Music Matters

In this installment of Music Matters:

• Year 7 Recruitment
• Guitar Lessons
• Rehearsals 
• Rock Bands at Unleashed
• Rotary Schools ANZAC Service performance by Wind Symphony
• Music Camp
• Sydney Tour

Year 7 Recruitment

As mentioned in the last newsletter, we are so excited about the high uptake of students in year 7 taking on the challenge of learning an instrument. The most exciting thing is that we have a great balance of instruments in both Soundworks and Stringworks. Soundworks has the usual flutes, clarinets, saxes, trumpets, trombones, and percussion, but also has students who have chosen to play less common instruments like oboe, bassoon, and French Horn. Stringworks has lots of violins supported by a good team of violas and cellos.

Rehearsals

Soundworks began regular rehearsals in week five and have been making excellent progress after the success of Turbo Day. Rehearsal times have been moving around a bit to accommodate the Athletics Carnival and SLCs, however they will return to Mondays after school from week 1 next term. Mr Muddyman is on leave for the first two weeks but will be very capably replaced by Ms Emily Fry, a clarinet teacher from East Doncaster Secondary College. 

Stringworks will begin their regular rehearsals next term on Wednesday lunch times. 

Guitar Lessons

Unfortunately Mr Sheers has had to take leave for medical reasons in the last three weeks of term. We have been very fortunate to secure the services of Noah Churches to take on the guitar lessons until the end of term. He has done a wonderful job and the students have really enjoyed his teaching style. We thank him for stepping in at short notice and keeping the continuity in the students learning. We will welcome back Mr Sheers, refreshed and fit and healthy in term 2.

Rehearsals have been buzzing!

There has been an incredibly positive energy around all the ensemble rehearsals this term. Attendances have been excellent and the standards of all the groups have certainly lifted to an impressive level. It really is uplifting to come into the Music Department for early morning rehearsals seeing full bands and hearing the great sounds they’re creating together. I can’t wait to show them all off at the Winter Concert.

Rock Bands Perform at Unleashed

On Friday March 17, two of the school Rock Program bands “Off Switch” and “Pizza Ace” were invited to perform at Templestowe College’s Under 18 event 'Unleashed'. Templestowe were given a grant by the Manningham Council to put on three live shows supporting youth bands in the Manningham community. The Templestowe students helped organise and run the evening which was held at Templestowe College. 

There was an incredibly supportive audience, made up of students from both schools. The Doncaster bands performed brilliantly and were very well received. It was fantastic to see students from the two schools encouraging each other and learning together the nuances of live performances with a full professional sound and light system. 

The night ran like clockwork thanks to the outstanding organisation of the Templestowe students. It culminated in a great performance from local band The Crookeds who played with incredible energy to an audience who really appreciated the live music experience. Templestowe will be hosting two more of these concerts throughout the year, so keep an eye out for them through the social media. 

Here are a couple of videos from the night:

DSC band, Off Switch, performs Animal by Pearl Jam

DSC band, Pizza Ace, performs Hey Jude by The Beatles

Rotary Schools Anzac Service Performance by Wind Symphony

Templestowe Rotary Club has invited Wind Symphony to perform some hymns and the National Anthem at a special schools service on Thursday April 27 at Templestowe Memorial Park (corner of High Street and Foote Street, Templestowe) at 11am. We look forward to again showcasing what our College has to offer at another community event. Parents and friends are welcome to attend.

An event is up on Compass now and Wind Symphony parents are asked to consent to this as soon as possible as it is in week one of term 2.

Music Camp 22nd - 24th May

We are very excited to be holding our annual Music Camp again this year. With the increased numbers in the program, we are only taking the Junior and Intermediate ensembles with the Senior ensembles having the Senior Tour to Sydney. 

The event is now up on Compass. We have endeavoured to keep the cost to a minimum at $305. It is a great value camp, with fun activities, great facilities and excellent food! 😊 

Payment plans are available so please lock in your child’s participation in this fantastic experience that sets up the ensembles for their performances at the Winter Concert on the 6th June. The student's playing improves exponentially over the three days of intensive practice and rehearsals so please make every effort to be there.

Senior Music Tour to Sydney

We’re rapt to be able to get back to interstate tours for our senior students. Our tour to Sydney will see 42 students travel by coach to Sydney where they will stay for three nights in the YHA at the Rocks. Wind Symphony, String Orchestra and Senior Jazz will all be performing at Darling Harbour outside the Maritime Museum, Manly Corso and at Bondi Primary School. They will also have a tour of the Opera House, go to the top of Centre Point Tower, ride on the Manly Ferry, see Bondi Beach and a live performance of Beauty and the Beast at the Capitol Theatre. It promises to be one of the events the students will treasure as a favourite memory of their Secondary School life.

Upcoming events/dates to save:

• May 22-24         Music Camp – Soundworks/Stringworks/Concert Band/Junior Jazz
• May 29                North East Victorian Regional Concert at Hamer Hall
• June 6                  Winter Concert 7pm
• August 7-11       Sydney Tour - Wind Symphony/String Orchestra/Senior Jazz
• September 6     String Soiree
• October 10        Spring Concert

Nick Dean

Instrumental Music Coordinator