Music at Gioia House (Curricular)

Gioia House Choral 

Weekly choral sessions have launched with enthusiasm for our Year 5 and 6 students! A wide range of choral repertoire has been selected to challenge and engage our students across the coming semester – set to culminate in their participation in massed items at the Santa Sabina College Gala Concert at the Sydney Town Hall in June. Our Tuesday Gioia House Choir sessions work alongside core Music classes with Cecilia Mrs Pensini and the group instrumental sessions with our team of Music specialists. Student’s choral work this year will see them experiencing music from all over the world, while developing foundational aural skills and the ability to sing in parts. We believe that singing should be the basis of all music learning.

If your child is enjoying the curriculum choral experience, they may also enjoy participating in the College Choir that takes place before school every Tuesday.

Gioia House Instrumental 

The Gioia House Instrumental Program is underway for 2025! Year 6 students continue to build on what they learned last year by improving their individual technique and skill on their instruments and further developing their ensemble skills. In our large ensembles, students learn to listen to each other, listen to themselves, work as a team and sharpen the skills they need to succeed in our College ensembles (and beyond).

In Year 5, we had an exciting launch in Week 1 with all students hearing special performances by our College Music Tutors demonstrating the possibilities on a wide range of instruments. In Week 2, Year 5 had a special ‘Try Day’ in which they could hold, play and ask questions about instruments that they are interested in. In Week 3, all Gioia House Year 5 students received their instruments and loan forms! Let the adventures begin! 

Instrument Loan Forms 

If your child is borrowing a College instrument, please fill out Instrument your Loan Form and return it to the Music Office (or scanned and sent via email to music@ssc.nsw.edu.au) s soon as possible. Instruments are not able to leave school grounds until the form is returned – delaying your daughter in establishing her personal practice routines. 

Instrument Storage

When students arrive at the College for the day, instruments must be placed safely in the allocated storage areas in Holyrood before moving to their first scheduled activity of the day. Student ID cards are needed to access Holyrood and Student Services have confirmed these are being issued imminently.

Private Tuition

The majority of students in Gioia House Strings have kicked off their (required) Private Lessons in support of the Gioia House String stream. For students who have elected to study a Brass, Woodwind or Percussion instrument for Years 5 and 6, we are pleased to be able to offer a new ‘Instrument Taster’ pack of four one-on-one sessions with a music specialist. 

Though not compulsory for the ‘Mini Maestros’ stream, if looking for a way to maximise this new opportunity and support your child towards the best launch with their new instrument, do consider the College’s private tuition offerings. Whether electing a full semester of lessons, or just a little boost of 4 sessions, this support will go a long way to help them find confidence and joy in their music-making.

Supporting Resources

Supporting resources for both the Gioia House Choral and Instrumental programs can be found on Veritas Online, with resources and information to be updated across the coming term.

Veronica Tsang & Jameson Choe
Acting Co-Heads of Curricular Music 5-12

More Music…

Santa Sabina College has so many extraordinary music happenings across our great school each year! Be sure to click the links below to be kept in the know, and to find out more about the Co-curricular opportunities available to our students across P-12!