MUSIC CAMP

Camp Oasis Music Camp

Recently the College music staff had the pleasure of taking 94 of the best students from Doncaster Secondary College to Camp Oasis in Mt. Evelyn for our annual (and biggest yet) Music Camp. The students from year 7-12 were involved in three days of intensive music rehearsal, interspersed with a range of fun and team building activities which challenged the students and gave them a chance to get to know others in their ensemble and the wider music program.

One of my highlights of camp was the way that students from year 8-12 did a fantastic job of tutoring students with less experience than themselves during sectional rehearsals and I thank these students for their work.

The camp finished with each of the ensembles, Soundworks, Concert Band, Wind Symphony, Stringworks and String Orchestra performing their pieces to the rest of the groups in a concert. It was wonderful to hear how far they had come over the time of the camp. Special congratulations to Soundworks and many members of Stringworks on an excellent first public performance.

A huge thank you must go to the instrumental music staff Mr Nick Dean, Mr Howard Dillon, Mr Chris Ondaatje, Mr Peter Brodie, Mr Andy O’Connell, and Mr David Rowlands, who made time to come on the camp, swapping days with other schools and rearranging other commitments to make it possible.

Thank you also to Ms Shea Slater for visiting us on camp, Mr Carrington our guest strings tutor, the Senior students who came up for the day to rehearse with us on Tuesday and the fabulous Mr Phil Harvey who both supported us on Tuesday and was a hit at the concert on Tuesday night. A big thank-you to Miss Cindy Tian for all of her fabulous work over the whole camp. I would also like to note the fabulous bus packing team, our camp concert comperes Golsa, Gazal and Theodora, along will all students who performed at the concert and the staff at Oasis for running some great activities and feeding us so well.

We have had glowing feedback from the camp staff and the bus drivers commenting on how polite, organised and well behaved our students were. I must say that they were all fabulous, worked well as a team, were always willing to pitch in without complaint and were an absolute pleasure to take away. We are excited to be able to share the culmination of the student’s hard work with you at next week’s ‘Winter Concert’ and thank the College Community for their ongoing support of the music program.

Wendy Howes

Music Camp Organiser

Student Reflections

On the 21st to the 23rd of May 2018, Doncaster Secondary College’s music programme is back at it again with their annual camp at Camp Oasis in Mt Evelyn. This is a great opportunity for students and also teachers to show and enhance their musical skills, prepare for the upcoming Winter concert and also to get to know each other better as many new musicians are keen to present themselves every year. This is also a very great opportunity to participate in fun activities such as riding the flying fox, making candles, crate climbing, archery, initiatives and visiting the reptile house. The camp was designed so that students could have heaps of fun through intensive rehearsals, activities and some free activity time. There is a gymnasium, a games room plus some jam rooms where students can rehearse or play music for fun, do some basketball and play many kinds of games that you’ll find in an arcade. New musicians also have the time to practice their work with other students as they alternate between activities.

A mini concert was held on the last night of camp. This is where students can choose to perform anything to everyone attending from simple solo playing to a full band performance as well as comedic acting, riddles and other assorted cool performances. This is what many are looking forward to at camp! Awards were also given to students who did outstanding work whether it be always trying their best or assisting in various ways throughout the camp.

Overall we all had a blast at camp! The food and views were great and the activities are really efficient and of course, fun. This camp is really memorable and unforgettable for many of us especially the year 7’s! Improvement is made easier through fun and experience for us musicians in this camp. Until next time!

Andrew Agussusanto Year 9