Congratulations to Greta Chen ’16

It is with great delight that I announce that Greta Chen (Year 12, 2016) will be performing the Marimba at the Melbourne Recital Centre, having been selected as a VCE Solo Performance representative in Top Class Music, which is part of the VCE Season of Excellence 2017.

TOP CLASS MUSIC at Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank
Wednesday 22 March 2017

The Top Class Music concerts present exemplary performances covering a range of music styles from VCE Music Performance, Music Investigation and VET Music.

Greta will perform in the 10.30am session.

For bookings contact the Melbourne Recital Centre via their website or on (03) 9699 3333. Don’t delay as these concerts sell very quickly.

Welcome to 2017

The Music Department is up and running with some exciting changes to announce. The Year 9 cohort are delighted with their new area downstairs in the Frank Osborn Centre.

Our Maintenance Team hard at work carrying a very heavy piano during our Music relocation

The need for this area necessitated a make-over for music storage and also allows us to secure student and School instruments in the Department. We have turned the practice room at the top of the stairs in the Music Department into a lockable instrument storage facility. The Maintenance Team worked long and hard over the holiday period on our behalf, as losing this room had a flow-on effect.

We now have an extra room in St Catherine’s House and a Flute Suite on the second floor as part of this. It was great fun watching six burly men move one of our best upright pianos up the stairs in St Catherine’s House so that Miss Jess Farrell could teach her piano students as well as her flute students! This room is also a lot closer to the Junior School for the Barbreck girls and students have coped extremely well this week with changes to rooms from previous years. I thank them all for their great flexibility.

Instrumental Music

The Instrumental Music component of our classroom Music program has commenced swiftly. Year 2 students have been measured for their violins, and Year 5 students have begun the exciting process of discovering more about orchestral and band instruments in preparation for the selection of their instrument of choice.

Years 5 and 6 students are currently utilising their classroom Music time to prepare and audition for this year’s Barbreck Musical The Lion King. Years 7 and 8 students have been undergoing further diagnostic tests to allow us to provide the most challenging and enjoyable program for the diverse talents of this age group. Students in Years 9 to 12 Electives have composed, sight-read music and begun compiling their performance programs.

 New Music Tutors 2017

We are pleased to announce a number of new Music tutors for 2017.

Ms Cinzia Posega will be teaching horn this year, Ms Sally Wickes will be teaching bassoon and Holly Shoar will be teaching violin.

Ms Samantha Ramirez will be teaching harp, and she is keen to recruit some more students, so please contact me if you would like your daughter(s) to try this wonderful instrument. We are also delighted that Ms Susie Davies-Splitter will be taking the ELC Music classes, and some piano lessons.

All of these tutors come with impeccable credentials and we know you will make them feel welcome. We hope that many of you will attend the Staff Concert on Tuesday 21 March, which will be held in the Ballroom straight after MAD Night. Apart from wonderful music making, you also have the chance to meet your daughter’s tutors.

Junior School Music 2017

For 2017, we have appointed three Junior School Music Captains – Emma Gregory, Katherine Graham and Ellen Vote.

Our Captains will be assisting Mrs Dods, Coordinator of Junior School Music, throughout the year performing various tasks in the Junior School. This will include being involved with the weekly Junior School assembly, end of term choral assemblies, recitals, concerts and out of School Music events.

The girls are all actively involved in a range of choral and instrumental activities and are already being strong, positive role models to the younger students in Barbreck.

All students in Years 5 and 6 are very excited to begin working on the Junior School Musical for 2017 – the Disney Production of The Lion King Junior. This famous story, set in the African Pridelands, is bursting with colour, drama, exciting rhythms, movement and singing! Work has begun in both Music and Art classes to learn the songs, finalise the casting, prepare for mask making, puppets and much, much more. We are all very excited. There will be two evening performances on 24 and 25 May.

We look forward to sharing more details about this exciting project with you later in the Term.

For Your Interest

Endangered Musical Minds

In this fascinating and thought-provoking talk, world-renowned expert Dr John Feierabend explains WHY music is so important for babies and children.

6.30 – 8pm Wednesday 25th January
Centenary Hall, Corio (Geelong)
FREE but bookings essential.
For more info and to book online click here.