In This Together

Head of Music Pauline Chow and members of the Music Department share their insights about the joys and benefits of music-making in this week’s “In This Together.”

Listening and playing music with others requires you to work as a team, listen to and rely on others. I believe musical ensembles help to improve teamwork skills. Lara Greenfield  (Year 11)

We are so pleased that music activities that have been affected due to COVID-19 are being re-introduced to school routines.  Music making is fun and engaging, but there are also other important benefits that can be gained while participating in an ensemble.  

There has been so much research undertaken into the benefits of group music-making and its positive effects on cognitive development, as well as the many benefits of music making for broader wellbeing.  Participation in collective music-making also helps students to develop essential skills such as socialisation, cooperation and listening skills.  Being an active member of a music ensemble helps students maintain the motivation to learn and excel at their instrument.  Ensembles create opportunities for students to realise their musical skills and put them into practice with peers. 

We have a wonderful array of ensembles of varying ability levels to allow all students to participate.  The ensembles are mostly divided into the streams of Choral, String and Band.  I have asked the directors of each stream to share insights into their area of expertise.

Director of Strings – Mrs Anne Sweeney

The musical journey for string players at SCEGGS begins in Kindergarten and continues all the way through to Year 12.  After learning the basics of playing, with lots of fun and games in String Power, string students move through the primary ensembles from Stringalong, to Sinfonietta and onto Chamber Strings, our top string ensemble in the Primary School. Chamber Strings performs regularly for K-6 Assembly, for pop-up lunchtime performances in the Playground and the girls provide music for various Primary School events through the year.

In the Secondary School, Contemporary Strings welcomes students in Year 7-9 for music-making to further develop ensemble skills so that they are ready for Amati Strings, our premier string ensemble at SCEGGS. In addition to performance at school concerts, Contemporary Strings plans to give back to our local community by providing music beyond the Green Gate as much as possible this year. Not only does Amati Strings perform for major school events (i.e. Easter Service, Festival of Lessons and Carols) but also joins forces with wind, brass and percussion players from Holst Band to form the Special Projects Orchestra for Speech Night at the Sydney Town Hall. In addition, Amati Strings also collaborates with professional musicians and artists in workshops and performances to give the students a breadth of musical experience and broaden their horizons musically.

The string ensembles from K-12 at SCEGGS participate in the annual Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival, preparing a diverse repertoire which includes an Australian composition in each category. Both the girls and the string staff have enjoyed this process in the past, expanding both our knowledge and skill as ensemble instrumentalists. The String Department emerges from the process excited, energised and empowered about making music together.

Playing a musical instrument is a lifelong skill and I learn alongside my students as we use music as a means of artistic expression in our lives. My aim is to empower all string students with the confidence and skill to make their own musical decisions as they mature and to find their own voice with their instrument.

My sightreading skills have improved while making new friends and hanging out with new people from other year groups
Anais Hewitt-Taylor (Double Bass in Amati Strings)

Director of Choir – Miss Allison Harrigan

At SCEGGS the choral program aims to cater for all levels of singing experience and musical interest. In the Secondary School we have a non-auditioned School Choir for girls in Years 7-12 who rehearse on a Monday afternoon.  On Wednesday mornings we offer a Contemporary Vocal Ensemble for girls who love more contemporary music.  On Monday evening we rehearse with an auditioned Madrigal Ensemble for experienced musicians. The girls in Years 4 – 6 in the Primary School can choose to participate on Thursday afternoons in Cantare, our co-curricular Primary choir.

Singing in a choir improves your singing and music reading skills and trains your ears to be musically discerning.  The benefits of ensemble singing stretch far beyond music to reducing the stress hormone cortisol, releasing endorphins, creating joy and building a sense of community and connection.

I was very fortunate as a student to be part of a remarkable, internationally renowned school choral program.  This wonderful experience is my inspiration for “paying it forward”.  I am always striving to ignite the spark in SCEGGS’ choristers to reach their full potential as musicians, develop a love of quality choral music and be a lifelong, passionate chorister.

I love being part of Madrigals Ensemble because it is like having another family. Everyone is so passionate about the same thing, and we all strive to help each other and improve our own skills.
Scarlett Gibson-Williams – Music Captain and Madrigal chorister

Director of Band – Mr Michael Tierney

Listening to and appreciating people’s music skills and watching their improvement throughout the year.
Anwen Kidston – Clarinet in Holst Wind Band

The SCEGGS Band Program involves 115 students from Years 3-12. It consists of training groups for beginning players, small jazz combos (Primary and Secondary Jazz Combos), chamber groups (Woodwind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble), a big band (Basie Jazz Band), a primary school wind band (Bugles), and two secondary school symphonic wind bands (Clarion and Holst).  

There are many well-documented social and neurological benefits to playing in Band. Band also helps with confidence, leadership, teamwork and skill development. Band is a lot of things, but mostly of all Band is being able to have fun, playing great music, in exciting places, with your friends.  

My earliest memories of playing in an ensemble were with Toronto Brass Band. This was my local town band which I was encouraged to join in Year 4 by my Music teacher Mr O’Hearn. I continued to play in Toronto Brass Band until I was 18 years old. I think I did this for so long because I loved the music we played, I had made many close friends along the way, and I got to travel to a different city each year to compete in the National Band Championships.

I have since made music my profession and have developed a strong desire to understand the benefits of playing in a band and the impact this can have in the development of individuals and communities. I love the fact that I now work in a school and in doing this I play a role in helping students maximise the rewards of participating in Band.

It is never too late to join a music ensemble. There are many groups that cater for different musical styles and levels of experience. Feel free to come and talk to any member of the Music Department if your daughter is not sure which ensemble is right for them.  We would love to help them start their co-curricular ensemble journey at SCEGGS.

Pauline Chow
Head of Music