Director of Music
Welcome to 2024 – a year to be earmarked with joy, community and music – and hopefully on many occasions all three at once!
There is a buzz in the air as talk of our 130th Anniversary Gala Concert in June starts to fill rehearsals and classes. Our annual Gala Concert is a glorious occasion that gives impetus to all our Music programs, canvassing all campuses and presenting an opportunity for our students to perform at the beautiful Sydney Town Hall. Our intentions for our special 130th Gala are no exception and plans are well underway as we plan to navigate our College’s rich history, and make a bold statement for its future through our music.
On this theme, I am delighted to officially share the link to the video from our Gala Concert 2023 – Sounds of Santa. I would like to honour the extraordinary efforts of the students and staff who delivered this tremendous outcome. What a night! This concert will forever be etched in my memory, as I sat in the audience as a guest of the College. That night, I started to imagine where this brilliant collective of music educators and students might dream to head next… the word limitless still comes to mind.
Bring on our 130th year and a community of Santa Sabina students who we know will #shaketheworld through their music.
Amy Richardson
Director of Music P-12
Santa Sings!
Since popping feelers out for a new community singing initiative – we have been overjoyed to hear from nearly 80 members of our community who are keen to join the fun! Low pressure and likely to happen at various times of the year around significant events, there is still time for more people to come on board! More information will be emailed in the weeks ahead. Spread the word! Tell your friends! Register via this link!
The College App
Downloading and updating your notifications for the College App has never been more critical, as this resource is now central to the function of our department’s administrative processes. Over the summer we worked to streamline our co-curricular offerings with those of the Sport Department. Very soon you will notice the ‘Sports’ button on the APP will become ‘Co-curricular’, and all our offerings will be accessed via this portal. in fact – they’re ALREADY THERE – if you’re happy to ignore the ‘Sports’ title!
To see your scheduled activities each week – even now, you can click SPORTS > SCHEDULE and you’ll notice ‘red numbers’ on each of the days of the week. This indicates how many activities you have, and under each day you will see the times and venues for piano lessons, choir rehearsals, netball training, etc.
Remember that you’re checking ‘SCHEDULE’ not ‘CALENDAR’ for all these activities.
Register for Private Lessons
The year is off and racing, but we are still able to accommodate new starters (based on child’s school year) for private tuition in Piano, Harp, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Voice, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, French Horn, Orchestral Percussion, Drumkit, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Composition and Musicianship.
Other levied activities in 2024 include Taiko Drumming and Group Musicianship Classes, and we are also taking expressions of interest for mentored Rock Bands and Music Production/Audio Engineering classes.
Join an Ensemble
Don’t forget that one of the best ways to apply new musical skills is in a Group ensemble context! We have many ensembles on offer at Santa Sabina College, and though the year is still underway, there is still time to sneak in. Jump on board with our ensemble program of choirs, bands and orchestras in 2024!
Australian Composers Day Camp
The annual Santa Sabina College Australian Composers Day Camp invites students and teachers from all over NSW to join us at Holyrood for a one of a kind enrichment opportunity.
Saturday 2 March between 3:00pm – 5:00pm – Santa Sabina students will work exclusively with Australian Composer and Barkindji Songwoman NANCY BATES towards a commissioned work to be premiered as part of our 130th Anniversary Gala Concert.
Sunday 3 March between 9:00am – 3:30pm is open to students from any school. A panel of industry experts will guide the learning for our aspiring composers, including guest mentors ELLA MACENS (one of Australia’s most celebrated and commissioned young composers; noted for her expansIve and lyrical orchestral and choral compositions); DANIEL ROJAS (award-winning performer-composer specialising in the rich and vibrant Latin American aesthetic) and NICK RUSSONIELLO (internationally respected composer-performer with a specialisation in contemporary technologies and their applications within the live composition context).
From first-time composers to those students with established portfolios, it is our hope that this day will help each participant find and develop their own compositional voice, and empower them with skills and inspirations to make their mark through music across the years to come.
The future of Australian Music is bright.
Spread the word to your musician peers around the state! If you have friends in other schools who might be interested in attending, forward them the flyer linked below or have them register with this link.
Download Australian Composer’s Day Camp Flyer
Music in the community
Congratulations to Estelle Gilmovich who is featuring as part of the current Opera Australia season of The Magic Flute by Mozart at the Sydney Opera House.
Holiday Music!
Santa was alive with the sounds of magnificent music even through the summer holidays as the SYO’s Summer School spread out around Santa Sabina. Congratulations to all students who attended this enriching week, culminating in a performance at the University of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music.
Opera House Fun!
Congratulations to Estelle Gilmovich who is featuring as part of the current Opera Australia season of The Magic Flute by Mozart at the Sydney Opera House.
Also featuring at the Sydney Opera house in the weeks ahead is Year 12 Graduate 2023, Eva Whitbread, who was invited to play out of a shortlist of thousands of NESA HSC Music 1 candidates all over the state. This is a coveted achievement and we look forward to seeing her take the stage on 4 March 2024.
Free Concert Opportunity
As part of our ongoing partnership with early music ensemble Consort 8 (featuring our former Director of Music, Timothy Chung) Santa Sabina students are offered free attendance at their forthcoming concert to be held in the Santa Sabina Chapel on 23 March 2024.
A particularly exciting event for those Year 3 and 4 recorder players who might like to see different versions of their instrument! Look at these interesting Recorders that will be played a the concert!
Find out more
If you would like to know more about one of our music offerings across the school (be it choirs, bands, orchestras or private tuition) please reach out via music@ssc.nsw.edu.au or to Ms Suzanna Touma in the Music Office at s.touma@ssc.nsw.edu.au and we will be happy to assist you.