Performing Arts
Classroom Music
Soundtracks and Soundscapes
This term in music the year 7s have been investigating soundtracks and soundscapes. First, we learnt the difference between the two. A soundtrack is a piece of music such as a theme song where as a soundscape is all the different noises you might hear in a certain environment. Next, we set to work creating our own soundscape or soundtrack on Band Lab. Some people chose to create video game soundtracks while others chose to make soundscapes for sporting events. I found this challenging having never used software like Band Lab before. After we finished making our sound scape or soundtrack, we began work on performing a song. We had to form small groups and choose which instrument and song we wanted to play. While the Simpsons theme song was a popular choice, my group chose Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter. Although the song was challenging to learn, everyone had a great time playing it. I think it was a great way to finish Music for the term.
James Stamp 7E
My friends and I had an enjoyable time learning and performing our music pieces to the rest of our class. Using instruments from the music rooms such as keyboards, drums, xylophones, guitars and more, my class had a successful time perfecting their pieces. Even though some of us didn’t have any experience or background knowledge of playing the instruments, it made the assessment even more challenging and fun at the same time. Most groups chose The Simpsons Theme or Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter. We had a choice to choose our preferred music pieces as well. After a couple of lessons improving and practising our piece, it was time to perform. Performing the music piece was a very thrilling experience, despite having nerves and a lot of doubt, my class played their very best and every group’s performance was entertaining. Overall, it was a unique and fun experience.
I enjoyed it very much.
Hanna Imran 7E
Instrumental Music
Merry Sing-mas!
Term 4 brought a lot of excitement as staff and students returned to the classrooms. Unfortunately for Koonung’s singers, their initial excitement was short-lived. Due to COVID restrictions, Voice lessons were unable to take place for the first few weeks of term. As the term progressed, the restrictions slowly eased and Voice lessons returned, although they looked a bit different! Staff and students braved the outside weather, rain or shine, with masks and distancing in place. Although this was a challenge, everyone was eager to be able to sing in person again.
Sadly, ensembles were still unable to run due to concerns of what may happen when singing in large groups. As such, we decided to put together another COVID-safe performance video for you all, this time in the spirit of Christmas. We hope that you enjoy this performance of Jingle Bell Rock by the Koonung Vocal Group.
Year 7 student, Alysha Clegg has written an original song. Please enjoy her performance of "Constant Change"
Olivia Foy
Instrumental Music Coordinator
Classroom Music and Voice
Koonung Instrumental Music Student Sitting AMEB Exams
2020 sure provided a new set of challenges for our music students in carrying out their normal way of learning, having to adapt very quickly to receiving most of thier lessons online this year. That also extended to our many music students who regularly take part in sitting AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) graded performance exams every year.
Due to the lockdowns, many music students in Melbourne were forced to either postpone or cancel their face-to-face AMEB examinations or submit a modified assessment video instead. As instrumental music teachers, we have seen first-hand how these disruptions can have a dramatic effect on the student's engagement and enthusiasm in committing to sitting thier graded examinations and the discipline required to prepare for them, which often takes many months of sustained focus throughout the year.
So we would like to mention and congratulate some of our talented instrumental music students who did manage to persevere and show outstanding levels of dedications, and who did manage to achieve completion of thier AMEB graded exam throughout the year, some of which had to wait until December in order to sit a face-to-face examination.
Well done to the following students for achieving musical success in your AMEB studies for 2020 and achieving your goals this year!
Alysha Clegg - AMEB Grade 1 Piano - Teacher Kathryn Rogers
Andy Ma - AMEB Grade 5 Music Theory- Last year completed AMEB AMusA grade Violin
Ben Harding - AMEB Grade 1 Double Bass - Teacher Joshua Verco
Taneka Huber - AMEB Grade 7 Piano
James Lonnen - AMEB Grade 7 Piano
Joshua Verco
Instrumental Music Instructor - Electric Bass, Double Bass & Cello
Senior Guitar Ensemble – “Moonflower”
Here’s is what our senior guitarists Robson McGee -Year 9, Rory Spicer Year 9, Toby Griffith Year 9 and Dheklan Pitaliadda Year 10 have been learning and working on during our remote guitar lessons.
This is a song in a latin -rock style by Carlos Santana called Moonflower and features many guitar techniques used in contemporary playing. Techniques such as string bending, slides, fall-offs, hammer-on and offs and vibrato are all techniques used by the guitarists to convey expression and make the guitar “sing”.
After learning the song, we were able to finally come together in the theatre, in person and perform as an ensemble.
Thank you to the teachers that helped with their cameras, tripods and filming of the students: Peter Hodkinson, Olivia Foy, Sue Cook and Adrian De Luca.
Congratulations to the Senior Guitar Ensemble for their hard work and dedication.
We hope you enjoy this music video.
Marina Novelli
Instrumental Music Teacher
BLACK WIDOW – “Go Your Own Way”
Black Widow is an all girl group made up of students from year 7-10. We have three guitarists: Christina Xu Year 7, Darcey Gifford Year 8 and Tianna Clegg Year 10. We have two Year 10 singers Keiko Rice and Amelie Storrar- Carey.
The band had very little chance to play together, but nevertheless has worked hard and the girls have learnt their parts, filmed themselves performing in isolation and sent their clips to be edited together.
The song was written by Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsay Buckingham.
It is challenging playing in isolation because musicians that play in a group setting are generally very reactive to each other. The students dealt exceptionally well with performing in isolation.
A very special thanks to the parents for their support and help in completing this project.
Marina Novelli
Instrumental Music Teacher