Director of Music | Acting Director, Mr Jan Hewerdine

Between Tuesday 20 and Saturday 24 February 2018, the Young Conservatorium will be holding their annual Jump In Day. Jump In Day is open to choral and instrumental school aged children of all levels. This is a free event. If you are interested in learning more about this, please contact Young Conservatorium on young-conservatorium@griffith.edu.au or 3735 6247. 

The GPS Centenary Music Showcase is on tonight - 7-8.30pm at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

 The GPS reaches its centenary this year, providing a special opportunity to celebrate 100 years of the GPS spirit of fellowship. The GPS Centenary Music Showcase is a day of music making culminating in performances by students from all nine GPS schools in choir, symphony orchestra and concert band ensemble. The Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) will host the Centenary Showcase featuring the hugely popular work, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, performed by a massed choir of 300 voices and an orchestra of 100 players, conducted by Maestro Andrew Mogrelia. Book your tickets through Try Booking

The ANZAC Day Marching Band (SWE and Red Thunder Drumline), will be marching Saturday 3 March, at the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Festival. This event provides an important training opportunity for next term’s ANZAC Day march through the city.

Year 5 classroom Music is going very well. Particularly gratifying is the early start we were able to make this term. This is no small part due to the very high return rate we had from families with the online form. 

Success in playing a musical instrument comes from regular application over a long period of time. At the beginner level, 10 to 15 minutes, four or more days per week will see your boys quickly achieve amazing things.  Our experience has shown that tenacity and consistency are much stronger predictors of success than talent.

I commend to you our large range of ensembles that run weekly at the College, before and after school. These groups bring like-minded musicians together to learn ensembles skills and perform throughout the academic year. Please email Music@terrace.qld.edu.au for more information or consult the College App.

Students in Years 11 and 12 who participate in our premier ensembles are eligible to receive Honour Pockets. The conditions for receiving an Honour Pocket are set out on p.151 of the Student Diary. Please read these carefully and ensure that you understand the qualifications required to receive an Honour Pocket. Students may check their attendance percentage with their ensemble director at any time throughout the year. If you are unable to attend a rehearsal for any reason, please notify your ensemble director via email. 

The Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University is pleased to present the inaugural State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) Middle School - South-East Queensland from Friday 1 June to Sunday 3 June 2018; to be held at Queensland Conservatorium's South Bank campus in Brisbane. SHEP provides an opportunity for middle school (Years 5 - 8) wind, brass, percussion, string and voice students to work in an intensive environment of musical excellence with their peers from South-East Queensland, under the leadership of a team of eminent conductors from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. Please note that submissions are now being made by the student’s instrumental teacher, who then let the family know that they have nominated their child. 

For students who are looking for avenues to learn about jazz, I would like to point you towards the Talkin’ Jazz programme for high school students. For more information please visit www.talkinjazz.com.au  or email admin@talkinjazz.com.au

Please check the Terrace App and Parent Lounge regularly as this is where information regarding various events (see the list below) will now be published. As events are approved and posted to the Parent Lounge, you will be sent an email advising the name of the event, including the Event Memo, to check and you will be required to give a response regarding attendance. Event Memos will also be available through the Terrace App in Music and will no longer be emailed separately.

Term 1 Events

• GPS Music Showcase, Thursday 22 February, Music Dept. Select musicians and singers. Please check the Parent Lounge
• String Soirée on Wednesday 7 March in the evening in the Edmund Rice Theatre, Waterford Place (details pending)
• ANZAC Day Marching Band (SWE and Red Thunder Drumline), Saturday 3 March, 8.30am-6.50pm, Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Festival 

Holiday Workshops

• ANZAC Day Marching Band, Monday-Tuesday 9-10 April, Timings TBC