Music News

It has been an absolute honour to be a part of the community here at Christway College. Thank you to this wonderful school community for welcoming me as a new teacher this year. It is such a pleasure to work with students who are so ready to learn and grow in their musical skills and abilities – I have really enjoyed my first few weeks and look forward to the exciting year that is jam-packed with events for students to grow and develop. 

Year 7/8 Band Program

All students in Year 7 and Year 8 should now have received an instrument to take home to practice. Year 7s have been on a journey over the past few weeks to make a controlled sound out of their instrument, combining rhythm and sound. The Year 8s have already begun working on their music for the winter concert later in the year and sound amazing!

Primary School Production

It has been so wonderful to be part of the musical production team and start working with the Grade 5s and 6s on their auditions for the musical Finding Nemo JR. There is such a fantastic buzz around as we begin teaching songs to students and already the music is heard from far and wide in the schoolyard. Students in Grade 5/6 have been so brave working with Mrs Fairweather, Mrs Corera and myself to sing to the best of their ability as they learn their audition songs.

Instrumental Lessons

There is such a vibrant instrumental music program at Christway as students have the opportunity to learn classical/contemporary piano, guitar, drums/percussion, voice, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone. There are many different performance opportunities for students throughout the year and if you are interested in learning an instrument, please contact the music admin team through the email music.admin@christway.vic.edu.au. Attached below is the instrumental information booklet and enrolment form. 

Please note that in the coming weeks we will have switched completely to Compass for our lesson scheduling. Please look up your child in the online system. We have found that Compass is the most reliable place to find your child’s updated lesson times each week and all parents and teachers can see the update immediately when needed. Primary students will be collected for their lessons while Secondary students can look up their lesson times on Compass themselves.

Instrumental Music Soiree

There will be an organised instrumental Music Soiree on Wednesday 26 March at 3.45pm in the auditorium. This concert will include solo performances from students at the College who learn an instrument. If your child learns an instrument outside school and you would like them to perform in this concert, please send an email to me at ruth.barry@christway.vic.edu.au and I will make sure I put them into the program. Please send through their name, grade, instrument, piece and composer.

I look forward to working with the staff, students and parents at this beautiful school over the coming year and am very excited to be a part of a growing and developing music department with such skilled musicians and teachers at Christway.

Ruth Barry

Head of Music 

Upcoming Music Dates

Term 1

CSEN Music Showcase: Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 March

Instrumental Music Soiree: Wednesday 26 March

Term 2

Winter Concert: Thursday 5 June

Term 3

Instrumental Music Soiree: Wednesday 6 August

VSMF: specific ensemble dates TBC (August/September)

Primary Musical: Wednesday 10 September and Thursday 11 September

Term 4

Spring Concert: Thursday 30 October

VSMF: Young Concert Band Section – dates TBC (November)