The classroom curriculum is complemented by an extensive Instrumental and Co-Curricular Program which provides performance opportunities.
The Sister Colleen Roberts Music Centre offers state-of-the-art facilities in music recording and production, promoting student excellence in the areas of performance and music technology.
Music at Mary MacKillop College is an Elective and students can either choose to participate in the Music Curriculum as a Specialist or Experiential student. Students choose this in their subject selections.
Music Experience offers a contemporary program of study with a Rock/Pop focus and students learn performance skills in a Rock Band and develop recording and song-writing skills.
The College offers Specialist Music classes to cater for students with a musical background and experience. Students can also elect to join this class in Year 7 with no experience. The Year 7 Specialist class forms a Big Band and has tuition on a saxophone, trumpet or trombone. By Year 8 the Specialist class assumes prior experience of at least one year’s tuition and forms a class ensemble.
The specialist program offers extension pathways for gifted and talented students through Year 9, Year 10, Stage 1 Music Advanced (Year 11) and multiple selections from Stage 2 Music (Year 12).
Each year we celebrate student achievement by holding the Annual Music/Arts Night, an extravaganza that takes place in Term 3. Students perform in a variety of other College and community events throughout the year.
Music Ensembles
The College has a variety of music ensembles to extend the learning outside of the timetabled curriculum. In addition to class bands in the Year 7–12 curriculum, the main co-curricular music ensembles are:
Performance Choir - The Performance Choir perform at a number of school events throughout the year including at assemblies, school productions and other special events. They also have the opportunity to travel to the Generations in Jazz Festival in Mt Gambier during Term 2.
Liturgical Choir - The Liturgical Choir sing a number of songs and hymns at our school masses throughout the year.
The co-curricular music ensembles are an excellent avenue to extend students’ musical skills and to develop confidence, friendships and discipline in the pursuit of excellence. Many of the skills gained in Music can be readily transferred to help improve outcomes in other subject areas. New ensembles are formed as interest arises and can include: String Ensemble, Student Rock Bands or small Vocal Groups.
Instrumental Program
All students have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, including vocal tuition at Mary MacKillop College and students can choose to have lessons separately or in partnership with the Music curriculum. Students who have undertaken instrumental or vocal lessons for a length of time can enter the Music curriculum at any stage, either in the Music Experience or Music Specialist pathways according to their skill level.
The instrumental and vocal teachers at Mary MacKillop College are highly skilled and professional performers in their own right and endeavour to pass on their breadth of experience and expertise to their students.
Lessons are available for the following instruments:
Tuition
Private tutors provide instruction on the chosen instrument or voice and the tutors set their own rate according to their level of teaching experience or competence. The actual rate charged will be given when first contact is made with the provider and students can expect approximately nine lessons a term except for the shortened Term 4.
Tutors would normally charge an award rate for private tuition. Group or shared lessons can reduce the cost and this should be indicated on the application form if applicable.
All lessons are paid in advanced at the start of the term and the billing invoices are arranged privately between the tutor and the family. Further details regarding tuition are included in the Instrumental Tuition Form link below.
How to apply for Instrumental Tuition
Students apply for tuition by completing the Instrumental Tuition Form and then contact details are exchanged for the enrolment to commence. An individual timetable is issued with a rotating tuition time on the day the tutor is available. The lesson is recorded in SEQTA so that the College staff are informed of the absence if it is during a school lesson time. Students are obliged to catch up any school work missed while Year 12 students have tuition in their breaks and not during lesson.
If your daughter is interested in learning an instrument please return the Instrumental Tuition Form below to the Music Office.
