Music News 

Dear Music Parents/Carers/Students,

Welcome to term 2 and what a great start it has been. I have some great news. Our junior concert band is up and running. We have hit the magical 20 members. All students are attending rehearsals during Monday lunchtime and the group made its debut performance at the grade 6 information evening. Congratulations to all students who performed on the night. It was a great effort being able to play a few items in such short time. I can’t wait to see the progress this group will make in the coming months. A big thank you to parents for dropping the kids off on the night. It was also a pleasure to meet some of you who sat in the audience. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Our string ensemble under the direction of Donna Stemberger is making great progress. Rehearsals for this ensemble take place in the Art Building during Monday lunchtime. The group is slowly building their repertoire in preparation for performances this term. The acoustics in the Gallery are wonderful. It sounds like our players are in a concert hall. A big thank you to all students involved in this group for their ongoing commitment giving up their lunchtime. Strings are well and truly alive and we can’t wait to see more students put their hand up to learn a string instrument.

Attendance: Attendance at lessons has been excellent according to music staff. Students have now settled in which is great to see. A reminder that all lesson times are on Compass and hard copies are available from staff. Once again if you are unable to attend your lesson please contact your teacher as soon as possible as there could be an opportunity your lesson be re-scheduled at another time during the week.

Music Captains: Congratulations to Olive Brooks year 8 and Max Mott year 10 who have been selected as our music captains this year. Olive plays the flute in junior band and Max plays the drums and keyboard in the year 10 band. Both Olive and Max will assist me this year planning concerts, organising fundraising events, administration, helping to set up equipment, tuning the band at rehearsals and most importantly playing a mentor role for their peers in their ensembles. 

East Gippsland Music Festival: Junior concert band and string students are invited this year to participate in the East Gippsland Music Festival. This is an annual festival held in the last week of term 2. The event will take place at Bairnsdale Secondary College. Students will participate in full day combined rehearsals with other music students from feeder Primary and Secondary schools culminating in a gala concert playing items rehearsed on the day. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students. I am expecting all music students in the junior concert band and string ensemble to attend this festival. More information will be out soon.

Mid-Term Concert: The college community, parents and carers are invited to attend our first concert held in the Art Gallery (Art Building) on Wednesday 26th May. The concert will commence at 7pm. The evening will showcase solo and small group/ensemble items. I am expecting all students to perform on the night. Over the next few weeks all players will be fine tuning their solos and ensembles will be building their repertoire to display what progress all of our music students have made in such short time. The kids are excited and so are us music staff. Hope you can make it.

Maffra Band Music Academy: Our music students have an opportunity to participate in the Maffra Band Music Academy. It is open to all brass, woodwind and percussion players of all ages. This community beginner band rehearses weekly. See attached flyer that has all details. If you have any questions please contact me at the College.

On behalf of instrumental music staff Kimberley Gardiner, Ryan Lestrange and Donna Stemberger have a great term.