Important High School and Primary School notices

Instrumental Ensemble auditions

Instrumental Ensemble auditions will be held in Weeks 3 and 4 at various times. Students who are interested should sign on to an audition time on the appropriate sheet posted outside the Music Office from Monday of Week 2. Ensembles open to audition are:

• Bernstein Concert Band
• Copland Concert Band
• Intermediate String Ensemble
• Emanuel String Orchestra
• Junior Jazz Ensemble
• Junior Stage Band
• Senior Stage Band
• Flute Ensemble
• Clarinet Ensemble
• Entry to the jazz ensembles and rock bands is by arrangement and invitation only, and according to the instrumentation requirements of each particular ensemble, but if you would like to join one of these special ensembles, please email Ms Springford on dspringford@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au to register your interest.

Instrumental Ensemble audition requirements

• Play one piece, or a large section of a piece, that shows you at your best (a solo piece is best)
• Choose your own major and minor scale and a chromatic scale (choose your best and most interesting scales, and the widest pitch range you can manage smoothly)
• You will be given sight reading, which means you will be asked to play an unknown piece that is of the level of the ensemble for which you are auditioning
• Success depends upon a) availability of positions in the ensemble, b) audition performance c) ensemble citizenship of current ensemble (punctuality, behaviour, preparedness, practise of parts).

Primary Music

Instrument Care seminar
Tuesday 5 February 2019: MPH from 6.00 pm – 7.15 pm

Students new to IP in 2019, and who are borrowing a school instrument, will receive their instrument at the Instrument Care seminar in Week 2. A parent must attend this evening with the student so that both parent and student know how to care for these precious instruments. The evening is also a perfect opportunity to meet our tutors. For the few students who have yet to be allocated an instrument, we will be running allocation tests during the day on Tuesday 5 February at 2.50 pm in M11 (Music rooms). These students will also receive their instrument at the seminar in the evening.   

The parent or carer must bring a completed ‘Instrument Loan Agreement Form’ before the instrument may be taken home. Thank you if you have already done so.

*Attendance is not necessary for new students who own their own instrument and have prior experience in looking after it.

First days of IP and Instrumental Ensembles are in Week 3 in 2019

Years 3 and 6: The first day of IP in 2019 is Tuesday 12 February

Years 4 and 5: The first day of IP in 2019 is Wednesday 13 February

On IP day, students should place their instruments safely in the open cabinets in the corridors of the Music block before school, ready for their IP period later in the day. Instruments should be taken home at the end of the same day ready for practise during the week.

Join an ensemble!

If you enjoy the ensemble days in IP then you will love playing in one of our instrumental ensembles. The first taste of ensemble membership is often the Junior String Ensemble for string players and Gershwin Concert Band for wind and percussion players. Please contact Diana Springford on dspringford@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au if your child is interested.

Auditions for other ensembles including Junior Chamber Choir will take place in Weeks 3 or 4. Information about auditions will be on the From the Head of Music page in Ma Nishma.