Director of Music

Music a popular subject at Parent Evening 

Our ensemble It has been wonderful to see such encouraging interest in Music and the Arts at our recent Subject Selection Evening, with a strong number of students expressing enthusiasm for these creative and enriching opportunities. Our Senior Music students have also benefited from a special workshop with Dr Andrew Legg from the University of Tasmania, providing valuable insights and inspiration as they develop their musical skills.

The Senior Rock Band performance which concluded Mary Rice Day was energetic. I am looking forward to seeing this group perform an original song in the Tasmanian Rock Challenge in September. 

Looking ahead, we are excited for the upcoming Combined Junior Schools Concert with St Mary’s College, which promises to be a wonderful celebration of our students’ talents. Together, these events highlight the vibrant and diverse musical opportunities available to our students and the important role the Arts continue to play in our school community.

Combined Bands Workshop Day and Concert August 31

The annual Junior Schools Combined Bands Day with St Mary’s College is on Monday 31 August. The Grade 5 and Grade 6 Bands will be working with their counterparts at St Mary’s College and the St Virgil’s College Music Tutor Team to perform a concert that afternoon. 

Please ensure that your son brings both his instrument and Music folder to school on Monday to ensure full participation in the day. Please arrive at 2pm at the Nagle Centre, St Mary’s College, for the concert to start at 2.15pm. The performance is expected to conclude around 3pm. You may pick up your son directly after the performance. Please inform a St Virgil’s College Staff member that you have picked up your son. 

We look forward to seeing you at the concert.

Senior Music Workshop with Dr Andrew Legg

Senior Music students were put through their paces in a recent performance workshop with Dr Andrew Legg from the University of Tasmania.

Lucas Hay, Marcus Hay, and Enoch Ebo performed for Dr Legg who spoke to them about the importance of intent and emotion in performance. The visiting musician recounted his experience of playing piano for Aretha Franklin and learning that AI had created an ‘Andrew Legg Bot’ which imitates his piano playing and has been used by the Australian recording artist Troy Cassar-Daley.

The Senior students who are studying the UTAS Music Foundations Course and the TASC Music Course are busy preparing for their End of Year Performance Exams. The visit from Dr Legg was valuable for their personal practice as well as performance experience.

Private Music Lessons

Although we are at the mid-point of the term, you are still able to register your son for private Music lessons. St Virgil’s College offers the following private lesson opportunities:

• Woodwind (flute, clarinet, saxophone)
• Brass (trumpet, trombone, French horn)
• Piano
• Guitar (electric and acoustic)
• Bass Guitar
• Drums
• Voice

Please use the following link to register your interest for Private Music Lessons: https://forms.gle/Hs2XpX6XpVbGYai19

Bandsman of the Week

Students who are named as Bandsman of the Week demonstrate exemplary behaviour during rehearsals and tutorials, bring all of the necessary equipment on Mondays (instrument, Music folder, and practice sheet), and have demonstrated a dedicated home practice schedule. 

Congratulations to Charlie Goodwin in Grade 5 and Ethan Washington and Jack Kilgour in Grade 6 for being recognised as Bandsman of the Week.