Dutton Park State School strongly promotes music education and continually aims to cultivate a passion and enthusiasm for music in our students.
Music Education develops:
· Executive function
· Attention and memory
· Literacy skills (incl. reading development and sound encoding)
· Numeracy skills
· Social skills
· Social behaviours (incl. helping and sharing behaviours, empathy and integration)
· Wellbeing (psychological and immune health)
Classroom Music
All students receive a 30-minute weekly Music lesson in which they are exposed to many forms and styles of music through an engaging sequential music program. During lessons students participate in learning activities where they respond to, perform and compose music. Students experience and have the opportunity to play a large variety of tuned and untuned percussion instruments in their lessons, as well as learn how to play the recorder* and ukulele*.
(NB: *specific year levels only).
Extra-Curricular Music
Our school has a strong extracurricular choral program with approximately one sixth of enrolled students involved in either the Junior Choir (Years 2 & 3) or Senior Choir (Years 4, 5 & 6). The choirs are not auditioned, so everyone in Years 2+ is welcome to join the appropriate choir for their year level. The choirs perform numerous times throughout the year on assembly and at events such as our ANZAC Day ceremony and end of year Music Soiree.
Weekly Choir Rehearsals are as follows:
· Senior Choir (Years 4, 5 & 6) – Tuesdays @ 7:45am-8:30am
· Junior Choir (Years 2 & 3) – Tuesdays @ 1:15-1:40pm (during second break)
The school also has a very popular Ukulele Ensemble (Years 4, 5 & 6) which performs on assembly throughout the year and at the Music Soiree at the end of the year. Ukesters are not required to own their own ukulele; although owning one enables students to practice their repertoire at home. No prior experience is required for students to join; just a willingness to participate and have FUN! The Ukulele Ensemble's performances at the end of year Music Soiree have been described as 'pure joy', 'the highlight of the concert' and 'so much fun' by audience members.
Weekly rehearsals for the Ukulele Ensemble (Years 4, 5 & 6) occur on Wednesdays @ 1:15-1:40pm (during second break)
Instrumental Music Program
Instrumental Music is offered to students in brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. This program has a limited number of places available and recruitment takes place in fourth term for the following year. If accepted into the program, students are expected to fulfil their commitment to practice, attend lessons and be part of the school band and regular school performances. The Instrumental Music teacher coordinates the band practice times. This is a user-based program, with students required to purchase some music books and instrument accessories such as valve oil, reeds or strings. All ensemble music, use of stands and other music equipment, entry to competitions and special excursion performances are covered by the annual levy of $50. This levy is payable by Week 4 each year.
Instrumental Music teachers give 30-minute group instruction once a week, during school time on Thursdays, in woodwind, brass, and percussion from Year 4. Children who have indicated an interest may hire an instrument from the school. The loan of school instruments incurs an annual Service Levy of $150. Invoices are issued to students at the start of the school year and students are not able to take the instrument home until the Service Levy is paid. The Service Levy contributes to the cost of service and repair of school instruments. The instrument remains the property of the school.
Students playing relatively cheaper instruments such as Flutes, Clarinets, Alto Saxophones, Trombones and Trumpets are encouraged to purchase their own for their second year of playing. More expensive instruments such as Euphoniums, Tubas, Bass Clarinets, Tenor Saxophones and Baritone Saxophones will be available for hire whilst those students are in the program.
Normally each year students have the chance to participate in school performances and noncompulsory district camps. Information is given to students in the program about these as they become available.
All Instrumental Music students participate in an ensemble (Concert Band) when they are ready for this next level of learning.
Concert Band rehearsals are weekly on Thursdays, 7:30 - 8:20am in the school hall.
