MUSIC

Vocal Ensemble

As long as we live, there is never enough singing. (Martin Luther King)

In Week 6 we launched our much anticipated College choir. The choir forms the ensemble branch of our much-celebrated Vocal Academy, and as such, our founding members and vocal director named it the  Academy Vocal Ensemble during our first rehearsal. In a serendipitous acronymic coincidence, the Academy Vocal Ensemble’s shortened name is ave, a word which can be used as a greeting of well wishing, or as a form of entreaty or prayer. Classical vocal writing famoulosy features many fine songs of ave, such as Ave Maria (Hail Mary) by Schubert, Bruckner, Dvorak, Verdi, Cui and Gounod/Bach, and Ave Verum Corpus (Hail, true body), by Mozart, Elgar, Liszt, Saint-Saens and William Byrd. 

Our Academy Vocal Ensemble however is indicative of the contemporary vocal tradition, smashing out the hits from the cutest ever animated tale of musical redemption, Sing, in its first rehearsal. The Academy Vocal Ensemble features all students of our Vocal Academy plus extra students who auditioned for a place in the choir in pre-COVID Term 1.

AVE students are very lucky to have Meredith Adams as Vocal Director and Daniel Murray as choral accompanist. Meredith is a 2003 graduate of the NSW Talent Development Project, a tutor for the NSW Public Schools State Choir, and is well known locally as Mary Poppins and Elphaba from Wicked. Meredith is also our Vocal Academy teacher and will have several studio vacancies from Term 3. Students who wish to take private lessons with Meredith in the Vocal Academy should contact Clare.Brassil@trac.nsw.edu.au to enrol.

Daniel is an accomplished choral accompanist who has played with the NSW Arts Unit and Schools Spectacular for many years. He has also performed with Guy Sebastian, Casey Donovan, Paulini, Felix Riebl (from The Cat Empire), Rhonda Burchmore, David Harris, Nathan Foley, Trevor Ashley, Darren Coggan and the Sydney Youth Orchestra. He is also a sought after music composer and arranger whose work some students may not from the Music Count Us In projects.

Vocal Ensemble rehearses on Friday during co-curricular time from 1.45pm - 2.45pm.

Year  7 Beginner Program and Encore Pathways

Our Year 7 beginner instrumental program has offered students an outstanding opportunity to learn a band or orchestral instrument for Terms 1 and 2. Many students have taken up this opportunity, and an outstanding group of players from each year 7 class will be offered further opportunity to pursue their instrument in Terms 3 and 4 via the Encore Pathways program. Encore Pathways offers students showing potential in their instrument the opportunity to continue with small group or individual tuition as part of their classroom music experience or in the Private Tuition branch of the Music Academy. Pathways students will follow an instrumental curriculum which will prepare them to enter the Encore Gifted and Talented program in Year 8 and the College Ensemble program. Eligible students will receive an invitation to enrol in the program at the beginning of Term 3. If you would like to register your interest in the program, please email me: Clare.Brassil@trac.nsw.edu.au

Friday Music

Students can choose music activities during Friday sport and co-curricular time. The following activities are available:

Friday Music Shed: Making music and practicing in small groups with friends.

Brass Tutorials: Get some extra help for your playing with Tim Chandler (brass players only)

Academy Vocal Ensemble: Choir, vocal tutorials, drama games with Meredith Adams and Daniel Murray (audition may be required and extra charges may apply).

To register for Friday music activities students should speak to Ms Brassil and then select music as their Friday sport choice. Students interested in Vocal Ensemble should speak to Ms Brassil about taking an audition.

Clare Brassil | Director of Music Performance