Music

Many thanks to those families who have given such positive feedback on the Music program this year, particularly how we operated during remote learning. It is wonderful to hear such a strong endorsement of Music at Newlands - and it makes planning and teaching your children so much more enjoyable!

I would like to thank Belinda and Katey for their invaluable contribution to the collective specialist program this year. It has been a delight working alongside them and Nikki and I are very sad to see them go, although their new schools are very lucky to have them on board!

A quick precis of 2021 in Music (and some Performing Arts) looks like this:

• Spanish - many Music lessons this year, particularly with the younger children, were conducted almost entirely in Spanish. This will continue to be the case and the amount of Spanish used will increase. With Performing Arts and Visual Arts also being taught in Spanish, this will mean we have a strong bilingual program!
• Choir - Music teachers across the state were told in no uncertain terms after remote learning that singing was off the menu until the end of the year! Putting choir on hold was a tough decision, but we are determined that it will be back with a vengeance for students in years 3 to 6 in 2021.
• Recorder - ditto as for Choir. All students in 2/3 and 4/5/6 will be returning to this fabulous class instrument during Music, so dust off your recorders and get ready! (don't worry if you don't have / can't find / aren't sure - we will sort this out at the start of the year)
• State Schools Spectacular - we are in! 16 NPS students will be dancing in a COVID-safe concert to be broadcast in September 2021. Media release forms have been given out and auditions will take place in the new year.
• Band - see Choir above. Let's get this institution back on its feet next year.
• School of Rock - hopefully this will be back again in June (no promises), and if so we will be there with Band, Choir and Dance Group.
• Concert - there will be more to say about this early next year. While we were determined but defeated this year in trying to stage it, we may be able to compensate next year with more performances at our whole-community events. This will need a lot of discussion with all stakeholders first to scope out the year, so no promises yet, but be assured it is something we are keeping in mind.

Term 4 Music

I decided to make a compilation video of our program this term. I am delighted to see that the work we have been doing in developing the children's skills in music techniques and protocols over the last three years has been paying off. Students are becoming more capable and confident musicians, and are getting better and better and working with others in groups or as a whole class.

You can see in the video the progress that takes place from Prep all the way to Year 6 - F/1 students do a lot of movement and imaginative activities, and as they progress through the school they start to do more groupwork and composition-type activities. All the way through is a focus on technique, listening and awareness of the ensemble. Enjoy!