Focus on Choir, Orchestra & Brass
Choir, Orchestra & Brass at FPS
We hope you enjoyed the school holidays after a busy term one. Both of us, together with our families, managed to catch a few performances in the city during our break. It is amazing to see Melbourne getting back on its feet as a thriving city for the Arts. At Fairfield Primary School, we endeavour to raise a generation of future musicians and performers by offering our students different music ensembles and groups. Read on to find out about these exciting and enriching activities.
Brass Program (Year 4 – 6)
Our brass program is a wonderful collaboration with Thornbury High School. We have the amazing Sean Nihil, who is an experienced brass leader and Thornbury HS teacher, come to FPS every second Tuesday (11:10 – 11:45am for senior students; 11:45am – 12:15pm for Year 4 students) to teach students to play the trombone and trumpet. The lessons are structured yet aimed at developing our children’s musical ear in a fun and safe environment. Students are issued an instrument which they can borrow during their tenure as a member of the brass program.
This program is also integral in helping our students transition from primary school to high school. Our students are given the opportunity to play music with their peers from Thornbury High, many of whom had graduated from the brass program at Fairfield Primary School. In a time not too long ago, these performances included playing at the MCG and our spectacular fetes. We hope that 2021 will provide us with more opportunities to perform.
If you are in Year 4 and would like to join this program, please speak to Keri and Olivia about a trial.
Here is a lunchtime performance from the last week of term one.
Orchestra (Year 3 – 6)
Ask any musician about their favourite aspect of their craft and it would probably be performing with other musicians. This is why the orchestra holds such a special place in both of our hearts. We recognise that it is a place where our young musicians (Year 3 onwards) see the fruit of their endless practise and technical drills. Our repertoire consists of classics and also renditions of pop music.
We strive to differentiate for all our members and their abilities, hence most of our music is arranged specifically for them. The students are actively involved in discussing dynamics used in our performances and encouraged to add their flair. It is a wonderful way to explore the elements of music and to reinforce our students' theoretical knowledge. Most importantly, it is simply a fun and safe space to connect with other young musicians and make music. Look out for our first performance in 2021 during our next assembly.
Choir (Year 4 – 6)
Choir burst into 2021 by performing during assembly and also on Harmony Day. It is just amazing to see how our choir has grown to 78 members in the last two years. We are a dynamic group and love singing songs which involve choreography and body percussion.
We also encourage students in the choir who have the ability to play musical instruments to accompany the singers. Singers are taught to read scores and develop their aural ability. Singing together with 78 children is a privilege for both of us, it is amazing and fulfilling and we always have a good time. We appreciate the enthusiasm and how various members would come up with ideas and volunteer to lead new warm-ups and songs. The collaborative creative process flows naturally and we are very proud of our young creatives. Some of our senior members have taken the lead in our next number and have arranged a beautiful a capella version of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’. We cannot wait to sing it for all of you, hopefully you will join in too!
Singing Club (Foundation – Year 3)
One of the results of having such an awesome choir is that the little ones have been inspired by the senior students. Spending lunch time in our classroom means that we have earnest faces peering in through the glass and the brave knock asking if they come in for a sing. This is how ‘Singing Club’ was formed.
We meet on Wednesdays during lunch time from 12:50 – 1:25pm. You are welcome to bring your lunch in and sing together with us. We do some fun warm-ups and sing some really rad songs. We also have some lovely Year 4 students from choir come in to lead and mentor our young singers. Singing club is a great stepping stone to choir and a fun way to make friends who share a love for singing. Pop in next Wednesday to the Performing Arts room with your lunch for a sing!
Out of Hours Instrumental Lessons
Fairfield Primary School students are also very fortunate to have the fantastic Steve Dowell and his team from Do Well Music to conduct private music lessons on our school grounds. We work closely with Steve to provide opportunities for his students to perform in our school concerts. Group recorder lessons are always a fun start for our emerging musicians. They also provide lessons in keyboards, guitar, violin, flute and saxophone. You can get an enrolment form from the office or contact Steve at do_well@bigpond.net.au
Upcoming Performances
Keep a look out in the newsletter for more information about our future performances. We are very lucky to have some of our grown-ups volunteer at orchestra over the years. If you are interested in contributing to any of our programs and upcoming productions please send us an email or come say hello after school!
~ Keri Spence and Olivia Li, Performing arts Teachers