Music 

News

Chris MITCHELL

Director of Music

Instrumental Lessons

A few reminders for students regarding instrumental lessons:

• Please check your lesson times carefully each week, and again the day before the lesson. Write yourself a reminder if you need it so you remember to attend (or if you use a BYOD, set a reminder using a calendar app such as Outlook).
• If you will miss a lesson please see your teacher or send your teacher an e-mail in advance. In some cases, the lesson time may be able to be re-arranged but this is not always possible.
• Please ensure you complete regular practice as advised by your teacher. Some teachers will write practice requirements in the Compass lesson plan, so please check this.

Tuition & Hire Fees

Annual hire fees and the first instalment of tuition fees are now overdue. Instalment 2 for tuition fees is also now due. As instrumental music is an optional program, these fees are required to be paid for students who have enrolled. Please make these payments as soon as possible. Please note that any hire fees not paid in a timely manner will result in the school retaining the hire instrument.

Ensembles

All ensembles have now resumed for 2023. Ensemble sessions should appear in the student’s Compass schedule. 

A reminder to students in AT529 that for terms 3 & 4, they will join Intermediate Strings (string students) or Intermediate Concert Band (brass / woodwind students). Please ensure you keep the appropriate afternoon free.

^ AT529 is Semester 1 only. Students will be allocated to intermediate strings or intermediate concert band for Semester 2. They may begin their intermediate group in Semester 1 if they wish.

* audition only group taken in addition to a core ensemble.

Harmonix Choir

All students are encouraged to join Highvale’s Harmonix Choir. Rehearsals are in the Theatre at lunchtimes (1.10pm start) on Fridays, and provides a great opportunity to be make new friends, become more connected to the school community and enjoy making music, without having to sign up for instrumental lessons. Speak to Mr Nguyen (Thursdays & Fridays) or Mr Mitchell if you’d like to know more.

Twilight Tunes

Our first concert of the year was held on Thursday 23rd March. Despite a stormy morning, in typical Melbourne fashion the weather had changed to a bright, sunny afternoon, perfect for an outdoor concert. Students gave wonderful performances of a range of music, such as a cello arrangement of Scott Joplin’s ‘The Entertainer’, a clarinet arrangement of ‘Jupiter’ from Holst’s ‘The Planets’, and our Harmonix Choir with ‘One Note Samba’. Thanks to everyone who came along to support the students. Please see a selection of photos from the evening below.

NEVR Concert, Hamer Hall, 29th May

The annual North Eastern Victoria Region (NEVR) youth concert is back for 2023! We have over 70 students from Highvale Secondary College who have been successful in their applications to take part. Please make sure to attend the required rehearsals, noting that students / parents must organise their own transport to the venues. For the sound check day on May 29th, we will organise to meet and dismiss students at Glen Waverley Train Station. Further details will be posted in a Compass event.

2023 Performances

For your forward planning, please see the proposed 2023 performances below. If you are unsure if your student will be required on a particular date, please contact the music department for confirmation.