Music Matters

VCE Music Soloists and Groups at school rehearsing!

Over the last two weeks, our VCE Music Performance Soloists and Groups have been able to come into school and rehearse with their accompanists and group members. It has been wonderful to hear them playing together and see all the hard work they have been doing during lockdown. As their exam dates have not been changed despite lockdown, this rehearsal time has been crucial to their preparation.

A massive thank you has to go out to Belinda McGee and Wendy Howes for all their efforts to adhere to the Covid Safe guidelines, ensuring our students and staff felt safe and comfortable to be back on site. Thank you also to all the students for getting Covid tests before rehearsal days, especially the students who are not even being examined but have given up their time to support their fellow students. It is greatly appreciated.

Here are some sneak peaks of the rehearsals this week (click on the image to view a recording):

Instrumental Music online

CONGRATULATIONS again to all the instrumental students and teachers for staying engaged in your lessons and rehearsals throughout lockdown. It has been extremely challenging but you can all be commended for your efforts.

Rehearsals have become a great way to keep in touch with fellow musos. In the last week of term, Wind Symphony students recorded themselves playing excerpts from pieces in their repertoire. For their last rehearsal they got together and had a quiz to see who could guess the pieces the excerpts came from. 

Congratulations to Emma and Kate McQueeney for winning the quiz, and Isabelle Lombardi and Atonio Tuauli’I for coming second and third, respectfully. I’ll have your prizes when we return to school.

Nick Dean

Music Coordinator

Player Profile

At Doncaster Secondary College, we have some amazingly talented musicians in our mix and the Music department would like to showcase our performers through a regular Player Profile newsletter segment.  In this edition, I'd like to introduce our readers to Bernard Chin. 

Joshua Verco

Instrumental Music Instructor

Bernard Chin, Year 12

Hey Bernard.  What instruments do you play?

Hi!  I play Tenor saxophone, French horn, Guitar, a bit of Keys and Vocals..

When did you start learning to play music?

At the end of year 6, I was gifted a guitar for Christmas. 

What school ensembles do you play in? 

Senior Jazz (Tenor) and Windsymphony (French horn). I used to play electric guitar for the Rockband.

Who is your instrumental music teacher/s at Doncaster SC? 

I had Mr. Brodie from year 7 to year 11 and Mr. O'Connell from year 9 to this year. 

 What is your favourite song or genre to play? 

I like to play pop and jazz, maybe even a little R&B. 

What bands or musicians do you like to listen to or have influence you a lot? 

In the pop side of things, I'd say Ruel, Lewis Capaldi, Why Don't We, Lauv and Clinton Kane. For jazz, I'd say Joshua Redman, Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane.

What is your most memorable performance to date? 

 I have a few, from Production and the school concerts. 

What is your most memorable musical learning experience?

Music camp and the New Zealand tour.

What non-musical hobbies or interests do you have? 

I like to cook.

What do you hope to achieve with your music in the future? 

As an aspiring chef and restaurant owner, I'd like to have a live music area where performers have the opportunities to play gigs.  Maybe when I'm not in the kitchen, I could play on stage with friends.

What is your favourite food to eat? 

Korean would be my favourite cuisine, don't really have a favourite food though.

Any cool nicknames at school?

People call me B or Bernie.

What is the silliest thing you’ve ever said, done or worn (Chicken Suit?)? 

I've gotten into a Pikachu onsie, sped around the house a few times, screaming "pika pika"!!

Thank you for sharing your journey into music with us, Bernie!