Music News
State Honours Ensemble Program
Please find attached certificate for student(s) who recently participated in the State Honours Ensemble Program Sth East Qld 2026.
The Queensland State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) is a music extension program for talented school students across Queensland. It gives young musicians the opportunity to develop their performance skills by rehearsing and performing challenging repertoire with other high-achieving students under the guidance of experienced conductors and professional musicians.
I was lucky enough to be involved in SHEP at the Queensland Conservatorium in the holidays. My Orchestra, called Amber Strings was made up of students from Grades 5-10. I sat next to a girl in Grade 8, and it was inspiring to be around these mature people. One Violinist was so tall his Violin looked like a tiny toy! The rehearsals were some of the longest I ever been involved in, up to 4 hours. Some music I knew and had played already, and some was brand new. I learnt to refine my bow strokes and to listen to others to play together. It was so nice there were other Ironside kids in my Orchestra too and the concert in the Conservatorium theatre was extremely exciting! - Chester dB Yr 6
On the 9th to 11th of July, I attended an amazing music program called SHEP. The program consisted mainly of high school students, so it was a fantastic opportunity to gain experience from more experienced musicians. I played the cello for 4.5 hours on both the 9th and 10th of July and performed in the concert on the 11th of July, which helped me improve my technical skills and become more confident in playing new pieces. I really enjoyed collaborating with others and making new friends. My favourite piece was Fury because it was energetic and powerful, making it exciting to play. Although everything was incredible, my favourite part was performing in the concert at the end, as it was exciting to show my peers what I had learned. Overall, SHEP was a fun and rewarding experience, and I would recommend that others take part in it in the future.
- Sara L
Music - Choirs
Please take note of the following upcoming choir dates and add them to your calendars:
Monday, 24 August
Year 5/6 Choir only will attend SingFest.
Tuesday–Thursday, 20–22 October
A maximum of six Year 6 singers will be selected to represent Ironside State School at the Metro Choral Honours Program. Letters regarding this event will be sent home before the end of Term 2.
As members of our choir program, students represent Ironside State School whenever they perform, and we greatly appreciate your support in ensuring students are available and prepared for these important events.
Please diarise these dates carefully. Further information will be shared as events approach