Musical Notes

It is hard to believe we are almost half way through Term 2! What a great start we have had to the term with some amazing events already been and gone!

Generations in Jazz

At the end of Week 1 we had 36 students and 4 staff travel down to Mt Gambier for the annual Generations in Jazz weekend. This year we had our best results in Blackfriars history with Stage Band 1 placing third in Division 3! We had outstanding solos from Harry Catley and Julian McPeake as well excellent ensemble playing. This was a huge achievement for Stage Band 1 and they definitely deserved the award after putting lots of hard work into the preparation for it.

Stage Band 2 also played really well and placed 17th in their division, and finally, Senior Vocal placed 8th in their division being one of the highest placed South Australian schools in their division which is a great result. I was extremely pleased with the results but more importantly proud of the way they performed overall.

Our students were inspired by some incredible musicians at concerts on Friday and Saturday night and the closing concert on Sunday. World-renowned artists James Morrison, Ross Irwin, Joey DeFrancesco, Rickey Woodard, Kurt Elling and Lizz Wright wowed and inspired us with their diverse and amazing talents across the whole weekend.

I was extremely impressed with the representation of the Blackfriars values and opportunities such as this is what we pride ourselves on as a school community. The boys exceeded my expectations in all aspects across the whole weekend were great representatives for the school. I would like to formally thank all involved in making the weekend a success - administration, uniform shop and maintenance staff all contributed in the process of organisation; the parents that supported the students in preparation or those that accompanied us down to Mt Gambier to cheer us on; Mr Patrick Kelly and Ms Loana Liew for their support throughout the weekend and lastly, Mrs Libby Hunter for her dedication, assistance, organisation and support across the whole weekend towards myself and the boys.

Generations in Jazz is always a major highlight for those involved in Stage Band or Choir and I think many people would agree with me in saying that this one was definitely one of the best years due to our overall success. Congratulations to all involved!

Music Soiree

Congratulations to all the students who were involved in the Music Soiree on Monday evening. It was a wonderful showcase of all our students' talents.

Thank you to our Music Captains, Harry Catley and Frank Snelling, for supporting the evening in compering many of our items. Lastly, a big thanks to the music staff, instrumental staff, admin and maintenance who contributed to the evening in some way or another, in particular to Marie Wohling for her generous contribution in preparing many of the ensembles and soloists who performed on the night.

SACE Moderation

On Thursday 30 May, five students who are completing their SACE Stage 2 Solo Performance studies will be undertaking their first formal moderation from 9 to 11am. Music Room 1 will not be able to be accessed. For those moving around the Music Suite, it would be appreciated if you could please be quiet. If you happen to see any of the boys around the school, please wish them luck!

Co-curricular Attendance

A reminder that for students involved in Music co-curricular, it is a requirement for parents to notify the Director of the Ensemble if your son will be absent for a rehearsal. Aside from setting courteous habits for our students, it is also important in relation to our duty of care. Many rehearsals take place before or after school and despite other school events taking place, it is important to ensure that we are aware of the whereabouts of students for their own safety.

Ms Lucy Pope

CURRICULUM LEADER: PERFORMING ARTS