CPS Music Program

Music - Choirs & Ensembles

Welcome to the 2025 school year! We are excited to launch our instrument ensembles and auditions, and will also share further information soon regarding choir opportunities.

Please read below for information regarding:

Music Program Information Evening -Thursday 27 February, 5:00pm
Choirs in 2025: Auditioned Choirs and Junior Choir
Instrument Program Expressions of Interest form
Auditions for Advanced Ensembles

Thank you for your engagement and support of the music program.

Music Program Information Evening

Thank you to the families who were able to join us for our Music Program Information Evening (MPIE) this Thursday. We understand there is a good deal of information regarding the choir, instrument and ensemble opportunities at Chatswood Public School.

Please find following a link and QR code to the MPIE presentation, if you were not able to attend and wish to learn about the music program.

Music Program Information Evening presentation: please click on the below link or scan the QR code

Music Program 2025 Flyer (program overview):

Choirs in 2025

We will be offering choirs this year in a restructured format, with exciting opportunities for Years 1-2 students and Years 3-6 students and future opportunity for Kindergarten students. Please see the following overview of auditioned choirs for years 3-6 and the junior choir option for years 1-2 (with Kindergarten to have a future opportunity). Details regarding the choir opportunities will be shared with the school community in the coming weeks, with further detail regarding the application process for choir participation.

Auditioned Choirs for Years 3-6

This year, Chatswood Public School is moving towards auditioned choirs for Years 3-6. These choirs will focus on rehearsing for The Arts Unit’s music festivals. To support students in their love of singing, all students in Years 3-6 will be able to audition for their year group’s choir if they meet the selection criteria. Spaces in each choir are limited in number, based on the choir positions we are provided by the Arts Unit.

Year 3 Choir - Primary Proms
Year 4 Choir - Festival of Children’s Music
Year 5 Choir - Sydney NorthWest Music
Year 6 Choir - Festival of Choral Music

The auditions will be run by the Music Coordinator and choir directors during a selected lunchtime. The audition dates will be communicated to parents and students once confirmed.

During the audition, students will be asked to sing as a whole group, in small groups and some students may be asked to sing individually. During this audition process, directors are looking to see how confident a student is, their performance skills (posture and focus) and their overall vocal ability in a choral setting.

To be eligible to audition in one of the above choirs, students must return the relevant Choir Expression of Interest form and complete the Choir Contract via SchoolBytes.

Please stay tuned for the Choir Expression of Interest form and Choir Contract to be released via SchoolBytes. Students also will be informed at school when the Expression of Interest form has been released.

Junior Choir for Years 1-2, and Kindergarten in future

Year 1 and Year 2 students are able to start their love of music and singing by joining our Junior Choir. This includes a weekly lunchtime rehearsal, in which students learn a range of songs, work on collaborating with their peers and enjoy creating music together. This group is not auditioned; however, for supervision it has a maximum capacity of 60 children. Towards the end of Term 2, Kindergarten students will be invited to join the choir.

The Junior Choir will have a range of performance opportunities at school throughout the year including Education Week and assemblies.

Please stay tuned for the Choir Expression of Interest form to be released in the Week 6 Newsletter.

Expressions of Interest for Music Instrument Lessons & Instrument Ensembles

We offer our students a fabulous range of opportunities to experience the wonderful world of music-making through our extensive instrumental and choral programs.

We have choirs, bands, orchestra, string ensembles, guitar ensemble and Chinese music ensembles. Each ensemble and choir have opportunities to perform at school and at community events.

The Music Program 2025 Instrument Program Expression of Interest form provides the Music Program with information regarding your child's interest in instrument lessons and instrument ensembles. (Choir expressions of interest will be lodged via a separate EOI form.)

Instrument Lessons: The program will collect this information and endeavour to place your child in lessons, subject to tutor availability and mutual scheduling. Lessons are offered before school and after school. All students learning instruments through the CPS program also participate in an instrument ensemble as a condition of the program (this condition may vary for piano and percussion students, due to ensemble seats and balance).
Music Ensembles: All students interested in ensembles are welcome, and almost all will have an opportunity to participate according to their current level of development. Please note, we have limited spaces for piano and percussion in our ensembles.

The program will begin to work through the EOI responses one at a time. Please note, instrument lesson spaces are limited. It will take several weeks to identify which spaces are available. Families will be contacted by an instrument tutor if a space is available, to determine if they have a mutually suitable timetable. We also maintain waiting lists. The program continues to seek qualified tutors to augment the instrument lesson opportunities and range.

Students may also join instrument ensembles on a progressive basis, based on their instrument and ensemble experience. The music program will contact families regarding the suitable options.

Thank you for your interest and understanding.

Please click on the following button to link to the Music Instrument Program 2025 Expression of Interest form:

Ensemble Timetable for Week 6

It has been wonderful to hear music rehearsals on campus. The following ensembles continue in this coming week:

Concert Band: Monday and Tuesday 7:50am-8:40am* *Revised timetable to allow for auditions
Training Band: Thursday 7:30am-8:40am
Guitar Ensemble: Monday 3:05pm
Junior Chinese Music Ensemble: Wednesday 3:05pm
Advanced Chinese Music Ensemble: Thursday 3:05pm
String Group: Thursday 7:30am
Stepping Stones: Friday 7:30am

Please arrive 5-10 minutes in advance, to help with set up and to tune instruments, so that we may begin promptly and make the most of our rehearsal time.

The following ensembles will commence in the coming weeks, and start dates will be shared with the ensemble members:

Intermediate Strings: no rehearsal in Week 6, start date to be announced soon
Chamber String Ensemble: selections in progress, no rehearsal in Week 6
Orchestra: selections in progress, no rehearsal in Week 6

Joining an Ensemble: Expression of Interest

We have a broad range of ensembles led by amazing music directors, and warmly welcome new and returning members to join ensembles this year.

Students new to Chatswood Public or new to ensembles at school are warmly welcome; there is a place for almost every musician in the ensembles, with the exception of keyboard (piano) and percussion musicians due to the balance of voices in an ensemble.

Families are requested to complete a Music - Instrument Program Expression of Interest online form. Please share your interest in instrument lessons and/or ensembles via the Instrument Program EOI form, and we will coordinate with the music tutors and ensemble directors on the possibilities.

Call for Chinese Music Ensemble members:

We are looking for any student that is interested in learning or can play a Chinese instrument such as the guzheng, erhu, pipa and dizhi.

Please contact us and submit an Expression of Interest form, so that we may connect you with the director, Mrs Ellingworth.

Auditions for Advanced Ensembles

Our advanced ensembles include Jazz Band, Orchestra, Chamber String Ensemble and Advanced Chinese Music Ensemble. Selection to these ensembles is by audition with the music director(s). Students interested in auditioning for consideration will please have a proficiency of at least AMEB 3 or above (or equivalent), and will have extensive experience in ensemble work. Auditioning students will prepare their own selection of a short piece or segment, and will also participate in a sight reading exercise.

To sign up for an audition:

Audition sign ups are posted on the Extracurricular Noticeboards in the Covered Cafe (outside A Block).
Audition forms are available at the student counter. Please bring the completed and signed form to your audition.
Auditions are offered on various days according to director availability. All students interested in auditioning will have an opportunity to do so; if the audition sign-ups are full, please contact the music program via the school office and we will work to find another available time.

Please confer with your child before signing up for an audition or ensemble participation, to ensure that they wish to join and that they understand the commitment to an ensemble, with weekly rehearsals and individual practice at lessons and at home.

External Music Learning Opportunities

Northern Sydney Symphonic Wind Ensemble

The Northern Sydney Symphonic Wind Ensemble (NSSWE) offers their Primary Wind Ensemble to students in Years 4-6 seeking to extend their wind music in addition to a school ensemble and private tuition.

Interested students are invited to join in the NSSWE Primary Wind Ensemble open rehearsal on Wednesday 5 March 2025, to learn more about the ensemble opportunity.

Please see the organisation's website for more information:

https://www.nsswe.org/

When: Wednesday 5 March, 5pm - 6:30pm

Where: The Forest High School Performing Arts Centre (entrance via the lower carpark at the lights)

Who: Musicians in years 4-6 looking for musical extension in addition to their school ensemble and private tuition

What to bring: Your instrument and yourself! We will provide a light snack and drink on the day.

What to expect: Join our Primary Wind Ensemble for a rehearsal, conducted by Jenny Ridgway. You'll sit in and play along, with opportunities to join the ensemble if you enjoy it!

Coming Events and Dates for Your Diary