Music Matters

P&F Cocktail Party – Basie Jazz Band

Congratulations to members of Basie Jazz Band who performed at the P&F Cocktail Party on Friday 25 February. The students performed in the Great Hall providing a wonderful array of musical entertainment for the Years 7 to 10 parents who gathered in the venue. Thank you to Ms Alison Ryan who has taken Basie Jazz band and who is the new conductor of the ensemble. Despite the limited opportunities the ensemble had to rehearse regularly over the past two years (some of which were delivered online), the ensemble provided an excellent performance that evening. Well done Basie!

Musical Item – Primary Assembly

Congratulations to Anara Murugesan (Year 6) who performed in Week 5’s Years 3-6 Primary Assembly. Anara performed Scherzino by Herman Adolph Wollenhaupt on the piano. Well done Anara!

Primary Jazz Combo

Primary Jazz Combo is a new ensemble that has started this year under the direction of Ms Louise Horwood. Ms Horwood is part of our studio of peripatetic tutors and teaches Trumpet to both primary and secondary students. We are really excited about this new ensemble which is helping our students to develop skills in jazz improvisation.

Musical Opportunities – Organ Scholarships, Margot Anthony Budd “Beyond the Curriculum Award” and Band Discovery Fellowships

Fantastic opportunities are available for students who would like to pursue the following. All applications close on Monday 7 March.

Organ Scholarships

Applications are invited for two Organ Tuition Scholarships for 2022 – 2023.

The Organ Tuition Scholarships will be made available to foster girls’ interest in learning and playing the organ. It is hoped that the student organists will be involved with services, assemblies and special events held in the SCEGGS Chapel and the Great Hall.

Please see here for further information.

Margot Anthony Budd “Beyond the Curriculum Award”

The Margot Anthony (Budd) Beyond the Curriculum Music Award will be awarded annually to two students. The award consists of a monetary amount awarded annually for students in Years 8 to 11 who study Elective Music. The Award is to be used by the student to support their continued involvement in musical activities, which serve to facilitate the development of their musical potential.

Please see here for further information.

Band Discovery Fellowships

The Music Department is offering TWO Band Discovery Fellowships to successful applicants from Year 7. Please fill out this form if you would like to apply. The form also outlines the eligibility criteria.

If successful, you will receive:

– Fully funded private tuition for one year.
– Fully funded instrument hire provided by the School for one year.

If selected you will be able to choose to learn either the French Horn, Euphonium, Trombone, Tuba, or Bassoon. You will be able to try this instrument before making a final selection, but please research the instruments before applying.

Parents of successful applicants will be contacted by Mr Tierney (Director of Bands).

SCEGGS Eisteddfod

The SCEGGS Music Eisteddfod is a competition open to all musicians currently taking private lessons, inside or outside of school.
Entry into the Eisteddfod is FREE.
All Elective Music students are preparing for participation.

Applications

Applications for the SCEGGS Eisteddfod are now open.

There is no need to complete the application if your daughter learns at school – this will be done by her music tutor.

If your daughter learns music outside of school, please complete the application via the appropriate link:

Primary vocal applications must be discussed with Mrs Bronwyn Cleworth or Ms Lanneke Jones.

No entries will be accepted after 4 March.

Heats – Week 7 (Vocalists & Yr 12), Week 8 (all other heats)

Vocal heats and Year 12 instrumental heats will be held in Week 7 (Friday 11 March).
Instrumental heats will be held in Week 8 (Monday 14 March – Friday 18 March) during regular Music class lessons for Primary students, Year 7 students and Elective Music students.
All other heats will be held during regular class lesson time.
Students will perform for the external, specialist adjudicator in a music studio – there is no audience.
Due to timetabling restrictions, adjudicators do not provide written reports or any other feedback.
TIME LIMIT: 5 MINUTES

Highlights Concerts

Adjudicators select between 15-20 performers to perform at each Highlights concert (Primary & Secondary).
Primary Highlights concert: Friday 25 March at 4:30pm

Secondary Highlights concert: Friday 25 March at 6.00pm

A variety of awards are made at these concerts:

Outstanding Musician of the Primary School/Secondary School
Wran Prize for Up-and-Coming Vocalist (Secondary only)
Acknowledgement Awards

Any questions please contact Ms Heidi Jones.

Peripatetic Music Program

We are actively seeking enrolments for the following instruments – French Horn, Euphonium, Trombone, Tuba and Bassoon.

We also have spaces in our vocal program for budding young singers.

Waiting lists exist for Piano, Strings, Clarinet, Saxophone & Guitar.

Please apply through this link.

Peripatetic Guidelines

A reminder about the policies around requesting a change of tutor or discontinuing lessons from the Peripatetic guidelines:

Parents may request a change of tutor at any time throughout the tuition year.
Tutors require four weeks’ notice if lessons are to be cancelled.
If a place with an alternate tutor is not available, students will be added to the waiting
It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the tutor of their decision to change tutor or discontinue lessons.

AMEB String Examinations

We are excited that SCEGGS has again been approved as an external examination venue to host AMEB national music exams this year, after a successful two days of string exams on-site in Term 2 last year. 32 string players have been enrolled to do face-to-face exams on Saturdays in May and June, exact dates TBC. The girls will have two rehearsals with accompanists Ms Holmes and Ms Jones prior to the exams and perform in the familiar environment of the Primary Music Room when we welcome the AMEB examiner to SCEGGS. The girls enrolled range from Year 1 to Year 9 and will present the syllabus on violin, viola, cello and double bass from Preliminary to Grade 8 AMEB level.

Mrs Anne Sweeney
Director of Strings

String tutors

Read more about our Cello & Double Bass tutors; Mrs Amelia McCluney, Ms Eliza Sdraulig & Ms Bonita Williams and the wealth of performing and teaching experience they bring to our program.

Heidi Jones
Accompanist & Performance Coach

Pauline Chow
Head of Music