Music News

It’s great to see our beginners settling in the to the music program making their first sounds. 

(See photos) All students are attending their lessons. They are doing a great job checking their lesson times on Compass. Students playing concert band instruments are preparing to have their first rehearsal before the end of term. String ensemble rehearsals have commenced, they take place every Tuesday lunchtime in the Art Building. Our beginner guitar students have been learning lots of chords and melodies working towards being part of an ensemble. The rock bands and guitar group are learning new songs. Our intermediate concert band is currently learning new repertoire. Our VCE music students are working on their group performance component. As you can see music is well and truly alive at Maffra SC. We look forward to hearing all of our ensembles at our upcoming concert which will take place early in term 2.

Vacancies

Have you considered playing a musical instrument?

Although we have 90 students involved in the music program, to help balance our ensembles we have a few positions available for flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, violin and cello. If you would like a trial on any of the above instruments, pop over to A1 anytime during the day and let’s have a chat. Trials can take place during lunchtime. There could be an instrument that suits you. Music is fun and exciting!

Practice, Practice Practice

A reminder to all music students you need to practise during the week before your next lesson. 20-30 minutes a day would be a good start. If you put the time in, you will no doubt see the results. This means you can learn to play more challenging music and be leaders of your section. I have also noticed quite a few instruments being left in the hallway outside studio 2. Instruments don’t practise by themselves. Please take them home after your lesson.

Performances at Maffra Skate Park 

It was great having our ensembles performing at last weeks Parks Day held at the Maffra Skate Park. The weather was perfect with lots of sunshine. Our concert band, rock groups, guitar ensemble, duo Caitlin Lestrange and Caitlin Morris, our VCE music group and soloist Jeremy Smyth kept the audience entertained. We all had a great time and look forward to next year’s event.

Classroom Music

Our year 8 students have just completed their hip hop research and composition task. They have been working on their theory and about to commence their next task researching instruments of the Orchestra. The class has also been playing instruments such as the keyboards, drums, bass guitar and guitars learning chords to pop songs. 

Year 9 music has been exciting with students completing their Australian Rock Music enquiry task. They are working through theory which is helping them compose music. We are currently working on writing lyrics to our own original songs. This group has formed a band in class. We are playing lots of pop songs in different styles. All students are on instruments doing a great job following 

charts.

A highlight has been Cailey Craig on vocals singing “Stay with Me”, by Sam Smith and “Just The Way You Are”, by Bruno Mars. We look forward to completing our own original compositions and the exciting part will be recording some of our songs.

On behalf of all instrumental music teachers Ryan Lestrange, Donna Stemberger and Kimberley Gardiner enjoy the rest of the term.

Gerry Ciavarella

Instrumental Music Coordinator.