Performing Arts

Music News

Thank-you Muso's!

I'd just like to use this chance to thank every one of our musicians who have persisted and supported all the way through this very unusual term. I'm sure, like most, there were times when the last thing you wanted to do was rehearse on-line again having no sense what the rest of your fellow band members were playing. The last three weeks have hopefully given you some reward for your hard work and commitment across the lockdown. All of our musicians have come back in form and the bands, if anything, are sounding better than when we departed back in April. A big thank-you to all of our parents as well for supporting the girls. For some of our musicians this will mark a time where they have improved significantly. As a group we are always trying to improve and make better and more wholesome sounds. Keep working at it girls!

Victorian School Music Festival

This annual event has been happening for years but we haven't participated for a number of reasons. This year it will all be on-line so it is the perfect vehicle for Concert Band, Honk and Stage Band to video record themselves and be adjudicated by a guest adjudicator from the USA or Canada. This will occur in August and the recordings will take place during regular rehearsal times. Parents will have the opportunity to watch the stream of our performances in a virtual (live) performance setting from the comfort of your own lounge room! 

This will give all three bands a performance objective during Term 3 as we wait to see when a live audience can be present.

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

The Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) is offering our students the opportunity to access a free new online series of jazz workshops in Term 3, developed by MIJF in conjunction with Arts Curriculum Specialist, Helen Champion. These online workshops form part of the annual initiative Take Note, a program developed by MIJF in 2019 to tackle under-representation of women in jazz, by celebrating and promoting an emerging female jazz leader to secondary students across Victoria. This year's Take Note emerging leader is saxophonist & composer Holly Moore.

We were planning a workshop with Camille Thurmann (Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra) in September but that has obviously been cancelled due to covid-19. This looks like the perfect replacement and it gives some financial support to a local musician as well. More details will follow.

Choirs

Choir singing is planned for a comeback in term 3 with the Senior Vocal group and Swing Sisters making a tentative start. There are some concerns about choir singing in the covid environment and rest assured we are closely monitoring the latest studies and news reports regarding whether it is appropriate for these groups to be rehearsing. Obviously, our new Tullow Centre provides a great space to distance our singers with good ventilation and another alternative is to rehearse outside. 

So, at the moment, we are looking to start but, as the last week has shown, this may change by the time we get back to school after holidays. We will be in contact with you regarding this.

Instrumental lessons

The decision to continue with on-line lessons for our Year 7s and 8s during the lockdown has proven to be the right one with a lot of girls signing up for individual music lessons next term. This is really encouraging for the program as a whole as these year levels become our senior musicians in the next four years. There is still plenty of time to get forms in for the start of next term. It really is the perfect activity for cold winter holidays and potential lockdowns! Forms can be accessed via the front office, Brigid's Well, outside the music office in the Tullow Centre or download from the Website.

Mr Bernie Hickey

Music Learning Area Leader