Music Department

Welcome to Music at LJBC in 2019! We have a busy schedule with lots of opportunities for all students to be involved and to flourish musically this year. It is not too late to start private lessons.

Staff News

We are pleased to welcome new staff into the Music Department this year. Joanna Wolny will be tutoring cello, Charlotte Chapman tutoring violin and the new Primary Music Specialist teacher is Emanuel Troaca. We are thrilled to have such talented and passionate additions to our team.

Congratulations go to Bonita Holthaus on the birth of her son Marcus and we welcome Nina Shinkfield back after the birth of her third daughter, Torielle.

It is with sadness that we farewell Kerri Sloper who leaves us this year to tend to family matters. We are grateful for her contribution and acknowledge the wonderful work she did with our students.

New Initiatives

This year we have the first music scholarships running at LJBC in Year 3 and Year 5. This is a very exciting initiative and we congratulate these students on successfully attaining these scholarships.

The Year 3 String Program and the Year 5 Band Program will continue to run as College Sponsorship programs for all students in those year groups.

The Competition Band will be competing in Mount Gambier at the Generations of Jazz Competition in 2020 as well as other competitions this year. This opportunity is available to secondary students who play jazz band instruments. Further details are available in the Music Office.

There is a further opportunity for all students from Year 2-12 to audition and become involved in the 2020 whole College Production this year. We are very excited about the next production. Watch this space!

All students who have private instrumental lessons, as well as sponsorship students, will be able to enjoy our recently refurbished music tutor rooms. The décor is modern, bright and age appropriate. We are thrilled with the stunning results of this revamp. Just a note: NO school bags are allowed to be taken into the tutor rooms. Instruments have storage areas in the tutor room area, but school bags must remain outside the rooms.

Updates for Term 1

 Start dates:

• Ensembles: Secondary W3, Primary W5
• Sponsorship Program: W3
• Private tuition: W2

 Communication:

• Parents please sign the music diaries each week, tutors will communicate in the diary and leave notes and instructions for practising
• All secondary students are to have their music timetable attached to their student organiser so that they can show the teacher when they request to leave class for a music lesson
• If students stop lessons then please let us know by completing the withdrawal form found on the College website

Have a wonderful year and remember - Employers Want Creatives. Music enriches lives and builds creativity in students. We look forward to embarking on this journey with you.

Tammy van der Nest

Director of Music PK-12