MUSIC
Senior School Music
We perform
Our Stage Band performed with Year 12 soloists at our Principal’s Assembly in week 1. Year 12 HSC student, Charlotte Wickson, featured as a confident and polished soloist in our performance of Valerie. IBDP Music student, Miles Martin, showcased some refined phrasing and breath control as trumpet soloist in our cover of George Gershwin’s Summertime.
The College Band performed at Principal’s Assembly in week 3. Year 9 student Tyler Forrell and Year 10 student Tyson Gentle featured as soloists in our feature item, Mambo Australiano, written by esteemed Australian television composer, Ed Wilson.
Today a selection of students from years 8 and 9 gave performances for the first Junior School Assembly. Michael Bacon, Patrick Dunn and Carter Zhang (Year 8 Encore) performed their own cover of Clocks by Coldplay, Joshua Sarantakos (Year 9 elective music) performed selections of music in preparation for his upcoming AMEB exam, Harry Pratt (Year 9 elective music) play guitar and sang “Time of Your Life” by Green Day with cello accompaniment, and Caitlin Cumberlege sang the National Anthem.
Upcoming performances
Encore students from Years 7 and 8 will deliver performances in our lunchtime concert series and for our Junior School classes throughout weeks 6 and 7. This is the first of our Encore performances for 2021. These students will build their capacity and confidence through performances each term.
ASBOF 2020 Results and videos
Results are in for our Australian Band and Orchestra Festival entries from 2020. A COVID-enforced online festival presented us with an opportunity to create videos of our ensembles to meet the requirements of the Festival in 2020. We submitted the videos, and achieved a Silver Award for each of our entries. We also received adjudication from international judges, all of whom gave us great commendations and excellent feedback.
Ensembles
Ensmeble playing is an integral part of music education. It’s one of the four essential components of effective music education. The other three are expert tuition, personal practice, andd performance experiences. In this way, learning music is like learning sport: we need experts to help us learn the skills, we need to practice the skills, we need to practice the skills in an environemnt with others, and we need to give our skills a run on match day.
The College Ensemble program fosters excellence through collaboration, teamwork, individual contribution and learning through play. We currently offer three ensembles for Senior School students and advanced players from the Junior School. A summary of ensembles, rehearsal times and starting dates for the year is here:
Music Academy Lessons
Our Music Academy offers lessons on campus duuring and outside school hours with a team of experienced instrumentalists. Our teachers masterfully combine enjoyment of plaing with high standards to create the best music learning opportunities in the Riverina. Students can enrol in individual or group tuition in flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, percussion, drum kit, bass guitar, guitar, piano, or singing. Enrol here: https://bit.ly/MusicAcademyEnrolments
Encore
Our Encore programs have begun for Years 7 and 8. Our Gifted and Talented Program musicians have met their tutors in their learning groups and are preparing for their first performances. We now have 27 students in Year 7 and 35 students in Year 8 enrolled in this program of musical enrichment and opportunity.
Year 7 Beginners Program
Year 7 students in our standard music classes are being given the opportunity to hear, see and try a range of instruments from the brass, woodwind and string families. These students will be able to choose to opt in to our Year 7 Beginners Instrumental Program from Term 2. I will be communicating with families of Year 7 students about this program in coming weeks.
Junior School
Many Junior School students have already enrolled in music lessons with the College Music Academy. Some of these students will be joining the College Band from Week 5. I encourage any Junior School students with prior experience to join the College Band or String Sinfonia. We are also welcoming new beginner students to private lessons. Email me for more information: clare.brassil@trac.nsw.edu.au
Why music?
Did you know that learning music is learning by playing? Students who learn an instrument and play with others are developing sound to symbol skills, mathematical pattern recognition, and hand-eye co-ordination through fun play. Playing an instrument is one of the most efficient and productive ways to consolidate learning in the sub-concious, while the conscious mind is occupied with self-expression, and the manipulation of time and space.
Clare Brassil | Director of Music Performance