2025 Musical Journeys

Throughout the year, TLSC Instrumental Music and VCE Music students (Years 7–12) have had the privilege of attending a series of excursions that showcased the power, creativity, and diversity of live performance. Each event provided students with rare opportunities to experience professional musicianship up close and deepen their understanding of music beyond the classroom.

International Jazz Day Celebration early Term 2

On the eve of International Jazz Day, TLSC students joined a celebration of Australia’s vibrant jazz and improvisation scene, hosted by the Jazz & Improvisation Department at the University of Melbourne. 

The concert featured world-renowned drummer and academic Simon Barker (Artist in Residence), alongside an all-star lineup of Australian jazz icons, Gian Slater (voice), Carlo Barbaro (saxophone), Angela Davis (saxophone), Stephen Magnusson (guitar), Sam Anning (bass) and Brett Williams (piano).

The ensemble performed a dynamic and diverse program, including original works such as Hey Guess What (Magnusson) and Or Not Yet (Barbaro), as well as jazz classics like Short Story (Kenny Dorham) and I Have the Room Above Her (Kern). The night concluded with Twists & Turns by Gian Slater, a fitting finale celebrating improvisation, collaboration, and artistic freedom.

Students left inspired by the level of musicianship and spontaneity that define the spirit of jazz.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for Schools: Pictures at an Exhibition end of Term 2

In June, students travelled by bus to Hamer Hall to experience the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performing Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This special Schools Concert brought orchestral music to life, allowing students to hear the colours and textures of a full symphony orchestra in one of Australia’s premier concert venues, Hamer Hall.

The program, presented and funded by the MSO, connected classroom learning with live performance, helping students develop listening skills and a deeper appreciation for orchestral sound and structure.

East Side, West Side, Old and New early Term 4

Two weeks ago, TLSC senior music students attended East Side, West Side, Old and New, a performance exploring music written for keyboards of all types: harpsichord, celeste, percussion, and piano.

Faculty pianists Peter de Jager and Kristian Chong, together with Head of Percussion Brent Miller and Conservatorium percussion students, presented an adventurous program that ranged from Bach and Couperin to Sofia Gubaidulina, Karen Tanaka, and Iannis Xenakis.

The music was at times weird, wild, and mind-bending, a rare treat that left both students and teachers equally amused and amazed. For many, it was a once-in-a-blue-moon chance to experience avant-garde music live and discover just how far sound can be pushed when creativity runs free.

The concert concluded with a thrilling rendition of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story for two pianos and percussion, a spectacular finish that left students in awe of rhythmic precision and expressive power.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Open Rehearsal with Rodolfo Barraez early Term 4

To conclude the excursion calendar, students attended an open rehearsal with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra a few days ago, Cesur Franck’s Symphony in D minor conducted by the charismatic Rodolfo Barraez. Generously funded by MSO, this behind-the-scenes experience gave students a unique look into the rehearsal process of a professional orchestra, observing communication between conductor and musicians, sectional work, and the refinement of tone, balance, and expression.

Witnessing a world-class orchestra in rehearsal offered invaluable insight into the discipline and collaboration that underpin professional performance.

These excursions have been more than just outings; they’ve been experiences that shaped TLSC students’ musical identities. 

To all the young musicians, from those just starting out to those performing their final VCE recitals, keep exploring, keep practising, and most importantly, keep feeling the music you make. 

Whether it’s a jazz groove, an orchestral swell, or a simple tune you hum on your way home, remember that music grows with you. The best performances aren’t always the perfect ones; they’re the ones played with heart.

So, keep that spark alive, keep listening, and let your music continue to shape the person you’re becoming.

We look forward to another exciting year of music-making and exploration in 2026!

Tracy Lee (on behalf of the music team)

Music Teacher