With the pair having a farewell tour of Australia in August the revisit of The University of Southern Queensland’s music students to The Concert in Central Park by Simon and Garfunkel was timely.

It was estimated that a crowd of more than 500,000 packed onto the Great Lawn of Central Park in September of 1981 to enjoy the performance of the folk-rock duo. At the opening of the concert, which was organised to raise funds for urgently needed restoration of Central Park, Simon and Garfunkel were introduced by New York City Mayor Ed Koch. They immediately launched into their 1968 hit Mrs Robinson. This was followed by such favorites as America, Scarborough Fair, Wake Up Little Susie, Slip Slidin’ Away, Bridge Over Troubled Water and The Boxer.
After singing 17 songs Simon and Garfunkel returned for an encore featuring The Sound of Silence and the concert ended with a second encore of Late in the Evening.

The Concert in the Park album has since attained legendary status and the 10 music students performing for their assessments in USQ’s Arts Theatre on Friday 8 June played their part in upholding that tradition. The students performing, accompanied on guitar by lecturer (music) and examiner Bruce Woodward, were Nicola Parigi, Jess Betts, Rebekah Harrison, Alexandra Stewart, Cryss Coleman, Connor Fogarty, Jessie Parsons, James Nardello, Samantha Slattery and Harry Schneider. “The students worked very well together throughout the semester transcribing and arranging Simon and Garfunkle songs for the performance,” Bruce says. “They often rearranged them to highlight the particular strengths of their ensembles, which included some wonderful vocal arrangements. The students brought together performances of the great songs from their own research into the artists, the music and the social context in which the music was made. This made for a really enjoyable concert.”

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