Music
Performers from the BHS Music Program have been quite active this term! Before the term even commenced, some of our VCE students showcased their talents as preshow entertainment for the Ballet, "Duck Pond at the Round," in November. Since then, we have seen performances at various events, including the Graduation Dinner, the Victorian Education Excellence Awards, Old Orchard Primary School, and, of course, the Junior Spring Concert, which highlighted many of our ensembles. Additionally, we hosted a string and voice soirée, and the Symphony Orchestra delivered a stunning rendition of “Defying Gravity” from *Wicked*.We have welcomed visitors from Blackburn Primary School, Healesville High School, and East Doncaster Secondary College to collaborate with our Junior and Novice (Munchkin) Bands. Melbourne Symphony Orchestra cellist Michelle Wood conducted a workshop for the Chamber and Concert Strings, while our VCE students are currently presenting their final performance exams. All of this has happened within the first four weeks of Term 4!
The wonderful aspect of this recent surge in activity is that every area of the program is involved. We are now entering the phase of the year when preparations for next year are underway. Students have already started their Milestone assessments, which will serve as the basis for their auditions for the Wind and String ensembles in 2026. Additionally, auditions for the jazz program have commenced, with students gearing up for the tour to Generations in Jazz in May next year.— Jason Ziino, Director of Music - BHS
Graduation Dinner andVictorian Education Excellence Awards
Our Senior Jazz Combo has been busy recently, with performances at the Year 12 Graduation dinner and then the Victorian Education Excellence Awards at the Plaza Ballroom. At both events, the band presented a highly professional performance that enhanced the evening.
The Education Excellence Awards were held at the Plaza Ballroom at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne and are one of the highlights of the year for the Education Department. It is an honour to have been invited to perform at this event.
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra String Workshop Day
Michelle Wood from Melbourne Symphony Orchestra visited Blackburn to deliver an engaging and in-depth workshop for both our Concert Strings and Chamber Strings ensembles. This session focused on exploring the elements that aren’t written on the page — how to interpret a composer’s intentions through an understanding of style, era, and musical context. Students worked on pieces by Mozart and Corelli, developing their use of micro-dynamics and adding phrasing to shape and enhance their performances. Michelle guided them through the process of analysing contour, phrasing, and articulation, helping students understand the reasoning behind stylistic choices and how these bring the music to life.
Spring Soirée
Soirée was held on Wednesday, October 29, showcasing the chamber ensembles and Symphony Orchestra. The Chamber Ensembles, Brass, Clarinet, Flute, and Percussion rehearse at lunchtimes and are an invaluable development program for our students. In addition to this, the Symphony Orchestra rehearsed for a month in the lead up to the performance and presented Defying Gravity from Wicked! This featured Annabelle Pappas (Glinda) and Doni Gilson (Elphaba) singing the lead roles.
Our Year 7 Combined Class choir also performed for the first time. Starting this year seven classroom music students have been regularly meeting once a cycle to rehearse as a designated choral class. Prepared by our classroom music teachers; Mr Ziino, Mr Stewart, Ms Gammunne, and Mr Whitbourn with direction by Ms Vita.
It was a great success, and we hope to continue this next year. BHS MUSIC NOTESOctober/November 2025Spring Soirée