Music
….and PLAY!
How magnificent it was to have students back in our classrooms this week! While some senior classes are still completing online assessments this week, other classes across the School have launched into a variety of STEAM, Recording and Passion Projects that will bring us all to the end of the year!
Within both Curricular and Cocurricular Music streams, individual videos are rolling in for a variety of collaborative projects that we can’t wait to share with our community as part of our End of Year celebration events.
Students from P-12 are encouraged to check in with their ensemble leaders and classroom Music teachers if they are unsure which projects are on the go for them to be part of in their class or ensemble at this time! It’s not too late to get involved, even if involvement was sporadic while learning from home.
We are so proud of the resilience and grit shown by our young musicians, and know that even amidst heavy restrictions and challenges, they will still be able to produce some final performances of which they can be proud.
Redlands Music Vision Night and AGM: Dream with us!
There are undoubtedly exciting things ahead in Redlands Music for all our learners from P-12. We invite our whole community join us for the 2021 Friends of Music AGM – dreaming for 2022 and beyond!
Whether you’re interested in joining the Friends of Music in a tiny or large way, or if you’re just keen to hear more about the many musical opportunities available to your child at Redlands, we encourage you to join our Zoom THIS THURSDAY 4 November at 7pm and bring your questions for a chat at the end.
LINK: CLICK THIS LINK TO JOIN US!
Director of Music, Amy Richardson, will share her vision for our Redlands Music learners from Preschool to Yr 12. Hear a reprised showcase performance from some of our very talented senior Music students, and catch a glimpse of the many ways a Friend of Music can become involved in our happenings across the school.
Later in the meeting, the election of the 2022 Friends of Music Committee will take place for anyone interested in taking a more active role. If you are considering nominating for President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer and would like more information about the roles, please email Emma McLaren: emmajmclaren@outlook.com. See you there!
Our COVID-safe Music Programs
As per previous Note Day messages, below is a reminder of our strategy as we return to “On-Campus” Learning across our various music-learning streams.
Private Tuition
The majority of our piano and instrumental tutors are now happily back and teaching ‘face-to-face’ lessons across the school. In addition to mask wearing and frequent cleaning, we are grateful for CO2 monitors that have been placed in our studios as an extra level of cognisance regarding the importance of circulating air during lessons.
With some tutors needing to continue working remotely in the current climate for family reasons, we thank those still impacted for their understanding and ongoing flexibility as Zoom lessons to continue till the end of 2021.
Until the wording of the restrictions reflects the broader advice offered to the community with regard to singing activities, our Vocal Tutors are still unable to teach on site also. We are very grateful for their flexibility too, as they have worked to accommodate our students via Zoom outside of school hours and on weekends.
Classes, Rock Bands and Ensembles
Face to face Musicianship Classes, Bands & Ensembles remain an area of challenge for us – mostly due to the mixed Year Groups of students involved. Our Rock Band and Musicianship Tutors are working hard to ensure resources are available via iLearn for asynchronous learning activities, for which they can then offer feedback.
For the remainder of our Cocurricular ensembles, the format of rehearsals have been adjusted to allow for commuting to/from home. Tutors and Ensemble conductors are communicating with students via iLearn Notifications. If you’ve not done so, please check your iLearn Notifications are ON for your enrolled ensembles.
LINK: Click here for the iLearn Music Course Directory.
Senior Instrumental Competition
As announced last week, we are thrilled that our Adjudicator for the 2021 Senior Instrumental Competition on Monday 22 November, is the internationally acclaimed conductor, Brian Castles-Onion AM. You may have seen him on the harbour conducting for Opera Australia, having worked at Julliard and with the New York Metropolitan Opera and many other renowned international orchestras. We are thrilled for the wealth of rich and diverse instrumental understanding he will bring as he adjudicates our instrumental finalists this year.
2022! Rolling Over or Unenrolling?
At this time every year, we begin to put key plans in place for year to come in terms of both staffing and curriculum.
All enrolments are automatically rolled over from one year to the next (including from Year 6 to 7 into commensurate ensembles). Should students be seeking a change of enrolment for the semester to come, we ask that this notice is given 4 weeks before the end of each semester, or a fee may apply*.
(*To extracurriular enrolments only)
Why so much notice needed? Why a late fee?
It’s a question that pops up from time to time, and we’re happy to answer it. Redlands seeks to employ the very best tutors in the state, and honestly, they’re some of the best in the country. Our specialists are in demand at schools and institutions across the city, and our ability to provide stable employment with clearly contracted hours sees us remain positioned as a workplace of choice for these excellent musicians and tutors. It is our policy that if a late cancellation fee is unfortunately needing to be charged, this is passed on to our tutors as compensation for income they may have turned down or lost while honouring their commitment to teach a Redlands student for a full semester. Ultimately, our Redlands students reap the rich benefits of the high quality tutors we attract to be part of our team each year.
This being said, we have waived all cancellation fees for lessons to be received in 2021.
Ahead of 2022 however, we thank you for letting us know by 12 November 2021 should you wish to unenroll from private lessons, Rock Bands or Musicianship Classes without penalty.
As always, all our forms can be found on Pulse. Thank you for your help setting up 2022 for success!
Sing Out!
As always, we welcome you to *sing out* to our Administration Team via if we can assist you with any queries regarding Music learning at Redlands!
We hope you have a fantastic week!
Amy Richardson
Director of Music P-12
seniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au
juniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au