This year has been a whirlwind of music – and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Starting the year off strong we had Kickstart Music Camp where we dived straight into new repertoire, group activities and even enjoyed a showcase from our incredible music staff.
We have had numerous performance opportunities throughout the year, gaining experience in solo and group contexts. These have included festivals like Generations in Jazz and the Victorian Schools Music Festival, where we watched ensembles from other schools and we participated in workshops from world-renowned musicians.
For us jazz players, it has all been leading up to one special night – Jazz Night! Each year all of our small jazz combos, stage bands, and even choirs come together to perform some of our favourite music. We have such a vibrant community of musicians, from staff to students, and its truly a beautiful experience sharing our love for music together. Jazz Night is an incredible opportunity to showcase our hard work as well as see how the best in the business do it. For a third time, we were delighted to welcome Ross Irwin and his band to play and this was particularly encouraging for our senior students who are beginning to look at how they will continue music outside of school – and it’s clear to all of us that a life without music is not a life at all.
To recognise the contribution the students have made to the jazz program over the years, The Ron Trigg Jazz Award is awarded annually to a senior musician to recognise their skills in solo and ensemble playing and improvisation. This year, the award was given to two Year 12 students and I am incredibly honoured to have received this award, along with Charlotte du Blêt and to be recognised in this way, and to share this achievement with such an accomplished musician as CJ is incredibly special.
Each concert this year was bittersweet, counting down until we hand over the microphone to the future music leaders and performers. But it’s not over yet! There is still plenty to look forward to with the upcoming 7 Seasons String Concert, Twilight Concert, Munch with the Musos and Celebration Evening.
Katie Howell | Instrumental Music Captain
Sashenka Fernando | Instrumental Music Captain
