LOGIE-SMITH, George MBE OBE (1914-2007) 
George Logie-Smith, circa 1954.
Maestro and musician, George Logie-Smith led an outstanding awakening in music and performance at Geelong College during his period as Music Master and Director of Music from 1937 to 1958.
In 2005, when the Keith Humble Centre for Music and the Performing Arts Centre opened, the College named The George Logie-Smith Auditorium as a heartfelt tribute to his enormous contribution to the School.
George Logie-Smith, was born at Melbourne to parents Edgar Smith and Margaret nee Logie and attended Essendon High School. From an early age he responded to his mother’s love of music and is noted as having conducted Handel’s 'Messiah' at his local church when only aged 15. As a young pianist Logie-Smith gave well-received recitals, won competitions and shared in the Allans Scholarship sponsored by the well-known Allans Music Company. At the time he was being taught piano by Roy Shepherd.
George Logie-Smith conducting.
In his efforts to lift musical education into the mainstream of the Geelong College curriculum, the Rev. Francis Roland, Principal appointed Roy Shepherd as a visiting Director of Music in 1936. Shepherd recommended his protege Logie-Smith as an assistant and in 1937 Logie-Smith was appointed as a full-time music master at Geelong College. When Roy Shepherd became ill that year however, he prevailed on Rolland to appoint Logie-Smith Director of Music despite his lack of formal academic qualifications or training as a teacher.
Bill Rogers, a student of the that time, recalled that
‘Music was not then a subject that received very close attention at Geelong College. Instruments were taught - the Cadet Corps had a brass band - there was community singing in assembly but music was not regarded by either staff or pupils of being paramount importance. George was only 22 when appointed but he played cricket and football and trained with the boys’ . George immediately set about creating a school orchestra, various choirs and, after discussions with some senior boys, agreed in 1938 to produce through the Glee Club 'Trial By Jury' beginning a twenty year progression of Gilbert and Sullivan opera productions - firstly at the old Plaza Theatre, and later in the much larger Geelong Theatre from 1938 to 1958. These productions were not only a central part of College life, but they involved the whole school community, and raised music to an activity which transcended sport and other activities. In 1941, while teaching at College he married Enid nee Buchanan, starting a relationship which was pivotal to his later life and from which the couple raised three children. After the School’s recovery from the scarcity of World War II, he took a year’s leave of absence and conducted in England during 1948.
His appointment in 1958 to Scotch College, Melbourne marked another 20 year period as Director of Music and he oversaw the progression of music into the curriculum, a large expansion in sessional teaching and a level of musical output of near-professional standard. His pioneering musical expeditions pioneered at Geelong College with trips to Tasmania in 1955 and 1958 expanded at Scotch into tours interstate, South-east Asia and New Zealand. He also maintained his other interests and coached football while at Scotch. Not content with ‘retirement’ from Scotch he became Musical Director at Haileybury College for a further four years before establishing his own music consultancy. Many other schools benefited from his expertise including St Margaret’s, Kilvington and Genazzano.
George Logie Smith with cast members of the Pirates of Penzance, 1955.
His community activities were as significant. Awarded an MBE in 1955 and an OBE in 1970, these awards reflected his extensive involvement in music. His early regional activities included directing the Geelong and Ballarat Symphony Orchestras and Choral Societies but his associations extended to an enormous range of groups over the years such as the Peninsula Youth Orchestra, Melbourne Youth Symphonic Band, University of Melbourne Choral Society, Grainger Wind Symphony and the Astra Chamber Music Society.
Ian Harrison described Logie-Smith as possessing an
‘idiosyncratic teaching style, which could be characterised as jocular intimidation’ though ‘relished by pupils. Always the performer, he chose to conceal his sensitivity and personal warmth under a formidable persona, but many were the colleagues and students who penetrated it to find the real person' . Bill Rogers shared much of this view of George’s character –
'George related to the boys in a quite remarkable way without ever surrendering the normal master-pupil relationship. He formed and maintained friendships which lasted for seventy years and would always make himself available for Glee Club Reunions, of which there were many.’ In March 2005, the 91 year old George attended his final concert at Geelong College. A short time later he attended the naming, in his honour, of the auditorium in the new Keith Humble Centre for Music and the Performing Arts as the "George Logie-Smith Auditorium".
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George Logie-Smith.