Music Matters
Amazing VCE Results
Congratulations to the VCE Music Performance class members who made Music the subject with the highest median VCE score at Doncaster in 2019. You all performed extremely well in your final performance assessment and we’re very proud of your achievements.
On the subject of academic excellence, here is some food for thought for all those parents who encourage their children to discontinue music or learning an instrument at school in an effort to improve their academic results. This interesting study by UBC has shown, through a very large sample size of students, that those who learn an instrument actually do better in science, maths and English.
Instrumental lessons and Ensemble rehearsals
All instrumental lessons and ensemble rehearsals have begun except for Soundworks (Year 7 Concert Band) which will start in the next few weeks. If you haven’t arranged a lesson yet or would like to learn an instrument, please see Mr Dean in the Music Office as soon as possible.
Rehearsal times:
Monday: 3:30pm – 4:30pm (4:10pm for first term beginning week 7) – Soundworks
Tuesday: 7:45am – 8:55am – Junior Jazz
Tuesday lunchtime: – Guitar Ensemble
Tuesday: 3:30pm – 4:30pm – Concert Band and Senior Jazz
Wednesday: 7:30am – 8:55am – Wind Symphony
Thursday: 7:45am – 8:50am - Stringworks
Friday: 7:45am – 8:50am – String Orchestra
Rock Program 2020
Rock band rehearsals began last Friday, with two existing bands continuing and two brand new bands.
The new bands adapted quickly to using the school’s rehearsal stations (Roland HS-5s) in DP2. They are a fantastic innovation that allow more than one band to rehearse in the same space without disturbing each other. We have a classroom dedicated to these rehearsal stations. There are five hubs allowing up to 25 students to play at once.
The band members use headphones to hear the guitar, bass, keyboard, electric drums and vocals in their group. As you can see from the above pictures of last week’s rehearsal, the bands loved them and were able to work cooperatively together in groups of mixed year levels.
The students were all willing to listen to each others' song suggestions, then compromised to agree on a song that suited everyone in the band.
By the end of the session both of the new bands had played through at least one new song and had decided on other songs to work on in their next rehearsal.
Congratulations everyone on showing such great examples of the school values: respect, responsibility, resilience and teamwork.
Important Dates
February: Music lessons and Ensemble rehearsals begin
May 1-3: Mt Gambier Generations In Jazz
May 25-27: Music Camp
June 2: Winter Concert
August dates TBC: Victorian Schools Music Festival
August 28: String Soiree
September 3: Rock Program Showcase
October 20: Spring Concert
November: 2021 Ensemble Auditions