Music

Term 1 Performances

Parents, friends and relatives are invited to attend the following concerts in Term 1 to be held in the RJP Performance Centre:

Year 10 Performance Evening – Thursday 16 March @ 7:00pm

Junior Lunchtime Concerts – Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March @ 1:20pm

Year 8 Performance Evening – previously advertised for Term 1, this event will now be held in Term 2 at a date to be advised.

Music Café featuring Year 12 soloists – Tuesday 4 April @ 7:00pm

For information regarding any of the above concerts, please contact the music office music@hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au or call Tamsin Fraser-Crooks on 9654 5159 (Mon, Wed-Fri)

Co-Curricular Music Rehearsal Schedule

Students may still join any of our music ensembles during Term 1, depending on available places. The attached schedule outlines the full range of ensemble opportunities available and we look forward to having new members join each year. If your son/daughter is new to the school and is undecided, please feel free to contact the music office directly and we can arrange for them to attend on a trial basis. Most ensembles will be working towards performances at the end of Term 2, so there is still time to come along.

Co-Curricular Music Ensemble Rehearsal Attendance

Attendance at Music Co-curricular Rehearsals

Attendance at rehearsals is an important aspect of the success of all music co-curricular ensembles. Regular attendance ensures that our ensembles can achieve at a consistent level and reach their full potential. Our goal is to schedule ensemble rehearsals for the maximum number of weeks possible each term. On occasion, we understand that students are unable to attend due to organised school activities and unforeseeable circumstances. Therefore, the music department benchmark for attendance for students in Years 3-12 is 80%, taking into account variations to routine such as excursions, examinations and absence from school on the day of the rehearsal. For reasons other than these, an absence will be recorded on the roll. As part of the co-curricular reporting cycle each semester, enrolment in music ensembles will appear on a student report.

Lateness

Morning rehearsals are scheduled to commence at either 7:45am or 8:00am with rolls being marked usually within 15 minutes from commencement. We appreciate the co-operation of all parents and carers regarding transport of students to these rehearsals. On-time attendance has a significant impact on the progress of ensembles and is an area that the music staff will be working towards improving in 2017. If you have any feedback regarding music co-curricular attendance and, in particular, on-time attendance, please contact me directly by email so we can work towards resolving any ongoing issues.

Ongoing absence from rehearsal

For students in Years 7-12 who miss 3 consecutive rehearsals for no reason, an email will be sent to both student and parents requesting an explanation for these absences. At this point, a decision will be made by the ensemble leader in collaboration with the Head of Music regarding ongoing membership of the ensemble and subsequent inclusion in the relevant reporting cycle.

Music Department Student Recognition Protocols

Music Co-Curricular Commendation Certificates - recognising Service, Integrity and Excellence

Each semester, the music department collates attendance data for students in Years 3-12 that is used as a guide for leaders of each ensemble for the award of a Music Co-Curricular Commendation Certificate. The certificates recognise the contribution made by individual students to the music program and the service provided by each ensemble to our school community. Co-Curricular Commendation certificates are awarded to students who attend >80% of rehearsals each semester, not including approved leave or other organised school activities. The certificates are aligned with the School Core Values of Service, Integrity and Excellence.

The criteria for each award is as follows:

• Service – Regular attendance at >80% of scheduled rehearsals, taking into account variations to routine and absence from school.
• Integrity OR Excellence – As above (Service) with individual students showing commitment and initiative (Integrity) OR outstanding musicality and commitment (Excellence) during the semester.

The process for nomination for a certificate is as follows:

Ensemble leaders nominate students based on the above criteria. Where a student receives multiple nominations in more than one ensemble, these are combined into a single certificate. For example, a student in three music co-curricular ensembles may receive two awards for Service and one award for Excellence. The certificate would, therefore, be awarded for Service and Excellence. Co-Curricular Commendation certificates are entered electronically through Sentral by the music assistant. The full list of students, with an attribution to each ensemble award, is published in the school newsletter at the end of each semester.

Music Badges – recognising ongoing commitment to the music program

For many years, the Music Department has recognised students demonstrating ongoing commitment to the music co-curricular program by providing a music badge that can be worn with the school uniform. These badges come in three types, as follows:

• White Badge – Years 3-6           
• Gold Badge – Years 7-9              
• Black Badge – Years 10-12          

Badges are currently given out informally through each ensemble, by the supervising teacher or ensemble leader. Over the years, we have numerous students that have collected all three music badges, and proudly wear these to recognise their commitment to the music program. If your son/daughter has not yet received a badge, and has been a performing member of a music ensemble in the past, our next round of badges will be available in Term 2 for distribution.

Year 12 Music Ensembles Award – for contribution to the musical life of the School

Each year at Music Showcase held in June, students who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the music co-curricular program receive the Year 12 Music Ensembles Award, presented by the Principal. Since 2003, this award has provided a meaningful way of recognising our most senior musicians before the completion of their school years.

The time has come to consider ways to recognise senior musicians in other years, and we are currently looking at how this might happen using the framework above as a guide. Feedback regarding this recognition system is always welcome as we work towards improving our processes. I welcome feedback and comments by email to music@hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au in this regard.

Mr Owen Nelson | Head of Music