Our Old Boys have such diverse career paths; we are so proud of the good young men they become and how they make meaningful contributions to their communities. Stuart St Vincent Welch describes himself as an average student who had no idea what he wanted to do after school. But drawing on the TGS values of hard work, respect and resilience he is now working as a Sound Engineer for Barking Owl in New York City, rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s most renowned musicians and actors. He kindly took some time from his busy schedule for a quick Q&A…
- What is your favourite memory from your time at school - I do think the friends you make at school are your lifelong mates even if you’re too young to realise it at the time.
- How did your time at TGS help you with your career - I really had no idea what I wanted to do after school or what my career would look like. I did a broad range of classes that really didn't steer me towards any particular career path, but gave me a grounding in a variety of subjects and skills. I did learn guitar at TGS and I am still as bad as I was at School.
- How did you become interested in this work and what led to your employment with Barking Owl - I've always loved music and film and I come from a musical family with a strong love of music. Though I didn't really acknowledge it at the time, it was obviously instrumental in forming my interest and skills in this area.
- What’s some of the highlights of your career - I’m still very much on the smaller end of the American industry but in 2022 I completed the sound design and mix for the Pepsi Superbowl trailer with Dr Dre, Snoop and Kendrick Lamar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ2MbmrxVzg.
I have recorded dialogue for feature films such as A Quiet Place 2, DC Super Pets, Under the Skin and Disney’s Jungle Cruise. I've had a song placed on the official Sing 2 soundtrack, as well as mixing Flume's first official documentary. I also get to work alongside notable composers such as Grammy and Oscar-winner Atticus Ross, who works for Barking Owl.
- Did you ever dream you would have these connections or opportunities
- I’m not sure I ever expected to end up in NYC, it's a long way from Toowoomba. I’m lucky that my career has taken me to London and to New York City and each time you just climb a tiny bit further up the ladder. It has a lot to do with luck, the ability to hang in there when the going gets tough and trying to be the last person standing in a really competitive industry. I believe that coming from a small town like Toowoomba does give you the drive to get out there and see the world more so than if you were brought up in a bigger city with everything on your doorstep.
- What’s some of the values that you learnt at TGS that have helped shape you and helped in your life - I enjoyed the social and sport elements of School and staff always encouraged us to get involved in, and experience, a range of activities. Even though I didn’t engage in the Drama or Music programs, I do remember some of the School performances and I believe they opened my eyes to those different aspects of the Arts.
- What’s your advice to current TGS students - I do think working out what you want to do after school is important but there are multiple pathways to success and what you want to achieve. My parents had some unnecessary stress about me finishing school and having no idea what I wanted to do. I would really suggest just trying to work towards getting into university for anything. Even though I didn't get the grades for university and went to the School of Audio Engineering (SAE), I lived on the UQ campus and loved the college lifestyle and the people I met.
College life is a lot of fun!! As cliché as it sounds, you’ll look back on those memories as some of the best years of your life. My advice is to sit down with the Careers Advisor early and have an honest conversation about what you want to achieve after school. If anyone needs advice on how to get into this industry, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask.
When you’re at School it seems big and overwhelming, but it really is just such a small blip in your life so try and enjoy it. Seeing the world when you are younger really is a lifechanging experience.
Latest Blog
Honouring Tradition: Toowoomba Grammar School and ANZAC Day
This year marks 98 years since TGS and the 13 Army Cadet Unit (Toowoomba Collective Unit) first participated in ANZAC Services in Toowoomba. The School's commitment to these services is a testament to its deep-rooted military traditions and the enduring spirit of remembrance. Mounties out the front of School House in 1908. A Legacy of Service Toowoomba Grammar School's military traditions date back to its early days. The School's Cadet Unit, formed in 1892, has been a cornerstone of its…
Outdoor Pursuits and Activities Week - Developing Good Character Beyond the Classroom
We offer a range of enrichment activities for our boys, but the last week of Term 1 is a very special opportunity for all of our Senior School students. It's Outdoor Pursuits and Activities Week, which provides age-appropriate physical challenges in a safe, well-supervised environment. Activities on the various camps may include ropes courses, rock climbing, bodyboarding, surfing, mountain biking and canoeing. The aim is to foster a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of the environment.…
Stories behind key TGS staff helping shape our students
It was my great privilege to join TGS as Head of House - Boyce Boarding in 2024. The opportunity to lead these young men of character on their TGS journey carries great weight but is also enormously exciting. Embarking upon this project alongside my wife Meg as Boyce Boarding House Manager strengthens the team further. I am hopeful that we will demonstrate to the boys how positive relationships can foster a warm and supportive environment. I know that many of our boys are familiar with strong…
More Than Just an Education and That Makes All the Difference
Toowoomba Grammar School excels in its extensive co-curricular programs, particularly in performing arts and sports. Our boys learn that success comes from hard work and dedication. This ethos is inspired by quotes like “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great,” “The harder I work, the luckier I get” and the words emblazoned on our P.B. Hauser Aquatic Centre wall “Success is the celebration of preparation.” These opportunities allow students to excel in programs…
Stewardship: Leading the Way in Safety, Sustainability and Security
However, the challenges facing the Director of Facilities, Mr Bengie Dickeson and the Director of Information Technology, Mr Ron Robinson certainly are. This month's weather has been nothing if not unpredictable and it's in those conditions that both these men's skills come to the fore. With Tropical Cyclone Alfred and its threat to our School campus and community - Mr Bengie Dickeson and Mr Ron Robinson played integral roles in keeping everyone and everything on our 150-year-old campus safe.…
Pursuing New Horizons in Horticulture
Jake Moon is a sixth-generation primary producer. He is dedicated to agriculture and is currently working at his family’s St George farming enterprise, tackling some of the sector’s biggest challenges. The 28-year-old says his family moved to the St George irrigation precinct in 1978, initially growing rockmelons and watermelons, hence the business name Moonrocks. Seasonal and market changes led them to switch crops frequently, growing grapes, broccoli and even wax flowers over the years.…
Crushing it at Cricket and Conveying Culture
He explains that he’s named after Yarramundi, a respected and influential leader of the Richmond tribes of the Dharagnora (Hawkesbury-Nepean region of New South Wales) and a respected elder of the Boorooberongal clan of the Dharug people. “I’m proud of my culture and excited to have just started learning Dharug Dalang as part of the language revitalisation with my family.” During one week late last year he juggled exams, balanced representative cricket in Mackay with being the emcee of the…
Disappointment: A Necessary Part of School Life
Schools are inherently hopeful and happy places. Their natural focus on growth, connectedness and preparing youth for a better future creates an optimistic atmosphere in which ambitions are born. These positive emotions and experiences lay the foundation for our expectations and while these can be highly motivating, they come with a catch: the greater our expectations, the greater the disappointments, too. Disappointment is not a popular feeling. Rightly so, not many of us wish to feel sad,…
Boys and Belonging at TGS
As a boarding master of adolescent boys, my role fundamentally concerns pastoral wellbeing and character development to support a successful academic journey. A positive sense of belonging — where boarders feel safe, supported and heard — is fundamental to an effective boarding environment. As such, I felt there was a distinct connection between the International Boys’ Schools Coalition’s (IBSC) theme for the 2024–25 Action Research Cohort, “Boys and Belonging” and what I believe is best…
