A Karrinyup School orchestra and choir performed music inspired by the 2018 cave rescue to hundreds of people, including one of the rescue team’s six cave divers.

Star of Courage recipient Craig Challen starred at the 2021 Bishop Riley Memorial Lecture at Hearn Hall at St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School last month.

The Cave of the Sleeping Lady, composed by composer-in-residence St Mary’s Centenary Paul Jarman, was performed by school choirs, senior strings and several staff instrumentalists at the opening of the event.

Jarman said the Sleeping Woman’s Cave only told about the first half of the rescue.

“Hearing the story of (Dr Challen) means a lot, because the next step for me is, hopefully, to compose the part of the story that (he was) involved in,” he said.

“I think it’s very important that everyone hear the details of the expedition because when you watch the news there seem to be so many versions of events, but hearing it from Dr Challen was just fantastic. “

Dr Challen, who heard the orchestral piece for the first time, said he was “hugely impressed” and the music was “provocative”.

“I was really surprised by that,” he said.

“It was almost alarming how reminiscent of the feeling in the cave.

“I understand this is only the first (half of the song), so I can’t wait to hear the rest of the story.”