Music News | Preparatory School
Welcome to 2022! The Music Department is looking forward to the year and hope we can celebrate more achievements of the students together. There have been a number of staff changes and we welcome to the Music Department Ms Isabelle Keyser (replacing Ms Smeulders Semester 1), Mrs Dominique Guerbois (replacing Mrs Tripolone). Mrs Valeria Korjenevski will be taking leave in Term 1. There are a few more staffing positions to be finalised and parents concerned will be contacted directly.
Suzuki Music String Tuition
Parents and students of new and existing violin and cello students of the Suzuki Method are invited to view the following presentation from Ms Chan and Ms Vieira. The Suzuki Method is a holistic method of instrumental teaching that is based on the philosophy that every child has the potential to develop musical ability given the right environment, just as every child learns to speak their mother tongue in the supportive environment of their family. Emphasis is placed on training the musical ear from the beginning which is especially important for learning a string instrument. Suzuki music lessons are especially effective when children start early, and boys are able to enrol in lessons from Pre-Kindergarten. Students will receive one private lesson per week during school hours plus the opportunity to participate in Suzuki Group Classes held before school from 8-8.30am on Mondays (cello) and Thursdays (violin). If you wish to enrol your son into this program for 2022 please contact Ms Lorraine Chan lchan@trinity.nsw.edu.au.
New Suzuki Group Classes
This year Suzuki Group Classes will be running in the morning before school for students learning violin or cello using the Suzuki Method. Group classes provide students with the opportunity to build upon the skills learnt in their private instrumental lessons in a social context, providing a supportive, fun and motivating environment. Students will work on revision of repertoire, consolidating technique, music reading skills, aural skills and most of all we focus on enjoying playing music together.
Cello group class will be held on Mondays from 8-8.30am with Mrs McCluney in Studio 1. Violin group class will be held on Thursdays 8-8.30am with Miss Vieira and Ms Chan in the Beethoven Room. Classes will be held on a rotating basis based on Suzuki Book Level, however the first class in Week 2 will be open to all levels.
Please email expressions of interest for violin group class to Ms Chan on lchan@trinity.nsw.edu.au, and cello group class to Mrs McCluney on AMcCluney@trinity.nsw.edu.au.
Beethoven/Mozart Strings
The first rehearsal for Beethoven and Mozart Strings will be in Week 2 on Wednesday 9th February, 3.15-4pm in the Mozart Room. At this first rehearsal, members of Mozart and Beethoven Strings are asked to prepare a short solo piece of music to perform for the teachers and the other boys. This is to assist staff in placing boys in the correct position in the ensembles going forward and to enable invaluable performance experience. If you have any further questions please contact Mrs McCluney amccluney@trinity.nsw.edu.au for Beethoven Strings and Ms Chan lchan@trinity.nsw.edu.au for Mozart Strings. We look forward to seeing the boys next week.
Creative Music Ensemble
The Creative Music Ensemble is an exciting group which aims to engage students’ imagination, creativity and explore contemporary music genres. It is a wonderful opportunity for students who wish to explore making music with friends outside of the traditional classical ensemble setting. Students will be given the opportunity to expand on their instrumental studies by learning skills such as improvisation, composition and movement with music. We focus on sharing ideas and collaborating in a fun and relaxed environment. The ensemble is open to instrumentalists who have achieved approximately Grade 1 AMEB standard on their instrument. Rehearsals will be held on Mondays at afternoon break in the Beethoven Room with Mrs Swanton and Ms Chan. If you have any further enquiries, please contact Ms Lorraine Chan.
Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble Audition for 2022
Auditions were held for new students to the above ensembles yesterday afternoon. If students are still interested in auditioning and have achieved Third Grade or above on a stringed instrument, please contact Mrs Campbell gcampbell@trinity.nsw.edu.au to arrange an audition time.
Year 4 Band Program
There has been a change in the timing of the Year 4 Band Program for 2022. The aim in 2023 is to offer the Band Program in Year 3 which will bring this program in line with the Junior School and assist in staffing from Summer Hill Instrumental Music Teachers and generate growth in Concert Band participation and instrument offerings. Year 4 will experience the Band and String Sight-reading classes for Semester 1 and then Year 3 will be undertaking the program in Semester 2.
Rehearsal Protocols
If your son is unable to attend a rehearsal for any reason, it would be appreciated that an email be sent to the staff member responsible for the ensemble explaining the reason for the absence so that accurate attendance records can be kept. All instrumental ensemble students are expected to bring their instrument, music, eraser and pencil to all rehearsals. To ensure that every rehearsal commences on time, please note that the boys need to be set-up, tuned and ready to commence at the scheduled start time to enable maximum rehearsal time is achieved as most ensembles only have one weekly rehearsal allocated.
Rehearsal Schedule for 2022
Please view the Music Co-curricular Rehearsal Schedule below with rehearsals to resume in Week 2.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Trinity Singers
ALL 8am – 8:30am Gym Miss I. Keyser/Mrs G. Campbell
Suzuki Cello Group Class Studio 8 8am – 8:30am Mrs A. McCluney
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Chamber Ensemble
7:30am – 8:30am Mozart Room Mrs G. Campbell
Percussion Ensemble 7:30am-8:30am Beethoven Room Mr A. Wallis
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Chapel Band
7:45am – 8:30 am Mozart Room Mrs G. Campbell
Primary Choir 8am – 8:30am Beethoven Room Miss I. Keyser
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Trinity Singers
Part 1 8am – 8:30 am Mozart Room Mrs G Campbell
Suzuki Violin Group Class Beethoven Room Ms L. Chan/Ms M. Vieira 8am-8:30am
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Trinity Singers
Part 2 8am – 8:30 am Mozart Room Miss I. Keyser
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| Guitar Ensemble
Morning Break Music Studio 8 Mr S. Rocco
Creative Music Ensemble Second Break Beethoven Room Ms L. Chan/Mrs J. Swanton
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Cello Ensemble
Morning Break Music Studio 8 Mrs L. Palmer
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Beethoven Strings
3:15pm – 4pm Mozart Room Mrs A. McCluney/Ms M. Vieira
Corelli Strings 3:15pm – 3:45pm Christian Studies Mrs D. Guerbois
Mozart Strings 3:15pm – 4pm Beethoven Room Mrs L. Chan/Mrs J. Swanton
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Concert Band
3:30pm – 4pm Oval No 2 Mr G. Malyusz/Mrs G. Campbell
Chamber Orchestra 3:15pm – 4:15pm Mozart Room Mrs L. Palmer
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Junior Choir Year 2 Only
3pm – 3:30pm Gym Miss I. Keyser/Ms Welsh
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Trinity Singers
Trinity Singer rehearsals will be conducted for all students next Monday at 8am in the Gym and boys then assigned either in Part 1 or Part 2. All participants are expected to attend two rehearsals per week to fulfill their commitment to this ensemble.
Primary and Junior Choir
Miss Isabelle Keyser will be directing these ensembles for Semester 1. Due to COVID restrictions we have had to cap the student numbers to 15 students only for these non-auditioned choirs. Junior Choir is open to Year 2 boys only and Primary Choir to any student from Years 3-6 who is not in Trinity Singers. If your son would like to be involved please email ikeyser@trinity.nsw.edu.au to register your interest.
Geraldine Campbell |Director of Preparatory School Music
