Music Matters
Virtual Concerts: NEVR Strings and Concert Bands on YouTube
The North East Victorian Region (NEVR) Music Coordinators usually organise a huge concert each year for students from all around the region to perform in a selection of ensembles at Hamer Hall.
This year due to COVID-19, they arranged a virtual concert, inviting students to submit videos of themselves playing their instruments.
Two students from DSC participated. Ethan J of Year 11 on tenor saxophone for the Virtual Concert Band and Emily Y of Year 8 on 1st violin for the Virtual String Orchestra.
They both played really well and represented the school brilliantly. Well done to you both for taking on this unique opportunity.
Please take the time to view the performances linked above. They are truly inspirational!
Instrumental Music
Instrumental students have shown great resilience this term with our extended period of time without the things that make music great.
The lack of interaction with other like-minded people in ensembles at rehearsals, concerts, camps and tours has made it a really tough year to stay motivated.
However, the majority of students have done a marvellous job, including our huge intake of Year 7s who are to be commended on their incredible efforts to overcome the challenges of learning without their teachers in the room.
Ensembles have had to reinvent themselves with online submissions of recordings and videos.
Please see the above collage of screen shots, compiled from video submissions made by instrumental students this term.
VCE Music
Our hardworking and dedicated VCE music students have been plugging away, preparing their theory and practical requirements this term.
Jasmine C our percussion student, (pictured above), has been given an exemption to come into the school for three sessions a week to practice on the school instruments that she doesn’t have at home, such as the timpani, concert marimba and her multi percussion set-up.
She is making great progress through outstanding dedication.
VCE Group Performance students
Our VCE Group Performance students have also been at a disadvantage as they couldn’t rehearse together.
Thankfully they were also given an exemption to be able to come into the school for the last three weeks of term, twice a week to rehearse in the Music Centre.
Jordan B on the drum kit has been very grateful for the dedication of his band members, who have given up their time to rehearse with him at school.
He is the only one being assessed in an eight-piece band, so it’s fantastic to see the camaraderie of the other band members to help him get the best mark possible.
If you’d like to see his band rehearsing to enjoy some rare live music in these times, follow this link.
We wish all our VCE Music students, Aydin, Enya, Jordan, Jasmine, Megan and Xing all the best with their exams early in Term 4.
Nick Dean, Music Coordinator