Music

On behalf of all music staff - welcome back to face to face learning. We missed you and are looking forward to hearing all the hard practise you have put in during the remote learning period. Remote learning has provided everyone with an opportunity to work on individual technique, tone, scales, band pieces and some solo work. We look forward to hearing the progress you have all made during lessons. 

Timetables

Could all music students - including guitar and voice - pop into the Music Centre when they get to school on Monday to collect updated timetables. If you forget please try and come over by the end of recess at the latest. The timetable will also be published on Compass as an attachment but it is a good idea to have a hard copy.

Lessons/Rehearsals/Concerts

We are lucky that lessons will resume at school in week 2 - BUT we must remember to use hand sanitiser upon entry and departing the Music Centre. Individual and small group lessons will take place and we must practise social distancing at all times. Some lessons will take place outside (weather permitting). We must take this seriously and all do the right thing.

There will be NO rehearsals until further restrictions ease. These are department guidelines. This means no concert bands, swing band, string ensemble, senior strings, EGYO, choir or rock groups. We will let everyone know as soon as we are able to begin rehearsals. I have no doubt we are all looking forward to be playing in our ensembles again. At this stage we are also on standby to see if there will be concerts towards the end of Term 4. We have to be patient but hopefully we will all have some good news soon!

VCE Group Performance/Solo Performance

Cade Steenholdt, Ellie Bennier, Michael Lancaster and Zara Steenholdt have been preparing for their recitals which take place during October in Warragul and Melbourne. I would like to acknowledge all students involved in the groups supporting our soloists. They are: James Caddie: drums, Hayden Lee: trombone, Chris Dudley: tenor sax, Aleka Hutton: piano and Callum Ingram: guitar. Teachers Robyn Keane, James Newman and John Smith, who have spent hours working with students individually and at their rehearsals. Our accompanists have been Joy Ingram and Julie Lockhart. A big thank you to Peter Howell for giving up his time during the rehearsal period recording the groups. Finally a big thank you to parents who have been transporting kids during the holiday period. If restrictions ease we plan to have a concert featuring the group performances. Stay tuned! On behalf of all music staff we wish them well in their final recitals.

University Auditions

Cade Steenholdt and Ellie Bennier have prepared their audition videos and folios for possible entry into university next year. Some auditions, theory tests and interviews have already taken place. They have both been outstanding musicians in the program, showing true leadership and commitment. They both want to pursue music as a career and I have no doubt they will be outstanding teachers. All the best to you both and we look forward to some good news soon.

On behalf of all music staff have a great term.

Gerry Ciavarella

Instrumental Music Coordinator