School Music Program 2

Warm greetings from Miss Chan in music!

Here’s a little about me:

My musical background has covered many endeavors and taken me to many places! My main instrument is my voice, and I have been lucky enough to sing Jazz and Opera in an amateur capacity in China and the Philippines! As well as in Australia, and where I was born, Aotearoa New Zealand! 

I also play piano and violin leading me to work at a Atelier Puglisi in Hawthorn, where I was infected with the lower strings buzz, picking up the cello and double bass in the last few years! 

I have been living in Melbourne now with my partner, also a jazz pianist, and my fluffy cat, Oscar for the past 8 years!

It has been a wonderful pleasure getting to know the students at St Joseph’s in our music sessions. From Foundation to grade 6, our students have been responding to music through listening, drawing, discussing, singing, composing and performing.

Foundation students are exploring the theme of weather through music experiences. 

Grades 1 and 2 have been mesmerized by Camille Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals: Introduction et marche royale du lion (Introduction and Royal March of the Lion). Perhaps you have heard the theme of the lion hummed by your grade 1 or 2 child? We have been exploring responding to music with an animal theme, listening to how animals are represented in instrumentation.

Grades 3 and 4 have begun to explore the elements of music. This week we explored beat and rhythm on the Ukulele, which we will continue for term 1 and beyond. 

Grade 5 and 6 have shown a great interest in composing in small groups, using various forms of notation to communicate their ideas based on a given theme or motif.

It has been spectacular to see students taking ownership of their learning through music.