Music News

Dear Parents/Carers/Music students,

It’s great to see our students back into their routines in attending lessons and rehearsals. All students are making great progress. This is evident from instrumental music staff where they have noticed students being challenged with more difficult music. Our ensembles are humming along nicely. All groups are learning new pieces to add to their repertoire. This term I have decided to collapse the junior band. All students are now in the intermediate concert band. Our last few rehearsals have been productive. I am looking forward to our next concert where all students will be on show.

East Gippsland Music Festival

In the last week of term 2 students in our junior, intermediate concert band and string ensemble travelled to Bairnsdale Secondary College to participate in their annual music festival. This event takes place over 4 days. Individual ensembles rehearse combined music on each day in preparation for the performance at the Gala Concert. Over 250 music students from feeder primary schools and secondary college music students are involved in the combined music workshops. Some ensembles had up to 80 players on the stage. It was great to see our students playing in a large ensemble. The kids had a great time and they were an absolute pleasure to take away. I have no doubt they all enjoyed the combined rehearsals, meeting new friends and most importantly participating in the gala concert where all students were on show. We plan to run our own music festival next year. This will involve inviting music students from Sale SC, Yarram SC and our feeder primary schools. See photos of our combined rehearsals and gala concert.

Transition Day at Maffra SC

I would like to congratulate our music students who participated in our transition day held at the College late last term. It was a busy day with 5 demonstrations taking place in A1. Our students did a great job demonstrating instruments to students from the following schools: Heyfield, Boisdale, Briagolong, Stratford, Nambrok-Denison, Cowwarr, Glengarry, Guthridge, St Michael’s Heyfield, St Patricks Stratford and St Mary’s Maffra. Some of our primary school students participated with a practical session on the keyboards learning chords to pop songs. We also managed to get many kids playing percussion instruments during the demonstrations. It was a great day and we look forward to their next visit to the College.

Learn a Musical Instrument

I know I am starting to sound like a broken record but it isn’t too late to jump on board and learn a musical instrument. Our students are lucky to have professional teachers at the College with lots of experience. You can learn the flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, violin, viola, cello, keyboard and voice. If you are interested come and see our music staff and have a trial for a few weeks. Music is fun!

Careers Expo at Maffra Memorial Hall

The careers expo was a huge success for the College. It was great to see so many parents and students in attendance visiting the stalls, asking lots of questions and taking home information. I had a great time with Kimberley Gardiner promoting our instrumental music and our classroom music program. Our instruments offered were on display. It was wonderful to meet some of the parents from our classroom music program. It was also nice to touch base with our existing instrumental music parents. 

I look forward to next year’s expo. 

Concert

Our next concert will take place on Thursday 13th October.  This is week 2 of term 4. This is the opening night of our Art Exhibition held in the Art Building. Individual groups such as our string ensemble, guitar groups and soloists will feature throughout the exhibition from 6pm. Our concert band, VCE group and Rock Band will perform outside the Amphitheatre from 7pm weather permitting. The alternative will be to set up our groups in A1. I’m looking forward to having our music students involved in the exhibition. Students will receive information closer to the event.

 Future performances

In the Spring we look forward to our music students performing concerts in the Community. It’s time to showcase our instrumental music program. 

On behalf of our instrumental music staff Kimberley Gardiner, Ryan Lestrange & Donna Stemberger have a great term!

Gerry Ciavarella

Instrumental Music 

Co-ordinator