a inalist in the Naional Song Contest in
Class of 1993
1968. Although no standing senior choir yet existed choirs were organised on an ad hoc basis for
David graduated from special events such as the Diocesan Examinaion in Sacred Music.
Trinity College, Dublin, Given this choral acivity it is somewhat surprising that at the solemn blessing of the College
with a BA in Music & Chapel in 1969 the choir came from Milltown Park. It was directed by a Mr Dermot Murray SJ
Composiion. His career as
a performer and composer who would later direct the College choir when he returned to Gonzaga as Fr Murray; Headmaster
has seen him working from 1974 to 1982.
with the NSOI, Naional It was Fr Murray’s predecessor; Fr Hubert Delaney SJ who was responsible for the changes
Symphony of Washington,
Moravian Philharmonic which radically altered the approach of the College to music teaching. By 1972 regular classes
(for Gerry Murphy’s had been disconinued on Saturday mornings and pupils were invited to atend special classes
“Dialects”), the Atlanta which included recorder and guitar tuiion for junior boys and musical appreciaion for Senior
Symphony, Riverdance, The
Abbey Theatre and many 4, 5 & 6 (taught by Eoin Garret a recent past pupil). The success of these classes led Fr Delaney
others. He has performed to appoint a full ime music teacher in the College from September 1973. This was Mr Gerard
for President Clinton, and M Murphy, afecionately known to staf and students as “Gerry”. The next 33 years of music at
for Presidents Bush and
Obama at The White House. Gonzaga were dominated by the person and personality of Gerry Murphy.
His music has earned four In the early 70’s others apart from Gerry were sill acively involved in music (and especially
Plainum discs around the choral) teaching. Ms Marylin Bimstein directed choirs in the Prep school and in the junior years of
world and in 2010 he
was nominated for
an EMMY award.
GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
Fr Joe Kavanagh SJ
Certain people have a
lasing efect on you The earliest menion of Music in the writen records of the College was a reference in the
that’s almost impossible Prospectus of the mid-sixies (atributed to Fr Joe Veale SJ) to the aims of the College including
to put in words. Gerry “…fostering an appreciaion of Art and Music”. How this was to be done is unclear since no
Murphy was one – never formal classes in music existed in the Senior School at that ime and such musical educaion as
taking the obvious
or easy course, never was imparted in the Prep school depended on the interest and individual ingenuity of the class
allowing the mundane. teacher.
The world, and especially Yet music was not absent. As early as the1952 end of year Mass (in Milltown Park Chapel)
music, demanded your records note that “…Fr Hutchinson directed the boys’ singing”. The following September at the
involvement when opening Mass of the new academic year the direcion of the116 boys in the “boys’ choir” fell to
Gerry was around. And Fr Joe Kavanagh SJ while Fr Stephen Redmond SJ accompanied on the organ. This event is trebly
imagining life growing up signiicant: it is the irst menion of a boys’ choir which henceforth was to be a fundamental
without a Gerry Murphy
leading the pack – caped feature of College liturgies (though that term was unused at that ime); it introduces Fr Kavanagh
crusader that he was – as choir director and Fr Redmond as organist. Both men were accomplished musicians and
seems unthinkable. God though neither was ever to teach music as a class subject each was involved in the promoion of
only knows where we music either as choir master or as organiser of visits to the Symphony Concerts for schools given
would all have ended up! by the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra in the Phoenix Hall.
By the late sixies Fr Redmond’s reputaion as a musician was enhanced not just by his
David Downes composiions for the choir of Preps I and II but by being a inalist in the Naional Song Contest in
Class of 1993
1968. Although no standing senior choir yet existed choirs were organised on an ad hoc basis for
David graduated from special events such as the Diocesan Examinaion in Sacred Music.
Trinity College, Dublin, Given this choral acivity it is somewhat surprising that at the solemn blessing of the College
with a BA in Music & Chapel in 1969 the choir came from Milltown Park. It was directed by a Mr Dermot Murray SJ
Composiion. His career as
a performer and composer who would later direct the College choir when he returned to Gonzaga as Fr Murray; Headmaster
has seen him working from 1974 to 1982.
with the NSOI, Naional It was Fr Murray’s predecessor; Fr Hubert Delaney SJ who was responsible for the changes
Symphony of Washington,
Moravian Philharmonic which radically altered the approach of the College to music teaching. By 1972 regular classes
(for Gerry Murphy’s had been disconinued on Saturday mornings and pupils were invited to atend special classes
“Dialects”), the Atlanta which included recorder and guitar tuiion for junior boys and musical appreciaion for Senior
Symphony, Riverdance, The
Abbey Theatre and many 4, 5 & 6 (taught by Eoin Garret a recent past pupil). The success of these classes led Fr Delaney
others. He has performed to appoint a full ime music teacher in the College from September 1973. This was Mr Gerard
for President Clinton, and M Murphy, afecionately known to staf and students as “Gerry”. The next 33 years of music at
for Presidents Bush and
Obama at The White House. Gonzaga were dominated by the person and personality of Gerry Murphy.
His music has earned four In the early 70’s others apart from Gerry were sill acively involved in music (and especially
Plainum discs around the choral) teaching. Ms Marylin Bimstein directed choirs in the Prep school and in the junior years of
world and in 2010 he
was nominated for
an EMMY award.
