Volume 30 Issue 22 30 Jul 2021 21 Av 5781

Music Matters

Diana Springford – Head of Music

Calling all ensemble and choir members

Please check out Stile and Reshet!

We are sad to be missing our weekly rehearsals and hearing our ensembles’ and choirs’ lovely (and sometimes not so lovely) sounds in person. However, we want to ensure that we use this lockdown for some fun and odd activities that are musically very useful and interesting, but that we don’t usually have time for. Each week on Wednesdays, we update your Reshet and Stile pages with new activities for students to try, in their own time, whenever they like, and in whatever order they like. Some activities are short and useful things you may not know (e.g. Ms Springford’s “yuck” note exercise to fix a dodgy tone on a clarinet), some require longer practise (e.g. Ms Grieve’s introduction to slap tonguing on the saxophone). 

On Reshet, for High School, we have the following courses:

  • Concert Band instrumentalists
  • Singers
  • String Players
  • Rock Band musicians
  • Jazz Band musicians
  • Guitar Ensemble members
  • Stage Band & Big Band members

On Stile, for Primary School, we have the following courses:

  • Singers
  • String Players
  • Concert Band Musicians
  • Stage Band members

Coming soon…. Ha’Shorashim for Years K-12 virtual choir

As all students should be aware, the whole school has now been introduced to Ha’Shorashim, our Capital Appeal Anthem for 2021, which was composed by Alice Chance in collaboration with some Senior High school students and Morah Harvey and premiered at the Music Camp concert last term. (Back when we could sing together!) It is a beautiful song (and an A-grade ear worm) and a bold attempt to capture what is special about our School. 

The learning package, which allows all students to get to know the song and to sing it, has been shared with the whole school. We would love everyone to learn about the song and to try to sing it. 

In the next few days, we will be inviting our K-12 choir members to contribute to a special, virtual choir performance of this beautiful piece, so choir members please keep an eye out on the singers pages of Stile and Reshet for instructions as to how to get involved in the next week.

Auditions

Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO):  Auditions for the SYO 2022 program are open. Applications close on Wednesday 1 September 2021. The SYO is the leading orchestral training and education programs provider in New South Wales. This is a comprehensive system that ensures musicians progress through the orchestras, developing individual and ensemble skills under the careful guidance of SYO’s artistic staff. For more information, please visit their website.

The Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) holds a reputation for being one of the world’s most prestigious and innovative training organisations for young musicians. Applications for Australian Youth Orchestra’s 2022 programs opened on Tuesday 20 July 2021. Their specialised training pathway has been specifically created to nurture the musical development of the most gifted young instrumentalists across metropolitan and regional Australia: from exceptional school-aged musicians, to emerging young practitioners, to those on the verge of a professional career. AYO presents tailored training and performance programs each year for aspiring musicians, composers, arts administrators, and music journalists aged 12 to 30 to help them achieve their goals. For more information, see their e-Flyer.

Private Music Tuition and Infant Strings Program

Schedules for Private Music Tuition and ISP have been emailed to parents, using the same link as previous terms, so you should all be able to access and bookmark your schedules on your device. Tutor Zoom ID codes are embedded at the top right of each Private Tuition Schedule. 

Regarding new enrolments into the K-2 Infant Strings Program: we are regrettably unable to add new enrolments into ISP during this period of online learning. As soon as the situation changes, we will let you know.

Regarding new enrolments to Private Music Tuition: new applications to enrol into private instrumental or voice music lessons will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, giving priority to students who have the instrument at home and have pre-existing experience of learning with a tutor (e.g. in IP). However, we are open minded, so please ask.

Please contact Matilda Grieve  by email if you have any questions about private tuition.

Instrument sundries: for those who need to stock up on replacement reeds, cleaning gear, strings, rosin and other bits and pieces, below are the website details for our local suppliers, who can post items to you or are open for click and collect purchases:

For Emanuel instruments needing repair: please email Joanne De Araujo with detailed information about the fault.

For announcements and further information: please check our Music Portal Page 

You can also find fun news and updates from us on Instagram.