Please read below for:

Band
School Choir
What’s On in Whitehorse!

BPS Band Program

There are over 120 Grades 3-6 students in the Band program this year, making it the biggest BPS Band program ever!

We have over 40 new students commencing their instrumental music lessons in Term 1.

Welcome to all these students, your musical journey has just begun. ENJOY. Our program is the envy of many Primary and Secondary schools Victoria wide. Our Instrumental teaching staff would be worthy of teaching in the finest schools anywhere in Australia. We are so lucky to have such a skilled and experienced team.

Welcome to our new Percussion Teacher - Roderick McLeod

We lost Justin Zheng, our Percussion teacher at the end of last year, but you will be very pleased to know that we have successfully engaged a very competent, experienced and likeable percussion teacher. His name is Roderick McLeod, a very highly recommended Percussion specialist. We welcome him into the musical family at BPS and hope he has a very enjoyable time with us.

The support from our Principal team and admin staff is second to none. The confidence and support from the school community is the heart and soul of the success of the program. The music students at BPS are some of the most capable and advanced Primary School music students anywhere in Australia. Thank you to all of you for contributing to Victoria’s best Primary School Band Program!

Let the 2026 musical journey begin……..

Commencement of Instrumental Lessons

Music lessons are well underway for 2026. We have seven instrumental teachers delivering lessons over the week. There are dozens of excited new music students that have started what I hope will be a lifelong love of music. Our continuing music students are looking to take their playing to new heights. Our musical teaching spaces have never seen so much activity. What a beautiful, vibrant creative space!

Music lessons are held in the instrumental teaching rooms on the Whitehorse Road side of the old schoolhouse or in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR). Everything has started well, and students have now found their feet with lessons and Band rehearsals.

Please make sure your child always checks their timetable and attends with their instrument (sticks for Percussionists), method books and ensemble music.

Percussion students do not need to bring their percussion kits (Stick bag and method book only) and Bass Guitar students do not need to bring their amplifiers (but please bring your lead and method book). NO MUSIC STANDS ALSO. Students can store their instruments in the old schoolhouse instrumental storage area at the beginning of the day and collect them immediately after the final bell.

It's important that students get into the habit of reading their timetables, (copies of these are also on the notice board beside the practice rooms) and attending their lessons a few minutes earlier than their scheduled time. Much time can be lost collecting students from class and the school yard.

Band / Guitar Ensemble Rehearsals

Band/Guitar rehearsals have now started for the Symphonic and Concert Bands, and Guitar Ensemble. The Training Band and Novice Guitar Ensemble will commence their rehearsals week beginning Monday 2nd March (see below for details)

All indications are that all Band/Guitars ensembles are making excellent progress. Everyone is enjoying their musical ensemble experience.

Training Band – Wednesdays (Gym) with Adrienne Garneau

Guitar Ensemble – Wednesdays (Music Classroom) with Alwaynne Strentz

Symphonic Band – Thursdays (Gym) with Ken MacDonald

Concert Band – Fridays (Gym) with Ken MacDonald

Novice Guitar Ensemble - Fridays (Music Classroom) with Jake Underwood

Please note that all Band & Ensemble rehearsals begin at 7.50am.

Vacancies

For anyone who would still like to participate in our Band Program, we have a few available vacancies.

If your child is interested in learning any instrument, please contact me for more information at kenneth.macdonald@education.vic.gov.au or any staff member.

Upcoming events/ assemblies and performances for TERM 2

Assemblies (dates to be confirmed)

Symphonic Band

Concert Band

Training Band

Guitar Ensemble

Novice Guitar Ensemble

Mid-Year Soiree

Open Rehearsal Week

BPS Instrumental Music Staff 2026

Ken MacDonald - Band Co-ordinator, Trumpet and Trombone teacher, Concert Band and Symphonic Band Director
Adrienne Garneau – Clarinet and Saxophone teacher, Training Band Director
Alwaynne Strentz – Acoustic, Bass Guitar teacher, Guitar Ensemble Director
Jake Underwood - Acoustic Guitar teacher, Novice Guitar Ensemble Director
Jirene Beh - Flute teacher
Flora Carbo - Clarinet and Saxophone teacher
Roderick McLeod – Percussion teacher

Yours musically,

Ken Mac - Band Coordinator (Wed, Thurs, Fri)

Lisa Shacklock - Band Liaison (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri)

School Choir

Involvement in School Choir is a non-cost activity.

Students in Grades 4-6 are invited to come along and see what we do in our Choir rehearsals.

Our first Choir trial was held on Monday. Mr Merlino and I were excited to welcome approximately 30 students. We had fun singing and doing body percussion activities before starting our new song ‘Friend Like Me’ from the musical ‘Aladdin’.

If your child missed out, they are encouraged to come along to the next 3 rehearsals (dates below) to gauge if Choir is something they might be keen to continue. We look forward to seeing more students next Monday!

Showbie folder - 2026 Choir Sensations!🎙 🎵

Our Showbie folder is the home for backing tracks, sheet music, lyric sheets and student song suggestions. Most choristers have signed into the new Showbie folder. For those who haven’t, the join code is AHFRE.

It is important for students to attend each trial (below) and join the Showbie folder below to gain a true understanding of Choir involvement.

Choir Trial Dates (also published on the Compass calendar)

Trial No.1	Week 4	Mon.16 Feb
Trial No.2	Week 5	Mon. 23 Feb
Trial No.3	Week 6	Mon. 2 March
Labour Day	Week 7	No Choir
Planning Week	Week 8	No Choir
Trial No.4 (Final)	Week 9	Mon. 23 March
Full Choir!	Week 10	Mon. 30 March

What happens after the trial sessions?

Students will need to decide whether they would like to continue being involved in Choir by Monday 31 March (week 10). This rehearsal will involve all students who plan to continue as our BPS Choristers!

If students do not wish to continue Choir after the trial sessions – at least they gave it a go! They may like to try it again next year – or not!

Why choose Choir?

The rewards of being in a Choir are plentiful - developing vocal skills and musical awareness, learning new genres to sing, enjoying the activity of performing, gaining confidence, responsibility and meeting new people. Students will be encouraged to suggest songs and choreography for our performances.

I have recently joined a Choir which sings in the barbershop style (something I had planned on doing when I retire - but decided now was as good a time as any to start!) I am enjoying the challenge of learning how to sing the close harmonies of our songs and the sound we all make together is magical. I wish for everyone to be able to experience this joy that music brings!

Choir Performances

The Choir will perform at:

Open Night for Education Week (May)
Mid-Year Soiree (June)
BPS Evening of Music (November)
and other opportunities that may arise!

What's On in Whitehorse?

Over the years all BPS students have heard and sung the songs from the movie musical ‘The Sound of Music’ as I use solfege (do, re, mi etc) in my teaching. ‘The Sound of Music’ is one of those movies that I encourage all families to watch at least once! (There’s a reason it is still such a hit after 50 years!)

We are thrilled that one of our Grade 3 students will be playing the role of Marta Von Trapp in the NOVA Musical Theatre season of ‘The Sound of Music’ at the beautiful venue The Round Theatre, 379-399 Whitehorse Rd, Nunawading (located behind the Nunawading Library).

If you would like to experience live theatre in our community the details are:

Fri 20 March 7.30pm

Sat 21 March 1.30pm

Sat 21 March 7.30pm

Sun 22 March 1.30pm

Sat 28 March 1.30pm

Sat 28 March 7.30pm

Sun 29 March 1.30pm

Adults $57

Concession $54

Groups (of 10 or more) $52

Children 14 and under $47

All tickets are available from https://www.theround.com.au/soundofmusic

https://www.novamusictheatre.com.au

Naturally I will be attending with a few of the BPS staff – we are looking forward to it!

Tickets are selling well, so get in quick!

Until next time,

Yours in harmony,

Lisa Shacklock

Classroom Music, Choir Co-ordinator & Band Liaison (M, Tu, Th, F)

"Do something worth remembering" - Elvis Presley

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