My ‘COVID optimism’ quickly waned on Thursday as leaks of the pending lockdown filled our news feeds again. Every effort was made on Thursday afternoon to ensure our students travelled home with their devices, necessary books and subject specific resources. There is, however, every chance that something has been left in a locker. If this is the case, the School Receptions in both Barbreck and the Senior School will remain open should an item need to be collected.

I am mindful of the apprehension each lockdown causes for our young people. Undoubtedly, the uncertainty gives rise to feelings of anger, frustration and sadness. These are all very normal responses for teenagers and children at this time. Encourage your daughter to articulate the negative thought and then move forward focusing on what they can control, not the things outside their control. Our Heads of Year and classroom teachers know their students well, so please do not hesitate to reach out should you feel they need some additional support or care over the coming weeks.

Jazz Concert

Our Senior School Music students relished the opportunity to return to the stage for the 2021 Jazz Concert held at the Cellar Bar in St Kilda on Wednesday evening. The evening of music was fun, each girl delighting with soulful performances on brass instruments and hitting the high notes to a rousing applause by audience members.

As I reflect on the many chilly mornings arriving at School and hearing the girls rehearsing ‘outside’ under COVID Safe guidelines, I am reminded of their passion and commitment to play and the joy that comes with creating music with friends. Together with parents, I shared a very genuine sense of relief that the Jazz Concert went ahead and life for small glimpses of time, returns to normal for our students. Performing at the Jazz Concert is one such moment.

The journey towards developing concert skills commences with the opportunities to perform at a range of recitals from a young age. With such a reduced concert program over the past 18 months, and the repeated rescheduling of this particular event over Term 2, the girls’ performances did not disappoint. They savored each moment of being on stage and were brilliant with their execution.

The Cellar Bar venue provided an intimate yet professional atmosphere to showcase their musicianship. Head of Music, Tim Collins, garnered the support of three guest artists to perform with the girls throughout the concert. The Rory Clark Trio with Dan Pickard (bass), Scott Hay (drums) and one of Australia’s most accomplished jazz pianists and composer, Rory Clark, provided a highly professional level of musicianship to the evening and their sharing of the stage was clearly enjoyable for our girls.

As an Artist in Residence, Rory worked alongside our musicians to assist with their music composition, arrangements and rehearsals. The girls were fortunate to perform with someone so highly regarded in the music industry with Rory’s extensive list of achievements including performing at the New York City Jazz Festival and he has also worked alongside some of the best names in Australia and abroad, in addition to creating film trailers for author Bryce Courtney’s latest book, Fortune Cookie.

Thank you to the Creative Arts Auxiliary, Head of Music, Mr Tim Collins and all the Music Staff for supporting such a fabulous evening of music. I also wholeheartedly congratulate the 2021 Music Captains, Holly McGlaughlin and Anita Yang, and all the Year 12 musicians, for their student leadership on the evening.

Undoubtedly, our students are acutely aware of how to apply themselves to their co-curricular activities with their grit, perseverance and diligence clearly visible. Honing skills through repetition, rehearsal and often challenging sessions executing their craft, is exactly the same approach that must also shape their learning in the academic programs.

I wish all students the very best for the term ahead and encourage everyone, students and teachers alike, to step into every lesson with high levels of engagement and purpose. Over the coming days and weeks, we remain hopeful that the current lockdown period in Victoria is limited to a few short days.

I ask parents to please note the following key dates for Term 3: