Bedgerabong’s talented marimba players have been named the most entertaining performance of Cowra Eisteddfod’s prestigious grand concert of prize winners. The team of year 4 to 6 students who won first place with their performance of La Bamba at Cowra Eisteddfod were invited to perform at the concert, an invitation Bedgerabong Public School principal Paul Faulkner accepted as an honour. The group, who also won their section at Dubbo Eisteddfod, had performed the piece beautifully during competition and did so again on the night. Mr Faulkner’s only disappointment was that they didn’t stay for the rest of the high calibre concert due to the travel distances, organisers kindly putting them early on the program. He wasn’t expecting a call in the days that followed. “We got a phone call to say we’d like to let you know you’ve been awarded most entertaining (of the night), which was so exciting,” he said. Richard Neate from Cowra Eisteddfod visited the small school to present them with the perpetual shield, which they’ll proudly display for coming months. Since their introduction in 2001, marimbas have become embedded in the school and the music has taken children from Bedgerabong to the Sydney Opera House. They delight audiences at community events like Bedgerabong Show and Forbes' Christmas carnival. Every student at the school can learn to play and has opportunities to perform, then there are students who choose to invest extra time at lunch or after school to take it further, Mr Faulkner said. The benefits he and the teachers sees are multifaceted. “The underlying part is the teamwork, ability to listen,” he said. There are also benefits in a “brain gym” space that benefits their learning, and finally the confidence developed by performing on stage or at community events.
