From the Music Department
Band News
Congratulations to all boys in Concert Band and Symphonic Winds on an excellent start to the year. The exciting repertoire currently being prepared will be performed at the Band Concert this Term on 19 June. Concert Band’s programmatic work, The Cave You Fear, will be a highlight, as will Rapture, played by Symphonic Winds. There were 120 boys in the Band programme who attended Band Camp this year, and they have also been rehearsing diligently throughout the Term. Every student has an important role to play in the success of both of these ensembles, yet the following students had an exceptional impact in their ensembles at Band Camp and throughout the Term, demonstrating positive leadership, being good role models and exhibiting excellent musicianship. They are highly commended for their efforts. Well done, gentlemen!
Concert Band
Flute: Thomas Hood
Oboe: Eddy Smith
Clarinet: Alex Beattie, George Harvey
Saxophones: Alistair Chan, Caleb Nicholls
Trumpets: Sam Holt, Billy Rogers
French Horn: Charles Griffin
Lower Brass/Electric Bass: James Whitby, Leon Field
Percussion: Paddy Helleman, Toby Koch, Dhrish Shah
Symphonic Winds
Flute: Zac Gilmour
Clarinet: Alex Parker
Alto Saxophone: William Chan
Baritone Saxophone: Rishab Reddy
Trumpet: Harry Bestic, Hamish Parry-Okeden
French Horn: Lawrence Su
Trombone: Sam Lim
Euphonium: JJ Black
Percussion: Ollie Dorney
Leadership
Russell Jiang (Clarinet)
Justin Lee (flute)
Ms Sandy Robertson
(Acting) Band Coordinator Term 1
Thank you to…
A warm welcome to Term 2. There have been several events for Music in the last week of Term 1 and the first week of Term 2. Firstly, thank you to Ms Robertson for her leadership during Term 1 as (Acting) Coordinator of Bands. Thank you to Dr Gilmour, who conducted Concert Band during Term 1 and Mr Payne, who conducted Stage Band. We welcome back Mr Dorich as Coordinator of Bands and Director of Concert Band and Stage Band. All absences for these two ensembles now go to pdorich@shore.nsw.edu.au.
Congratulations to…
…. Harry Bestic, Jaxon Black, Claude Boddam-Whetham, and Will Watson who performed The Last Post and Rouse at the Polished Pennies Services across the School. Thank you to Harry Parry-Okeden, who also played the Bugle Calls at the North Sydney Bears Basketball Anzac Day matches and at Kirribilli RSL service during the holidays. Thank you to Ms Robertson for her mentoring of these students.
…Musicians in the Cadet Band who performed at Anzac Day March. Congratulations to all the students and Ms Robertson for their excellent representation of Shore.
…Year 7 to 10 Chapel Choir, who performed Be Thou My Vision at the Polished Pennies Services, and to the String Quartet, who performed the Hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. Thank you to Mr Massey and Ms Wentzel for preparing the students.
…Bryce Gorman who attended an Irish Music event that was sponsored by Melbourne Comhaltas Victoria. We hope you learned much about your Irish Music.
…Koji Takamura who performed a solo at the 2025 Sydney Suzuki Festival Gala Concert during the holidays, where he played Rondo from Mozart’s Haffner Serenade on violin.
…Chapel Choir for their beautiful singing at the School’s birthday celebration at Open Service last Sunday. Thank you to Mr Massey for his leadership of the choir and to Mr Fox for his wonderful organ playing in accompanying these students. They performed Jesus Strong and Kind and a unique version of Be Thou My Vision.
…William Chan, Ewan de Vries, Alex Glasfurd, Justin Lee, Will Leslie, Sam Lim, Avery O’Neill, Alex Parker, Matthew Parsons and Asher Shepherd for their wonderful performances at the Year 10 Elective concert held last Wednesday. Thank you to Mr Dorich for his organisation of this event and to Ms Day for accompanying the students.
Rock School
On Friday 3 May, Year 8 students began their new Music class topic on Rock Music with an incursion to Rock School. Led by Mr Toby Hall, the band comprised of Ms Rochelle Fuller, Ms Jessica Green, Mr Gerard Masters, and Mr Aaron Flower performed an array of Rock repertoire. From Beatles to AC/DC, Year 8 was given an overview of British, US and Australian Rock. Thank you to the musicians and classroom teachers for providing this wonderful opportunity for Year 8.
Concert Group
On Wednesday 9 April, Ms Robertson, Ms Bai, and I had the pleasure of taking Concert Group to see Opera Australia’s rendition of Hadestown at the Theatre Royal. On Thursday 1 May, Mr Payne, Ms Wentzel, Ms Robertson, and I took Concert Group to see the Sydney Symphony Orchestra perform Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony and Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. Both evenings were thoroughly enjoyable and demonstrated the array of quality music that we are so fortunate to hear. Our next Concert Group is on Wednesday 4 June, where we will see the SSO perform Mendelssohn.
Upcoming Events and Date changes
Due to venue availability, our Spring Concert, which is usually held in Term 3, will be held this Term on Thursday 12 June and will be renamed Winter Concert. There will be no Band Concert or Instrumental/Choral Concert this Term. Instead, in Term 3, the Band Concert will move to Tuesday 5 August, with the day rehearsal on Thursday 31 July, and Instrumental/Choral Concert will move to Tuesday 16 September (instead of Spring Concert) with a rehearsal on the day of the 16th.
Year 9 Elective Music Soiree
On Wednesday 14 May, at 7pm in the Orchestral Recital Room, Year 9 Elective Music students will be performing Australian repertoire. We hope you are able to join us for an evening of high-quality music.
Scholars’ Recital
On Wednesday 21 May, Shore Music Scholars will be performing a variety of repertoire. The recital will begin at 7pm in the Shore Chapel with our organ scholar and will then continue in the Orchestra Recital Room. Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the recital. We hope you are able to join us for an evening of high-quality performances of some very challenging repertoire.
Year 11 Elective Music Soiree
On Wednesday 28 May, at 7pm in the Choir Room/Band Room, Year 11 Elective Music students will be performing on their specialist instruments. We hope you are able to join us for an evening of high-quality music.
If you have any enquiries, please contact our administrative assistant – Performing Arts, Ms Nethery, at performingarts@shore.nsw.edu.au
Ms Kim Barber
Head of Music
Term 2 Music Calendar
| Date | Event | Venue | Time |
| Wed 14 May | Year 9 Elective Performance Concert | Orchestra Room | 7.00pm |
| Thurs 15 May | Year 7 Introduction to Instruments Rehearsals | Smith Auditorium | 8.20am |
| Thurs 15 May | Year 7 Introduction to Instruments of Band and Orchestra | Smith Auditorium | 9.00am |
| Wed 21 May | Scholar’s Recital | Orchestra Room | 7.00pm |
| Wed 28 May | Year 11 Elective Performance Concert | Orchestra Room | 7.00pm |
| Wed 4 June | Concert Group: SSO Stephen Hough performs Mendelssohn | Sydney Opera House | 8.00pm |
| Thurs 12 June | Winter Concert | Chatswood Concourse | 7.00pm |