Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them – a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music - GERALD R. FORD
Welcome to Mitchelton State School Music!
Our aim is to make every student feel welcome and accepted into our musical family, so that they may enjoy the many benefits of a quality music education. We now know that learning music is a powerful tool for brain development. Music has the capacity to engage, inspire and enrich all students, exciting the imagination and encouraging students to reach their creative and expressive potential. Participation in music learning allow students to express and share sound as listeners, composers and performers. Each week our Mitchie students receive a 40 minute music lesson which follows the Australian Curriculum. Students experience a wide variety of musical activities including playing recorder, ukulele, tuned and untuned percussion.
Performance Choir
Each week choristers meet before school to learn and rehearse choral music for presentation at special events, concerts and assemblies. Performance Choir is open to students from Years 3-6 and some selected Year 2 students.
Metropolitan Choral Honours Program
The Metropolitan Choral Honours program brings together over 100 students from across both Metropolitan North region to participate in this advanced choral program.
Year 6 students who are in the Performance Choir, can apply to be accepted into the program. Accepted students will be placed into 1 of 2 choirs and will also come together to sing in a massed choir. On the final day, students present an evening performance in the Old Museum Concert Hall.
Year Level Concert
This wonderful annual event when every child in the school is able to be involved in performing on stage. The event showcases the music learning of each year level and also includes performances from Performance Choir and various music clubs (Recorder, Guitar, Uke ’n Sing).
If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music - Albert Einstein
Instrumental Music Program
Children in years 4, 5 and 6 at Mitchelton State School are eligible to learn flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French Horn, trombone, percussion (drums, hand percussion, and tuned instruments such as glockenspiel). Students who take part in the instrumental program receive free tuition from the visiting instrumental music teachers for 30 minutes each week during school time. The instrumental Music Program was established by the Department of Education in Queensland state schools in 1971. It is a comprehensive tuition program in which students learn orchestral or band instruments. It provides an extra dimension to the school music program. Students have the opportunity to attend annual music camps as well as perform for assemblies, special events and concerts.
Student recruitment and selection
Instrumental Music programs in schools select students according to the needs of an ensemble based program.
Students are selected for the Instrumental Music program so that they have the best opportunity to succeed on an instrument.
Factors for selection include:
• spaces available in the program
• instrumentation necessary for balanced ensembles
• likely success for the student on the instrument
• best match of instrument to the student
• musical aptitude
• student's work habits, and behaviour
• impact on academic success.
The final decision on enrolment into the Instrumental program is made by the principal.
When students play music, it allows a part of their artistic mind to express itself, which is very important in helping to balance a child intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally - Paul Reed Smith
Band Program
Students from Year 3 may apply to be considered for the program to be commenced in Year 4. Instruments available for consideration include:
BRASS – Tuba, Trombone, Trumpet, French Horn, Euphonium
WOODWIND – Bass clarinet, clarinet, Oboe, Saxophone, Flute
PERCUSSION – tuned and untuned percussion
Music can change the world - Ludwig van Beethoven
Strings Program
Students from Year 2 may apply to be considered for the program to be commenced in Year 3.
Instruments available for consideration include:
Double Bass, Cello, Viola, Violin
The arts significantly boost student achievement, reduce discipline problems, and increase the odds students will go on to graduate from school.
Please follow this link if you want to hear the top 7 questions students ask Dr Anita Collins who is currently Assistant Professor of Music and Arts Education at the University of Canberra, and a member of the Music Australia Group.
https://vimeo.com/452428322