Music Matters
It has been another huge term of Music, with lots of performances by our ensembles so I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in the following events involving Music.
Week 1 & 2 - VCE Performance Exams
Congratulations to Abbey McDonald and Eddie Petruzziello on their VCE Music Performance exams. Abbey on Saxophone and Eddie on Percussion. You can be extremely proud of your efforts throughout the year and wish you all the best with your results that will be announced this week.
Tuesday October 15: Year 6-7 Information Evening/Instrument Trials - Wind Symphony and String Orchestra
Both ensembles performed brilliantly, which encouraged a large percentage of the audience to participate in the instrument trials in P Block. Instrumental students all stayed afterwards to help with the trials which helped create a fun vibe for the 2025 Year 7s, with over 70 signing up to learn an instrument! All the Music students are to be commended on their willingness to give up their time on a school evening and bring such enthusiasm to the task. It has certainly helped our recruitment process, putting us way ahead of previous years. The 2025 cohort are a very enthusiastic bunch who have chosen a wide range of different instruments. Welcome all 2025 Instrumental Music students, we can’t wait to have you around the Music department 😊
Tuesday 22nd October - Concert Band Instrument Soiree
Wednesday 23rd October - String Soiree
Thursday 24th October – Rock Showcase
Week three of Term four should be called “Celebrate Music Week” with a choc-a-block week of Music. We held our first Concert Band Instrument Soiree in which all woodwind, brass and percussion instruments were invited to play solos or small group pieces in front of a supportive audience of friends and family. Those brave enough to play did an amazing job and can be commended on their commitment to improving their performance skills by participating.
The next night was the String Soiree. The stings have been holding soirees for years and nearly every string student participated in what was an amazing night of music. Congratulations to all our string players. You have all come so far and are playing beautifully!
“Music Week” concluded with the Rock Showcase. It featured three of our school Rock Bands, Pizza Ace, Echo Chase and Rock Out. They all played with great enthusiasm and entertained their friends and family. Big shout out to Aquila Jarski who also played a guitar solo which went down a treat.
Remembrance Day Ceremony
TJ Kosta and Xavier Erdmanis are to be commended on arranging and performing the National Anthem on electric guitar. It sounded amazing at our school ceremony in front of the flag poles outside W Block. It was so good they were invited to play it again at the Year 9 Presentation.
18th November - VSMF Adjudicator Workshop with Soundworks
Soundworks were treated to an hour workshop with Ken Waterworth. Ken is an extremely highly regarded Music educator and conductor. He was head of Music at Eltham High School for years and Director of the Salvation Army Band. He has also been a regular adjudicator at the VSMF. Soundworks students responded really well to his helpful tips and were sounding incredible at the end of the session. They enjoyed a morning tea together afterwards to celebrate an amazing year of growth in their first year of playing. Well done Soundworks!
22nd November – Valedictory
Performances by String Quartet, Senior Jazz and Pizza Ace. National Anthem sung by Ella Royal and accompanied by Nikola Prodic on Piano.
28th November – Senior School Presentation
Performances by Abbey McDonald on Saxophone, Senior Jazz and the National Anthem by a collection of Senior Concert Band instrumental students.
4th December – Junior School Presentation
Performances by Junior Jazz and Echo Chase, National Anthem sung by Lexie Blanchard accompanied by Ken Chan on piano.
6th December – Year 9 Presentation
Performances by Pizza Ace and Echo Chase and the National Anthem performed on electric guitar by TJ Kosta and Xavier Erdmanis.
As you can see, it has been a very busy term but all the performers can be very proud of their achievements.
Next year's enrolment
Please help us with planning for next year by approving the 2025 Instrumental Music Program event via Compass. Payment is due by the end of February next year but payment as early as possible would be appreciated. Music lockers are regular lockers that are only offered to Music students who would like to have their locker away from the usual crowded locker bays and close to the Music Centre where they store their instruments, have lessons and rehearsals during the week. They are offered to any instrumental music students in years 8 and above except peer leaders who need to have their lockers in W Block. They have become a prized benefit of being in the Music program to those students who have one.
All Music lockers have now been allocated for 2025 but if you would like one, there is a waiting list if any become free. Ask Mr. Dean via email to ba added to this list.
School Hire Instruments
If you have been hiring an instrument from the school this year and haven’t returned it yet, please return it to the school this week for checking. If it needs servicing we will need to get it done over the holidays.
Holiday Hire Agreements
If you would like to use a school instrument over the holidays, collect a holiday hire contract from the Music office this week and return it before school closes on the 20th December. There is no charge for the holidays but we strongly encourage you to buy your own instrument over the holidays to free up the school instruments for new year sevens. What a great Christmas present idea Santa ;)
Collecting Owned Instruments
Please remember to collect your instrument from the Music Centre store room before your last day at school, so that you can practice over the holidays.
Ensembles for 2025
Congratulations to everyone for their ensemble auditions. Students will have been advised of which ensembles they will be in and some have already been rehearsing with their new groups. If you are unsure which ensemble you are in, please ask your instrumental teacher or Mr Dean.
2025 Rehearsal times
Soundworks - Monday 3:30 - 4:30pm
Concert Band - Tuesday 7:30 - 8:45am
*Senior Jazz - Tuesday 3:30 - 4:30pm
String Orchestra - Wednesday 7:30 - 8:45am
Stringworks - Wednesday 3:30 - 4:30pm
**TBC Wind Symphony - Thursday 7:30 - 8:45am
*Junior Jazz - Thursday 3:30 - 4:30pm
*Please note the changes in times for Junior and Senior Jazz Bands. This is to reduce the number of students needing to be at a morning and an afternoon rehearsal in the same day. Basil will also be changing days to accommodate this, meaning all Brass lessons will be on Thursdays next year.
**Also note that Stringworks will be after school on Wednesdayif the school adopts the new times that shorten lunchtimes to 40 minutes, hence, TBC. If lunchtimes remain at 50 minutes Stringworks will remain at lunchtimes on Wednesdays.
Dates for next year:
February 26 - Stringworks Turbo Day
March 4 - Soundworks Turbo Day
May 26-28 Music Camp
June 12 - Winter Concert
June 23 - 27 Senior Music Tour to Queensland
August - Victorian Schools Music Festival (Dates to be confirmed)
September 9 - Spring Concert
September 16 - VCE Soiree
October 12 - Grade 6 Information Night and Instrument Trials
October 21 - Concert Band Instrument Soiree
October 22 - String Soiree
October 23 - Rock Showcase
November 21 - Valedictory
December 1 - Senior School Presentation Night
December 3 - Junior School Presentation Night
December 5 - Middle School Graduations
Senior Music Tour to Queensland
We are very excited to be traveling to Queensland in June next year. If you see the event on Compass, you are invited to attend as part of Wind Symphony, String Orchestra and Senior Jazz Band. Please make your deposit as soon as possible to ensure your place on the tour. You'll be sharing this incredible experience with over 50 other awesome Music students!Have a wonderful, relaxing and safe Summer break and we look forward to what is promising to be an even bigger year in music at Doncaster Secondary College.
We wish our year 12s all the best in their future pursuits and hope that Music will always be a part of their lives.