From the Primary School
Primary Music
Stage 3 Concert 15 September 2022
Stage 3 have been lucky to perform at a number of events this Term. We started with Year 6 performing at the IPSHA performing Arts Festival at the Town Hall, and then one week later, produced the Stage 3 Concert. Every Year 5 and 6 class presented a showcase item and the Year Choirs sang three pieces. I am grateful to the students for presenting such a truly beautiful night – each child sparkled with happiness and were filled with the joy of making music.
For 6 weeks this term, each class “workshopped” their own item. I asked any student who played an instrument to bring it along each lesson as we devised our item. Varied standards of musical ability were catered for, and I was motivated to bring a valid and positive musical experience to each girl in my classes. I found this process encouraged students to develop their own intrinsic motivation to compose, practise and shine in performance.
Year 5
5W presented two pieces with a jazz-groove underlying the simple melody of an African-American children’s song “Green Sally Up”. 5R merged it with the well-known “Happy” by Pharrell Williams to give it a modern flavour. I was extremely impressed by the efforts of each student, as they created their own parts, added improvisation and blues notes to the piece. A special mention to Olivia Flanagan and Angelina Wang for their exceptional solo roles.
Year 6
6P devised a medley of Beethoven classics including the well-known pieces, “Ode to Joy”, “Symphony Number 5”, and “Fur Elise”. They then composed a rhythmic and melodic sample of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” for a bit of fun, with a stunning solo by Coco Shelmerdine.
6T presented a medley of music by Vivaldi. Vivaldi was a Baroque composer, teacher and violinist. He especially wrote pieces for a girls school in Venice, which provided exceptional music education for orphaned girls. 6T developed a piece using Vivaldi’s music in their own style – but we wanted to relate his music to the present, so we found a song that included similar melodic patterns to the Vivaldi melodies, using the popular “As it Was” by Harry Styles to finish.
During the year, many students in Stage 3 have taken part in our Eisteddfod and Musicale concerts. Four girls were chosen to represent our musical skill. Lily-Mae Cook (Flute), Elizabeth Teoh (Cello), Olivia Plavsic (Piano) and Lilly Zadgan (Voice) entertained us with exceptional solo items.
Joining us were the exceptional String Octet ands Percussion students who performed “Eye of the Soundstorm”. It was written especially for SCEGGS by the young Australian composer, Alice Chance, and the girls were tutored by Mrs Anne Sweeney, Ms Jayne Groves, Ms Allison Harrigan and Ms Bronwyn Cleworth. The piece depicts our school located in the middle of a bustling, noisy city. We are a haven for learning and growing together at SCEGGS. Last week, Year 6 also performed this piece at the Sydney Town Hall for the IPSHA Performing Arts Festival.
The Ukulele Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and Cantare Choir also performed, with our staff supporting throughout the concert. A special thanks to Ms Jayne Groves, Mr Neal Sutherland, Ms Allison Harrigan, Mrs Anne Sweeney, Ms Stephanie Holmes for their musical expertise. Thank you to our class teachers, and Primary Executive for their support and backstage assistance.
The skills and lessons from creative pursuit serves us in life in all sorts of ways beyond music – teamwork, perseverance, overcoming adversity, celebrating each others’ successes and most importantly…that the show must go on! I am sure that the Stage 3 girls will remember this concert and use these skills regularly in their lives beyond the music classroom in the months and years to come.
Lanneke Jones
Music Teacher
Farewell Year 12
Our Primary School students took the opportunity to farewell some of our Year 12 students who themselves had been at SCEGGS since Primary School. From all of us in the Primary School “Goodbye and Good Luck Year 12 – we will miss you!”
Helen Dempsey
Head of Primary
