Music News | Junior School
“Come, let us sing for joy.”
– Psalm 95:1
Music Leader News
During this RUOK week, I thought it would be great time visit the benefits of us practising music to help us stay positive and focus on what we’ve been learning about PERMA in the Trinity Growth Programme. PERMA stands for Positive Emotions, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.
Over the past few weeks, on top of completing schoolwork, many of us have continued to practise diligently. Because of the COVID lockdown, it has become extremely challenging for many of us as all instrumental lessons have been moved online instead of face to face.
This is my take on music during lockdown and I hope it inspires all the Junior School students to keep practising and your Music PERMA alive during these strange times.
There are some difficulties during lockdown. Actually, the most annoying thing is that I can’t do face-to-face lessons anymore. But even online, a great advantage is your teacher can check the dynamics which is really crucial for music because it adds a lot of expression to the piece. Also, your teacher can help with the concept of duration to get the rhythm correct and finally the most important benefit of face-to-face lessons is that your teacher can help with your finger movements.
The lockdown makes exercise and talking to friends more challenging. A solution to the lockdown was watching the Olympic and Paralympic games which was fun because all the athletes did an outstanding job. Personally, I also got to practice basketball outside in my backyard, drew some awesome pictures, and I got to text my friends on my phone. I got to read lots of my favourite books too.
Now I’m going to talk about the most exciting thing: doing an online exam! I did the Piano for Leisure Grade 5 exam. I did my exam online which means I had to play 4 pieces and I had to film all my pieces in one take. I was challenging because if you play one part wrong, you have to refilm the whole take. My 4 pieces that I played were: Beethoven’s Für Elise, and arrangements of Mancini’s The Pink Panther, Orff’s O Fortuna, and finally Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe from the film, The Mission.
Doing the exam was fun because it felt like I was going to school when I put on my full winter School uniform including my blazer.
Doing an online exam was all worth it because it ended with accomplishment. I got a satisfying announcement from my piano teacher Ambre. My little brother, Felix, and I both got A on our Grade 5 exams. We were extremely happy and proud.
All in all, I think that adds up to PERMA. On this RUOK week, I really recommend you set a goal and set out to achieve it.
I miss you all. Lockdown is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity for us to get better at everything we do. With great support from our teachers, parents and friends, I’m sure we will overcome the challenges and difficulties of lockdown and I’m sure we can all see each other again soon. I’m looking forward to it.
Charlie (6Fo) | JS Music Leader
Instrumental Programme for individual lessons
Online instrumental lessons are available on Microsoft Teams. The Director of Co-Curricular Music (PreK-12), Dr McGregor has communicated with families about the protocols in place for lessons. If you have not received the communication, please contact your Instrumental (individual tuition) teacher.
Hungry For More?
Music Co-curricular Ensemble activities are posted each week in Hungry for More Music in Canvas. Mr Adams will post activities for the Junior School Choir, Mrs Korjenvsky will post activities for the String Orchestras and Mr Mályusz will post activities for the Concert Bands. All students can participate in the Annual Junior School Practice Challenge. Participation in the various activities is entirely voluntary and not a compulsory commitment. Simply visit Canvas and navigate to Hungry for More. If you have any music news to share, please visit this link to let us know.
If you have any further inquiries for music, please contact the Music Department on 9581 6042.
Trevor Adams | Director of Junior School Music
