Music News

Music is ALIVE at St Bernard’s College!

Last week, the college Showband performed for the first-time year. It was an exhilarating experience, and for some of the band members, their first time performing not only in front of a large crowd but in the Showband stage set up. They performed “Bean is on the Scene” with solos performed by Tate hurley and Emmett Coleman. Well done and congratulations to all of the students involved.

On Monday 20 March, the College Showband also went on their first ACC band workshop excursion to Parade College. This was an enriching experience for students and staff, which learned about conduction – a collaborative approach to improvisation, where the control is purely derivative from the conductor. This was an awesome experience that saw even some of our own students from St Bernard’s College conducting a large ensemble.

Our first LunchLive concert took place on Wednesday 22nd of March, with performances from the two student-led ensembles, the college Guitar Ensemble, Rock Band and Year 8 Music Academy. Well done, boys, and keep up the awesome work.

Trybooking is now open for you to enrol or re-enrol your son into private instrumental lessons for term 2, and will close on the 12th of May. If you would like to enrol/re-enrol your son into music lessons, please click on the link, https://www.trybooking.com/CGOPK. If you have any questions regarding private instrumental lessons, please contact the music administrator, Michelle Puglisi at MPuglisi@sbc.vic.edu.au.

At present, the instrument lessons offered at St Bernard’s College are:

Piano and Voice

Brass

• Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium

Woodwind

• Flute, Clarinet, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophone

Percussion

• Drumkit and pitched percussion

St Bernard’s College current lesson options are:

• Year 7 Student: Regular (1 student 30 min lesson) or Paired (2 students 30 min lesson)

• Year 8 Student: Regular (1 student 30 min lesson) or Paired (2 students 30 min lesson)

• Year 9 Student: Regular (1 student 30 min lesson) or Paired (2 students 30 min lesson)

• Year 10 Student: Regular (1 student 30 min lesson) or Comprehensive (1 student 60 min lesson)

• Year 11 Student: Regular (1 student 30 min lesson) or Comprehensive (1 student 60 min lesson)

• Year 12 Student: Regular (1 student 30 min lesson) or Comprehensive (1 student 60 min lesson)

Please note that if there is no other student to pair lessons with, 15 minute weekly lessons or 30 minute fortnightly lessons will be offered for your son instead. This arrangement can be discussed with your son and his tutor.

Students are highly encouraged to be a part of one of the college ensembles if they are having music lessons. Joining an ensemble is a nurturing experience that allows your son to develop not only new friendships but challenging musical skills, which in culmination includes various performance opportunities; including all year ACC Music, the Music Soiree and a collaborative concert with St Columba’s College in term 2. It is also highly encouraged that if a student is also interested in joining an ensemble but are not currently undertaking lessons, to register, so they can study their ensemble music more carefully with one of the private instrumental teachers.

In term 2, Friends of Music will be resuming. Friends of Music is a wonderful opportunity for parents and members of the St Bernard’s Community to get involved in the music program, and with that contribute to creating as many opportunities as possible for all the young men involved. Looking ahead, it is our hope to raise money for not only a more diverse collection of instruments, but for a national and international trip within the next few years. If you would like to join Friends of Music, please email the Head of Music, Joshua Romeo at JRomeo@sbc.vic.edu.au.