2025 Rock Camp

Music News 😊

Rock Camp

Last Thursday and Friday I had the absolute pleasure and privilege to take 11 of our Year 5/6 band members away on Rock Camp. It’s a local camp, just in behind The Mex at the Girl guides hall.

The forecast was looking at a grim 36 degrees and in an un airconditioned room, I was unsure how the kids would go. I had grand ideas about sprinklers and Slip n Slides but I found out the camp had no outdoor hose! Anyway, the excited and nervous kids arrived and the beautiful crew of parents had us covered! There were portable fans being walked in and a freezer stocked with icy poles. Thanks guys!

We came together and discussed with the kids about how much their brains are going to be working over the next 2 days. Firing new neurons and creating brand new pathways in their brains. They heard me but I’m not sure they really understood me! 

All of this ties in with Dr Judi’s Newman’s Brain PD for our staff earlier in the year. The power of repeated practice; skill and drill etc. I’ve always known the power of music learning. It crosses so many curriculums and it was brilliant to have music mentioned so many times throughout the PD about brain development and for the band kids particularly to have the experience intensified!

After multiple brain breaks throughout the day (which included having pots of water poured on them!), I looked around the room at one point and they were oh so tired. Those neurons had certainly been firing! We had been working on one particular song for over 3 hours! It was extremely tricky with varied timing of the chords. I explained that even though they might not get it now, in the morning, they might just find they had it. We finished up for the day.

After a lovely dinner and some band photos courtesy of one of our legendary Mum’s Jane Macrae; I told the kids I had a surprise for them. Our very own superstar, Voice competitor, ex OGPS student, Cookie Robinson walked in and the kids had to pick their chins up off the floor! She explained about her journey so far in the music industry, peaks and troughs and the importance of resilience. But, the absolute highlight was when we were treated to 2 of her brand new original songs. The singers were exchanging looks with wide eyed of reverence and again, had to pick up their chins! The experience actually brought me to tears. So beautiful! 😊

Back to it in the morning and my next highlight came at about 11am… That really tough song we’d been working on… it happened… we got through it without stopping! Leni almost whispered “we got through it” and the whole room erupted in to hoots, hollers, squeals of delight, a whole lot of clapping and again some happy tears from me. My body just got covered in goosebumps again reliving it in my mind. They had done it! They had been so far in the learning pit, saying things like “Do we have to do this song?” “Oh, this is soooooo hard” “Gahhhhhhh, I can’t do it!” The difficulty of it made it so much sweeter when we got it! The best feeling! 😊

Mr McCumber and Mrs H came to visit us and have a performance. Mr McCumber echoed my words about music creating new pathways and gave some advice about stage presence. It was great to have them be the first audience!

At 1.15pm the parents all came down to enjoy the kids first public performance of the 4 songs we learnt at the camp. There were a few teary eyes and looks of pride. It was beautiful that they got to see the amount of growth in these young performers in a couple of days.

I couldn’t be more proud of the effort, dedication and enthusiasm already shown by this new bunch of kids. It’s just awesome! Congratulations everyone! 😊

And a huge shout out to Jane Macrae and Lauren McDonald for coming along as volunteers, helping to feed the kids and be an extra set of eyes and ears!

If you’d like to catch our first public performance, we’ll be kicking off the Apple Fair at 11am!

Thanks, 

Dallas 😊