South Australians hitting the right notes
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Two young musicians from South Australia were the recipients of scholarships last month at a national conference that drew guests from around the world.
Dorothy Nguyen from the Vietnamese Catholic community in Adelaide and Cabra Dominican College student Sally Ryan picked up the awards at the National Music and Liturgy conference at Adelaide’s Hilton Hotel before attendees from as far away as America and Fiji.
Dorothy Nguyen
Dorothy was awarded $1500 to support her liturgical and/or musical education in a category open to pastoral musicians aged 14 to 35.
Sally, a Year 12 student and pianist who attends Our Lady of Grace Church in Glengowrie, was handed the emerging artist award which meant that not only did she have free access to the three-day conference but was also given the chance to perform on stage.
Sally’s father Ben is also a pastoral musician and an APRIM at St Martin de Porres School and dad and daughter both took part in the event.
Sally joined the Australian Pastoral Musicians Network for a Night of Worship concert in the St Paul of the Cross Church at The Monastery on day one of the conference and also helped lead the music on the piano during morning prayer the following morning.
More than 120 people attended the concert which showcased some of the musicians’ own work to a wider and younger audience.
Sally Ryan
Dr Clare Schwantes, chair of the National Liturgical Council, complimented musicians and conference contributors, Peter and Lauren Bierer, from the Archdiocese of Adelaide.
The Night of Worship – a first for the conference – was “an uplifting and inspiring occasion”, she said.
“We’ll certainly look to integrate something of this nature into the program for 2027.”
Fr Tom McDonough CP (Parish Priest at Glen Osmond/Parkside and Local Superior of the Passionist Community) said “the songs were spiritually and emotionally warm, engaging and moving”.
“I would love to have more evenings like this, to give composers and performers an opportunity to engage and to offer something to the congregation.”
The highlight of the evening was arguably a solo spot from Gen Bryant who performed a looped recording song, a continuous overdubbing process made famous by singer/guitarist Ed Sheeran.
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