Music

Music

Once again, we have the great joy in celebrating our uber-talented young ladies.

Our Year 12 Music 1, 2 and Extension cohort performed over two days as part of their trial HSC examinations. Mr Stafford, Mrs Colbey and I had the great pleasure of being spectators for this event, rather than marking the girls. It is times like these that we are humbled by the girls’ talents and attitude towards their studies. Congratulations to all who performed, along with each private tutor, who prepared the students. Particular thanks goes to Estella Roche, our College accompanist. Estella mastered every genre of music to accompany the girls, giving up hours of time to practise and work with the students to ensure they had polished performances.

Aine Oo is one of our year 10 clarinet students who had some remarkable success over the holidays:

At the Band Association of NSW Solo and Party championships held at Barker College, Aine won the U19 Clarinet section and placed second in the Open Clarinet section.

Aine also entered 3 events at the Sydney Eisteddfod where she placed Second in the clarinet U15 section and was Highly Commended in the hugely competitive Open Age Woodwind Concerto Competition.

Worth noting is that she also entered the Clarinet U20 section but was very unfortunately disqualified for being 20 seconds over the time limit. However, Aine has accepted the decision with impressive grace and has learned from this experience that boundaries are set for a reason.

It is a busy term in Music this term. Please note the following confirmed information and make note in your diaries.

6 August – Theme and variations performance:

Zarina Nurlanov of Year 10 has been chosen to represent the College at the Emerging Artists 2023. Come along and support her on 6 August from 2.00pm at the Theme and Variations Showroom in Willoughby.

7 August: Tour 2024 – Spain/Portugal Expression of Interest meeting: 6.15pm in the Music Gallery.

This is open to all students and parents from year 7 to 11 who play or sing in one of the College music ensembles.

8 August: Year 10 Elective Music performance opportunity: 11.00am to 2.00pm Turramurra Masonic Hall

Ms Zeltzer’s Year 10 Elective Music class has been invited to perform for the Easy Care Gardening High Tea, providing background music, as well as helping to host. Girls are welcome to add this event to their Pymble Passport. It is being held at Turramurra Function Centre (the Masonic Hall on the Pacific Highway) from 11.00am to 2.00pm

16 August: Music Scholars Concert – 6.30pm in the Chapel

Come and see our most talented young musicians perform and dazzle on their instruments – piano, cello, trumpet, double bass, French horn, Oboe, Euphonium, clarinet.

17 August: Open Evening – Year 7 and 8 ensemble KM Building

Hayley Lam and Chloe Lam will perform to new parents from 4.20pm to 5.00pm

18 August: Chinese Orchestra visit – Year 8 Elective Music classes

Lunch – end MBS in the Music Gallery

24 August: Year 12 Art Showcase – College Quartet to perform 5.00pm to 6.00pm

All are welcome to see the HSC artworks for 2023. The exhibition will be in the Main Hall and the College Quartet will be there providing background music – a wonderful example of drawing the Performing and Creative Arts teams together.

25 August: Tanith Bryce Vocal studio Concert – Mark Moran Nursing Home: Warrawee

All vocal students of Tanith Bryce have been invited to sing at the Nursing Home to entertain the residents. The concert commences at 6.00pm and girls are asked to include this event in their Pymble Passport as giving back to the Community.

1 September: HSC performance evening – Music Gallery 6.30pm

Please come and support our HSC Music students as they perform one last time for you, before they present to the NESA markers the following week.

16 September: Garden Party

Girls from the following ensembles will be performing throughout the day for Garden Party:

  • Clarinet Ensemble
  • Flute Ensemble
  • Kindergarten to Year 2 Choir
  • Pizzicatos
  • Middle School Concert Band
  • Junior School Grainger Band
  • Junior School Stanhope Band
  • Junior School Jazz Band
  • Year 4 Training Band
  • Senior Jazz Ensemble
  • Senior Stage Band

19 September – Music Elective Night

All girls who take Music Elective from Year 8 to 11 will perform in the Music Gallery from 6.00pm

21 September – Year 12 Valedictory Event. The Fullerton Hotel – 7.00pm to 7.30pm

College Quartet to perform for parents.

Private Music Lessons

Private music lessons are offered at the College for brass, woodwind, strings, piano, percussion, musicianship, and voice. All our private music tutors are professional musicians, performers, and teachers, having spent many years perfecting their craft as a musician. As with any other degree and qualification, a fee is charged and is expected to be paid. In recent months I have been informed of fees not being paid in a timely manner, or not at all. We completely understand rising interest rates and the pressures on families, and I ask that you remind yourselves that our tutors are in the same situation with families and living expenses and respect these valued staff members. All tuition must be paid according to the invoice delivered by the tutor – all tutors have their own terms and agreements. I respectfully draw your attention to the handbook regarding missed lessons. This is something all parents and tutors must adhere to, as a business arrangement has been made.

  • NOTICE IN WRITING OF TERMINATION OF MUSIC TUITION MUST BE GIVEN TO THE PRIVATE TEACHER BY THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND LAST WEEK OF EACH TERM.  If no notice is received, the following term’s fees will be payable even if the student does not attend any lessons.   It will be assumed that a student is continuing lessons unless such notice is given.

Student enrolments will be automatically rolled over into the following year unless appropriate notice is given. For students not continuing into the following year, notification needs to be given NO LATER THAN 2 WEEKS BEFORE DAY 1 TERM.

  • If payment has not been received within fourteen days of the invoice being issued, lessons may be suspended until payment has been received. Lessons lost due to suspension will be forfeited.
  • An additional fee for late payment of invoices may be applied at the discretion of the teacher.
  • Lessons missed owing to illness will be made up at the teacher’s discretion, and only when notice is received by the teacher no later than 7.30am on the morning of the lesson.
  • Notification of a student’s inability to attend a lesson due to a scheduled school excursion, examination or school event or a medical appointment is the responsibility of the parent or student and must be given to the private teacher at the earliest opportunity and no later than 48 hours prior to the lesson time otherwise the lesson will be forfeited.
  • It is the expectation that if a student is well enough to attend school, then she will attend her music lessons, even if a minor ailment precludes her from playing or singing, as aural work and musicianship can be covered in that lesson.
  • Where a teacher offers alternative times for missed lessons and these do not prove convenient, the lessons will be forfeited.

The term’s fees are not refundable.

Thank you for your consideration of these requirements  which are for the benefit of both Music tutors and students.

Sarah Turner

Head of Co-curricular Music