Music & Choir

Welcome to Term 2!

I hope you all had a chance to ‘refill your cups’ during the Easter holidays and prepare for an exciting term ahead!

Below is an outline of what is happening in the Music Room (and beyond!) this term.

For all Band & Ensemble news, please see the Band page of this newsletter. 

Assembly Performances

Class, Choir, Band and Ensemble performances will be held throughout the year. 

These dates will be added to the Compass calendar, so please keep your eye out.

Foundation – Grade 6

• Music Appreciation
• Participation in songs and dances to enhance understanding of special days including Earth Day, ANZAC Day, National Reconciliation Week
• Music Share (weeks 9 & 10) - an opportunity for students to share a musical interest to their class – either individually or in groups. More information later this term.

Foundation 

• Activities to reinforce steady beat, tempo (speed) and form (structure)
• Indigenous instruments / Australian Bush Dance: Emus and Kangaroos

• Beat and rhythm - aural training, visual representations

• The four orchestral families - how do instruments in each family produce sound?
• Classifying and grouping classroom percussion instruments

Grades 1 and 2

• Beat and rhythm - aural training, visual representations

• Exploring pitched (tuned) classroom instruments (xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels) and learning the procedures to safely move them around the classroom and pack them away 

• Developing class cues for playing instruments – start, stop, ready

• Playing tuned instruments to accompany the book ‘Mortimer’ – incorporating musical terms ascending / descending, legato / staccato, loud (f) / soft (p), fast and slow

Grades 3 and 4

• History of the music staff – Guido D’Arezzo (Grade 3)
• Funga Alafia – West African song (Grade 3)
• Sarasponda – Dutch song (Grade 4)
• Recognise and play by sight and sound melodic contour - repeated notes, steps (intervals of a 2nd), skips (intervals of a 3rd)
• Follow a musical score, recognising parts of music including measures (bars), bar lines, double bar lines
• Introduction to the music of ‘Carnival of the Animals’ by Camille Saint-Saens – all Grades 3 and 4 students will be attending a performance of this by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Term 3. 

Grades 5 and 6

Ukulele – developing skills in the areas of:

-  open string recognition (G,C,E,A) – sight and aural activities

-   playing different types of formats – sheet music, videos

-   string and fret identification to play riffs of popular songs

-   natural hand position when strumming

-   simple chords – C, C7, Am, A, A7, F, G

-  enjoying playing songs individually and as a group

Choir

I am thrilled to announce we have 29 enthusiastic students from Grades 4-6 making up the 2026 BPS Choir. They rehearse each Monday from 1.00-1.30pm in the Music Room. Thank you to Mr Merlino who is assisting me with Choir again this year!

Term 2 - Choir Performances 

Please note the following performance dates:

Week 4 – Thursday 14 May – BPS Open Night(see Compass for more information)

Week 8 - Thursday 11 June - Mid-Year Soiree – in Gym 

Choir Performance Clothing

·      Plain short-sleeved coloured tee - bright colours preferred - see photo (NO collars, patterns or logos please) 

·      Plain black full-length leggings / pants / trousers / skirt (black full-length leggings or opaque (not sheer) stockings under skirts - NO bare legs please

·      Black socks & shoes

·      Long hair tied off face (hair accessories to match hair colour) NO colourful bows etc.

·      Short hair neatly brushed 

·      NO make-up or jewellery to be worn (stud / sleeper earrings only)

This attire has been chosen as most Choir members have said they already own these items. If not, you could borrow a coloured tee from a friend or purchase from stores like Target, Kmart, Big W or Best & Less (approximately $4.00).

Further information regarding Choir performances has been distributed via Compass. 

Music Appreciation

How do we make informed choices about the music we like to listen to,

perform or create if we are not exposed to a diverse range of music?

Each week a different musical genre (or theme) is played over the loudspeaker at bell times so that students become familiar with a variety of genres and musical artists. All songs chosen are child-appropriate.

Each week the musical genre is displayed and explored during classroom music lessons.

What's On in Our Community?

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 

Music has the power to move us.

Even unfamiliar tones make us feel deeply. The hush before the first note, to the rush of a standing ovation. The jolt of recognition when a melody sparks a memory. Experiencing the orchestra (especially for the first time!) with a young child is an unforgettable experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed events such as the ones below when my children were little. They are a perfect introduction to live music - and at a reasonable cost, too!

MSO - Jams for Juniors (Children aged 0-5 years)

Rhapsody in Blue - https://www.mso.com.au/performance/2026-jams-for-juniors-rhapsody-in-blue#about-this-workshop

About this workshop

Jams for Juniors is the perfect way to introduce babies and toddlers to the magic of music! Children aged 0-5 and their adults can explore, play and join in at these popular 30-minute musical workshops.

Pull up a cushion and explore the music of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, led by presenter Karen Kyriakou.

Relaxed workshop - All Jams for Juniors workshops feature a relaxed attitude to noise and movement. The 1.00pm workshop takes place with additional elements adapted to reduce anxiety and discomfort in stimulating environments. It is also Auslan interpreted. Children older than 5 who would benefit from these adaptations, and are welcome to this session. Parents and guardians are encouraged to bring headphones or other accommodations that best suit their young one. 

You can expect:

• Chill-out break areas
• Additional space for freedom of movement
• Friendly, trained staff

MSO - Classic Kids (Children aged 5-12 years)

https://www.mso.com.au/whats-on/season-2026#classic-kids 

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at lisa.shacklock@education.vic.gov.au

Here's to a wonderful term filled with music-making and appreciation!

Yours in harmony,

Lisa Shacklock             

Classroom Music, Choir Co-ordinator & Band Liaison (M, Tu, Th, F)

 "Do something worth remembering" - Elvis Presley