Guitar classes started Monday 16th February with 82 students enrolled. Thank you for all the caregiver and parental support, please continue by encouraging your student to practice. I look forward to an exciting year with guitar students.
At Yarrilee State School, we provide an opportunity for your child to enjoy music and express themselves creatively by being involved participants in active music making. Every child receives one thirty minute lesson with a music specialist each week to encourage the development of confidence, social skills and basic musical concepts.
These lessons are based on a strong foundation of Kodaly and Orff-Schulwerk theories with emphasis on a hands on approach with tuned and untuned percussive instruments and movement. Like Kodaly, we believe all children have the right to be musically literate, that is, have the opportunity to read, write and play music.
While students from Prep to Year Three mainly use untuned percussion, Year Four upwards are introduced to keyboards and tuned percussion, ie. glockenspiels, xylophones, marimbas etc.
With the foundation laid in classroom music lessons, Yarrilee offers many musical ‘extras’ which are available to students free or at minimal cost. All tutoring given is free of charge. The following classes are available at Yarrilee in 2006, Guitar, Junior and Middle/Senior Choir, Yarrilee Voices, Yarrilee Band, and our Strings program.
Guitar classes are available for students with their own guitars from Yrs 2-7. There are 14 places available in each class, divided into beginners and advanced.
Beginners are introduced to correct holding and fingering techniques including the classical style of picking with p-i-m-a fingering, note names and simplified chords.
Advanced students learn first position chords, barre chords, strumming techniques, simplified melody lines, some songs in tab format and also have access to the electric bass to look at bass line work.
Junior Choir will commence in term two this year. Elementary breathing and basic vocal techniques are taught through an environment of fun and enjoyment with music and movement. Junior choir uses “in house” performances to showcase their talents to family and friends. They will rehearse once a week for 20 minutes during a break time. They normally have one excursion a year to sing in a nearby local public place.
Middle/Senior choir has commenced for children from Yrs Four to Seven. This choir builds on techniques used in Junior choir but highlights the need for constant vocal care and training. Harmony is introduced with a strong emphasis on two part and canon work. Working together as a team is encouraged and this choir also performs an “in house” program. They rehearse once a week for 20 minutes during first break on a Wednesday.They normally have one excursion a year to sing at a local venue and may be used in a choral competition. Students may only join at the beginning of a term. This is not an auditioned choir.
This auditioned choir, with 40 positions from Yrs Four to Seven, started in 2006. The members of this choir are highly musically literate and are expected to rehearse at home for two hours a week. All music is memorized and independent growth and improvement is encouraged through some solo work opportunities. Yarrilee Voices is a competitive choir that enters Eisteddfods, Choral Fanfare and Choralfest. The students rehearse at school for one hour, once a week during class time. They learn three part harmony and explore world music as well as Australian compositions.
Our instrumental music program is available for those children wishing to play any instrument from the woodwind, brass or percussion families. Students from Yrs Four to Seven may be assessed and given the opportunity to play in our school band under the tutelage of our highly trained instrumental teacher.
There is a $25 fee in the form of a music levy to cover music reproduction costs for the year.
Students are encouraged to purchase their own instrument as there is limited access to instruments available for hire from the school. Students can hire instruments from the school for $80 a year, however this is subject to supply and availability.
Small groups of children are given thirty minute private lessons free, once a week, during class time.
Once children have reached a suitable level of achievement, they are invited to rehearse with the band ensemble on Wednesday mornings at 8.00 am.
Our strings program is available for those children wishing to play violin, viola, cello or double bass. Students from Yrs Three to Seven may be assessed and given the opportunity to play in our string ensemble under the tutelage of our highly trained strings teacher.
Just like the Yarrilee band, the strings program charges a nominal fee of $25 in the form of a music levy to cover music reproduction costs for the year.
Students are encouraged to purchase their own instrument as there is limited access to instruments available for hire from the school. Students can hire instruments from the school for $80 a year, however this is subject to supply and availability.
Small groups of children are given thirty minute private lessons free, once a week during class time.
Once children have attained a suitable level of accuracy they are invited to rehearse with the string ensemble on Friday mornings at 8.00am.