Junior Music Virtus Report 2014
Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear
fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity,
discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.
(Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love)
The Junior Music Program has experienced much growth in 2014 with 3 new teachers
and 3 new ensembles!! We have welcomed Ms Anna Maguire, Mr David Sanzone and
Mr Sean Priest.
PHOTO
Men in Brass is the newest addition to the junior music program this year! This
exciting new group began rehearsing in Term 3 with Mr Sean Priest and has had much
fun learning a lot of new repertoire. They have been spotted marching and playing at
the same time and even a spot of dancing! Men in Brass gave their debut performance
at music assembly in Term 3 and opened the Junior School Speech Night with a
victorious fanfare.
PHOTO
Mini Fiddlers and Tiny Cellos have delighted audiences with their performances at
ELC Assemblies and Soirees. It has been wonderful to see so many ELC boys taking
violin and cello lessons and making such exciting progress! Colourstrings violin
methodology and the Suzuki cello philosophy are both child-centered teaching
concepts that provide the best repertoire for our young children, specialise in early
years aural training and create a nurturing musical environment.
PHOTO
Music Camp was a wonderful celebration of our music program at Orana in April.
Pride had their first experience of several rehearsals in one afternoon and brought to
each session their enthusiasm, energy and focus. Their singing tone became more
vibrant and they began to shape the phrases more expressively. Junior Orchestra
were playing more accurately and with more control by the end of their rehearsal day
and those boys said to friends: “If you want to come to music camp two days in a row
– then you should join orchestra!” Many boys said how much they loved the three
different playgrounds and the comment of the day was: “Today has been so much fun
because I haven’t been made to learn anything!” Parents enjoyed listening to the boys
perform at the end of the day and then we all had a BBQ dinner in the dark! Next year
we’ll remember Daylight Savings. Many thanks to all the parents who volunteered
their time to help with food preparation, cooking and shopping and to staff for taking
care of our very happy boys! Hutchins has a strong community spirit and this was very
evident at music camp as we all enjoyed good music, food, fellowship, sand and
sunshine.
At The Hobart Eisteddfod in May, Cubs and Pride delivered fabulous performances,
full of contrast, beautiful smooth lyrical melodies and energetic, spirited, entertaining
stories. Cubs sang about fish that prefer ice-cream and chocolate sauce to more
traditional bait while Pride looked truly wonderful in their cowboy hats- Old Dan
Tucker was a huge hit! Congratulations also to Zac Phair, Oscar Reisz, Sheng-Yuan
Lynch, Isaiah Douglas and William Thorpe who gained numerous awards for
monologue, music theatre, chamber music, piano solo and violin performance
sections.
Hutchins Pride had a wonderful time participating in the Festival of Voices opening
event at the Farrell Centre on 3 July. Tasmania Sings brought together 10 school and
community choirs to work with internationally renowned conductor David Lawrence,
in a spirit of sharing and joining in song. Congratulations Pride on your magnificent
performance!
Instrumental Tuition has expanded this year and we have enjoyed over 120 solo
performances at Year 4-6 soirees and 98 first performances at soirees throughout the
year! Each term the boys have had a performance goal to work towards and they have
practiced the art of performing. We have all seen huge improvements in technical
facility, tone, character and poise.
The Music Classroom Program has been filled with lots of fun songs and games,
dances and expressive movement, tuned percussion playing and developing
musicianship skills. Year 1 boys have enjoyed making rhythmic patterns on the floor
with ice-cream sticks and the Preps have loved using the Interactive Whiteboard to
create song rhythms. Cubs have been learning new songs from the stave projected
on the IWB and are very proud of how quickly they can read new music! Year 3 strings
have surprised audiences with their performances at each Music Assembly. They play
with such a confident sound and most parents always comment: “I didn’t realise you
could play so well!” ELC and JS Grandparents Day Performances have also been most
memorable with Year 6 band entertaining families and Year 5 dedicating Hymn to
Freedom to victims of the tragic MH17 disaster. Hutchins Combined Anniversary Choir
filled St David’s Cathedral with their beautiful singing of Instrument of Peace and lifted
the service with a gospel rendition of Praise His Holy Name!
Music is the only activity that stimulates the entire brain! When children are reading
pitch, rhythm and text at the same time, their brain is going crazy – it is at its most
active. Music has the power to excite the mind and the heart and to arouse the soul.
Music has the capacity to change lives for the better and to give the gift of music is to
have a profound and lasting effect on a child’s life. (Richard Gill)
Ms Claire Preston