Music News

Ensemble Rehearsals

While some of our students are remote learning and some are at school, music ensembles are needing to rehearse in different ways. Please make sure that you read your school emails and stay aware of arrangements for your ensemble(s). It is hard to predict what the performance calendar will look like for the remainder of this year, but all ensembles will be performing in some capacity as soon as it is possible to all play together. 

Some ensembles are working towards producing a video submission to music festivals later this term. Other ensembles may be part of streamed lunchtime concerts. It is important to keep learning your music, whether you are at home or at school, so that we can pull performances of any format together as quickly as possible when everybody is back at school.

AMEB Practical Exams

For anybody planning to complete an Australian Music Examinations Board exam this year, enrolments for the final Session (5) close on 18 August. While the AMEB are still hoping to run these examinations ‘live’ in October through November, this could change. Another option for candidates who are doing AMEB exams this year is a video submission, and these can be submitted at any time once you have enrolled. Video exams are repertoire-only with no technical work.

Please communicate with your child’s Instrumental Music teacher if you have any questions about practical AMEB exams on their instrument.

Remote Learning Camera Reminder

We are noticing more students not turning their cameras on in this period of remote learning than during Term 2. Students need to understand that the effectiveness of an instrumental music lesson is extremely limited when teachers cannot give guidance on posture, fingering, bowing or other factors which are only determinable when students can be seen. We again encourage students to be suitably dressed and situated in an appropriate room where turning cameras on does not cause any privacy issues. Teachers will be giving much more effective feedback to those students who they can see during the music lesson.

Carl Williams

Instrumental Music Administrator