Music
Music News
Is it December already?
In the Music department at Brookside, it’s easy to tell. The last few weeks of the year are inevitable our busiest, and 2019 is proving to be exceptional only in the sheer number of events and performances on offer. Here’s a summary…
Young Warriors-
Our Young Warriors program allows motivated students to collaborate in cross class, and cross year, ensembles, extending musical skills, developing teamwork and leadership abilities, and representing the school both at school events and at out of school performances. Semester Two has seen two of our Young Warriors visit Timbarra College in Term 3, performing on stage with Timbarra students and Doveton College students and, most recently, Brookside has hosted both Timbarra and Doveton Colleges at the inaugural “Brookstock” event, where the impact of the close relationship being developed with the two other schools was evident in the relationships being formed by the students across schools, and by the quality of musical performance, with the various strengths of the school’s students helping to encourage growth in the others. Y6 students played the role of audience, and were both attentive and respectful, and even complicit in getting up to dance for the last performance, with some encouragement by staff! The Young Warriors have also been performing in informal lunchtime concerts to celebrate the fine work they’ve done in 2019, and to prepare themselves for Summerfest and end of year assembly performances.
Sound Garage-
Soundgarage have been engaged at Brookside since mid-2018, offering instrumental music lessons in drums, guitar, keyboard and singing/performance. Their inaugural end-of year concert was held on the 20th of November, and parents were able to see the fruits of their children’s labour. The quality of performances were a just reward for the time, commitment and practice put in by the students, and the support offered by the parents, and a testament to the truly outstanding work of the Soundgarage teachers, Tom and Steve, and Maddie, Soundgarage’s manager, who did a great job of running what is a complicated event with a myriad of different stage configurations. Tom and Steve have done more than most teachers in their positions- they have invested themselves in the school’s music program and demonstrated a dedication to the school and a love of sharing their passion for music that few sessional music teachers offer. Bravo to all involved!
End of Year Events-
From here to the end of the year, Brookside’s music team will help stage the Christmas Concert on Monday the 16th of December, manage a stage at Summerfest on Thursday the 12th of December, assist in performances at the Year 9 Graduation, and contribute to end of year assemblies. We look forward to seeing parents and friends of the college at one or more event, and trust you’ll enjoy the work of our students on stage.
Classroom Update-
Y4 Music-
Our Y4 classes have again been looking at composing music this term. Two of the classes have been developing animations with Brookside Live, and in music they’ve explored how music can assist in communicating mood, emotion and create atmosphere in film. The finished products will be screened at Summerfest, and will surprise parents with the quality of finished product. The classes not involved in Brookside Live this semester have pursued a songwriting unit, with some engaging, energetic and creative songs being produced, some of which will hopefully make it onto stage before the end of the year. The students have also found time to continue developing their instrument skills in class ensembles, including learning the parody “Lot’s of Pizza”.
Y3 Music-
Students in Y3 have continued to focus on the idea of melody, chord progressions, form and texture this semester. Riffs and melodies, and chord on xylophones, ukuleles and keyboard have extended instrument technique and developed dexterity and coordination, while further developed the idea of pulse and rhythm and exploring the interconnection between melody and harmony, which will form the basis for more analytical work in the years to come.
Y5 Music-
Y5’s have spent the semester broadening their instrument skills and music knowledge by broaching chords beyond the key of C major, such as A, D and E major. Term 3 saw them introduced to these new chords, and the concept of chord inversion, as well as more syncopated melodies, strumming patterns, and drum grooves. In term 4, this learning was contextualised by students choosing songs with some of these elements as performance pieces. The classes were able to share their work by performing for each other at a concert held in the library on the 22nd November, where over 2 hours the students enjoyed hearing each others work. Congratulations to all students who performed for creating a truly engaging concert, and many thanks to staff who accommodated the concert in their regular class time and supporting the music program, and to parents who came to support their children’s studies.
Y6 Music
Students have continued their investigations into composition, creating songs in small groups (some students even by themselves!) based around the C major scale. These songs were presented to their peers, showcasing not only the safe and encouraging environment students have built in the music room, but also the variation of styles and approaches to song writing our Year 6’s have developed. Recently students have been preparing for their move into secondary school through a self-directed study unit. Students chose their approach to this unit, work in groups or individually, writing a song or learning a song. They gathered resources, rehearsed and prepared their pieces, culminating in a performance that showcased the talent and enthusiasm this cohort has built for music.
Y7 Music
Students in Y7 Music semester 2 have, as in semester 1, explored the connection between art, culture, environment and politics by learning about various world music styles. From percussion ensembles based on Brazilian samba to Afro-Beat dance grooves, Chinese pentatonic based atmospheric music to Jamaican ska and reggae, the students have, while developing fundamental music skills and knowledge, been encouraged to consider why music from a certain time and place is a certain way. They’ve then used this experience to consider what constitutes Ausralian music, composing music of their own and analysing it in terms of its “Australian-ness, a process within which the term “UnAustralian” has neither negative or positive connotations.
Y8 Music
As in semester 1, our semester 2 Y8 cohorts have been given the chance to define what success means for themselves in music, and been supported in pursing their personal goals. Starting with ensembles formed with friends, they have chosen repertoire they wish to work up for a performance, and then developed their own compositions, before finally defining individual learning goals for their chosen instrument and developing their own 5 week course of study.
Y9 Music
In their last semester at Brookside, our Year 9 music students fine-tuned their song writing skills, experimenting with form, melody and texture in order to create an engaging, thoughtful piece of music. The success of this unit was displayed when students showcased their work fellow songwriters, our Year 6 students. The Year 9 cohort were involved with helping set up, attend and perform at various events, including the Year 5 concert, Brookstock, assemblies and Summerfest. Students ended the year through focusing on individual instrumental skills, preparing them for their next step in their education. Good luck to all!