Music and Drama  

Swing Band 2017

Over the years, the personnel of the Koonung Swing Band comes and goes. It’s a natural cycle and part of the process of growing and learning.

Despite these changes in personnel, the spirit and enthusiasm has remained constant.

 Much of this is attributed to the culture that has been developed that involves fellow students mentoring each other, as well as working together with me as a team, to produce quality music from a bygone era: the 1930s – 1950s Big Band Swing Era. The students have to learn about how to authentically phrase and interpret this style - thus further enhancing their understanding of this musical period.

Swing music is a highly rhythmic and exciting style and this too helps the students to further want to master it to a high standard. The repertoire I have chosen this year incorporated some of my own original compositions/arrangements, as well as original professional “stock arrangements” from the period.

By the middle of the year, the induction of younger students had been completed, to then allow the seniors to mentor them, both as musicians and as team players. 

It’s a total joy to see their joy as the music begins to take shape. This is what Swing music is about: Total joy! The audience responses at performances are also a confirmation of this joy!

I am honoured to have such wonderful students in the band and also wish the exiting four Year-12 students, all the very best in their post-Koonung lives.

John Wanner – Conductor/clarinetist for the Koonung Swing Band.

Koonung Student Performs at Hamer Hall 

On May 30, 2017, Henry Andrew of Year 9 and Cameron Owens of Year 11, were selected to perform in the North Eastern Victoria Region Youth Concert at Hamer Hall, Arts  Centre, Melbourne.

Apart it from being an honour to be involved in this gathering of music students from all over the the state, Cameron and Henry were able to be involved in professional standard music groups and perform in the amazing Hamer Hall.

Here are their impressions:

 Henry Andrew,  9F:

 “Performing at Hamer hall was an experience of a lifetime. I played with 27 other clarinet players from all across the region, in an ensemble known as the “Clarinet Central’. We played two pieces arranged by Koonung’s very own, John Wanner! When I arrived at the performance venue for my sound check, I was blown away by how big the auditorium really was. It seated more than 2,500 people - which were mostly filled-up on our performance night. More than 600 students performed on the same night as me. This should be a performance opportunity that every musician should aspire to aim for - and I would most certainly love to do it again!” 

Henry also completed sitting for the external Australian Music Education Board’s (AMEB) practical exam for Clarinet, Grade 3. Henry received a pass with honours – A.

 Cameron Owens, 11E:

“Earlier in the term I played at Hamer Hall for the “NEVR” Concert. I played the baritone saxophone in the “Concert Band” with around 90 other students. We played a movement of 3 pieces followed by an independent piece, all of which were classical. There were two, full-day rehearsals prior to the performance and a sound-check at the venue. The hall itself was massive with 3 tiers of seating. Overall, it was an amazing experience playing in a band that big and meeting many other young musicians. I hope that I have the opportunity to do it again.”