Music Matters

Festival on Forbes Music Performances – Ensembles

It is not long to go until SCEGGS musicians will be providing musical entertainment at the Festival on Forbes (Sunday 21 August).  The ensembles that will be performing are:

• Beginners Band
• Primary Jazz Combo
• Bugles
• Secondary Jazz Combo
• Clarion Band
• Holst Wind Band
• Basie Jazz Band
• Contemporary Vocal Ensemble (CVE)
• String Power
• Stringalong
• Sinfonietta
• Chamber Strings
• Amati Strings
• Lux Strings
• Rock Bands

Students are advised to meet their ensemble 20 minutes prior to the performances for tuning and set up.  Please refer to the schedule for the times of performances.

• Primary and Secondary Strings – to use L7/L8 to tune, unpack cases etc. 
• Primary, Secondary Bands and CVE – please meet in the Secondary School above the cafeteria at the Art Room overlooking the Joan Freeman courtyard.
• Rock Bands – please unpack and set up at the bridge overlooking the lawn (outside of Mr Lee-Lindsay’s Office).

It is important that students take their instruments home before Friday 19 August – as the Diana Bowman Centre cannot be accessed on the day of the Festival.

Congratulations – Brass and Woodwind Concerts Thursday 4 August

Congratulations to all Primary and Secondary students who performed in last Thursday’s Brass and Woodwind Concert.  It was wonderful to hear the variety of student performances which were well supported by the Brass and Woodwind tutors.  Thank you to the performances by Primary Jazz Combo directed by Miss Louise Horwood (Trumpet), Secondary Woodwind Ensemble directed by Ms Nicole Barrett (Clarinet) and Brass Ensemble directed by Mr Michael Tierney (Director of Bands).  Special thank you also to Ms Heidi Jones and Miss Stephanie Holmes for their organisation of the concert as well as their accompaniment support for the individual performances.  Well done girls!

Year 7 Incursion – Performance by Basie Jazz Band Thursday 4 August

All Year 7 students and their Form teachers were treated to a special performance last Thursday during Form time by the school’s senior Jazz ensemble – Basie Jazz Band.  Year 7 students are currently studying Jazz as part of their mandatory study of Music.  Students were treated to performances of various standards including It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) by Duke Ellington, as well as Light Rail which is the focus piece for the students’ Composition and Performance assessments this semester.  Thank you to Ms Kidston for facilitating the performance and to Ms Alison Ryan for her direction of the performance.  Hopefully this experience will help our Year 7 students with their understanding and appreciation of the Jazz style.

String Fun Day – Primary Strings

There were lots of happy Primary string players onsite at the Diana Bowman Centre on Sunday 7 August.  Students from Sinfonietta and Stringalong participated in a workshop as preparation for their upcoming ASBOF competition on Sunday 28 August at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.  Following their rehearsals, students were treated to a pizza lunch in the courtyard of the Diana Bowman Centre.  Thank you to the string tutors that assisted on the day Miss Jedda Thorley (Violin/Class of 2020), Ms Amelia McCluney (Cello) and Mr Adrian Bendt (Violin and Viola).  Thank you also to Sophie Gallagher-Horne (Year 10) who helped tutor on Double Bass and to Rebecca Colwell (Year 10) who helped with Viola and Piano accompaniment.  Special thank you to Mrs Anne Sweeney (Director of Strings) who organised the day.  Looking forward to the students’ performance at their upcoming ASBOF event.

Year 11 Music 1 and 2 Concert – Thursday 18 August 4pm

Students from Year 11 Music 1 and Music 2 will be presenting a series of solo performances next Thursday 18 August, 4pm in the Great Hall. It will be a wonderful afternoon of music with students from both courses presenting a variety of solo musical items.

This free concert is open to all members of the school community to attend.  We encourage students who are currently undertaking Elective Music in Years 8 to 10 to attend with their parents to see where their musical study can lead.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Change of Date – SCEGGS HSC ENCORE Concert

The date of the SCEGGS HSC ENCORE Concert has been changed to Thursday 25 August – Great Hall, 6pm.  We look forward to sharing the Year 12 Class of 2022’s music performances with the school community in this free concert. 

All Elective Music students are also encouraged to attend this performance with their parents to experience and support the work of the senior Music students.

SYO Regional Tour

Last week, SYO’s Peter Seymour Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Orchestra had the opportunity to visit the communities of Lismore and Port Macquarie on our Regional Tour. Being able to spread some positivity and music to these communities who have gone through so much hardship throughout the past couple years, especially with the floods in Lismore earlier this year, was truly amazing. It was heart-warming to see so many people connect through music we played, as well as us being able to connect with local musicians who haven’t been able to play in a large orchestra for years. 

ASBOF Competition Tickets on Sale – Band and String Ensembles

Tickets for the ASBOF Competition are now on sale.  The tickets for this event (25% discount when purchasing online) can be accessed via the ASBOF website here.

The ASBOF Web App is also accessible via the website and gives parents access to the full Festival Draw.

Please see below for the information and ensembles that are involved in this year’s competition:

Sunday 28 August – Sydney Conservatorium of Music

• Sinfonietta – arrival time of 8.30am
• Stringalong – arrival time of 9.35am
• Bugles – arrival time of 11am

Sunday 11 September – Sydney Conservatorium of Music

• Amati – arrival time of 10am
• Holst Wind Band – arrival time of 1pm

Australian Youth Orchestra – Applications Open!

The Australian Youth Orchestra has opened applications for their 2023 programs. From gifted, school-aged students to those on a verge of a professional career, AYO provides specialised training opportunities for the next generation of musicians, composers and arts administrators. For more information and to apply, visit the website here.

Term 3 Calendar of Music Events

Pauline Chow
Head of Music