MUSICINFORMATIONHANDBOOK

M usic is woven through the experience of every boy at King’s. By the end of his time

at the school he will, at the very least, have completed 100 hours of compulsory classroom tuition, have sung in chapel services and have heard performances in assemblies by school and visiting musicians. He may have sung in the school choir or have been part of a musical production in the theatre. He may have learned a musical instrument and played solo, or been part of one of the school’s many ensembles. He may have elected to take music as a school subject (between Years 8-12).

The experiencing, the participation in and the understanding of music, as with all of the arts, leads to a cultural awakening, a unique insight into history and an exploration of the feelings and emotions of ourselves and others. Music making involves team-work, self-reliance and self- discipline, as well as preparation and concentration.

From The Director of MusicThe Music Experience

When music is created in this way, the human response is one of deep fulfillment, an appreciation of beauty and inspiration which is beyond the physical and tangible.

The music programme at King’s aims to provide opportunities for experience and participation in music at whatever level a boy feels inclined to involve himself. Further, it endeavours to equip musicians with skills that will provide a lifetime of enjoyment.

Mr Barry Walmsley Director of Music

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• is participatory• integrates listening, performing (singing and playing), composing• promotes both individual and social aspects of music-making• develops creative thinking• assists in the development of the whole person (sensory, physical, intellectual,

personal, emotional, cultural, and sense of community)• is fun and challenging

Music at King’s

At the outset of each term, a calendar of events for the term is mailed to parents of all boys involved in music, outlining all commitments for the term. The calendar will also be published on the School intranet. It is very important that information in the calendar be noticed and recorded, so that clashes and difficulties do not arise for the boys.

The calendar will indicate all Student Recital Evenings, Band/String/ Choral Concerts, Master Series, as well as Meet the Music (Sydney Symphony Orchestra) excursions, but may exclude events organised separately by studio teachers.

The Music Calendar

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The Senior School class music curriculum is divided into two courses in each of which four concepts are experienced: Performance, Composing, Listening and Aural.

1. The Mandatory CourseThe one-hundred hour, Year 7 – 10 course which is mandatory for all children in the state is completed during Year 7 at King’s. This enables the course to be experienced before prejudices begin, and before adolescence, with all of its preoccupations. A wide range of styles and varieties of music is experienced during the course. During the year, boys will experience other composers’ music by performing it, learning to read it and listening to it, both at concerts given during classes by visiting artists, in classroom activities and in singing as a year group. Class time is spent each week at the computer learning to manipulate the musical vocabulary boys inject into their own simple compositions, and also learning to identify sounds and rhythms - enhancing their aural imaginations. As well, their vocal skills will be developed through an intensive vocal training programme.

2. The Elective CourseAs with other subjects, boys can elect from the beginning of Year 8 to study Music as an examinable subject. The course is a continuation and intensification of what has come before, and is taken by those boys who have a specific interest in all aspects of music. It continues until the end of School Certificate and may then be taken on to the Higher School Certificate.

Curricular Music

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Lesson TimesIn the Senior School, boys who are involved in individual music tuition join a programme where parents have agreed to pay an additional tuition fee for lessons during class time. Boys come out of school at a particular time each week, and miss a different school lesson each time, on a rotational basis. Each boy then has two responsibilities:• To organise to make up work missed, and complete work set in class while he is

away.• To ensure that his music lessons are spread so that he will be absent from a wide

cross-section of school subjects.

Each boy must sign in and sign out on the attendance register in the Music Office when having a private lesson. Teachers will complete a Lesson Log at each lesson and hand this form to the boy on completion. It will note the next lesson time, as well as information pertaining to the boy’s progress and practice needs.

There are few out-of-school lesson times available, however, these are kept for senior boys or for boys who learn two instruments.

Instruments TaughtThere is a wide range of instruments, as well as voice, taught at King’s: all band and orchestral instruments, guitar (contemporary and classical), piano, pipe organ, drum kit, percussion, bag pipes and singing.

A boy who starts lessons must have daily access to the instrument he is learning.

Choosing an InstrumentHere are four considerations: • It is vital that a boy should like the sound of the instrument he chooses.• The repertoire for some instruments leans towards jazz and popular music, and for

others towards classical music.• Certain instruments are often in short supply in the various ensembles. A boy may

well gain a place earlier should he learn one of these.• Whatever the choice, a boy must have an instrument for daily practice.

Boarders will be supervised for practice in the evening (5.30-7.00 pm) and must report to the staff member on duty in the Music School.

Extra Curricular Music

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Choosing to Sing Boys are encouraged to undertake singing lessons at King’s, and will be supported in their pursuit by the music faculty. Singing can provide lifelong enjoyment and has many flexible options. Huge efforts go into our annual musical – and as a consequence, those boys who have singing tuition are usually better placed for a role in these major productions.

Acquiring a Musical InstrumentThe Music Department offers a hire service for parents of boys who wish to undertake the learning of a musical instrument. A boy beginning tuition may be supplied with an instrument (upon availability) from the School. Parents will be charged a rental fee each term for the instrument. After one year, it is hoped that the boy will have settled into learning his instrument and parents are then encouraged to purchase their own instrument. With large expensive instruments, it is not expected that parents should want to commit to buying for some period of time, in which case, they will be able to rent a School instrument on alonger-term basis.

Instrumental Storage & InsuranceMost boys will be supplied with a padlocked locker in the Music School for storage of their instruments. A boy may have to share his locker, and boys will be charged for one padlock during their time at the school, provided they do not lose it. Lockers should always be kept locked at all times. The locks are of the combination variety. The Director of Music keeps a list of all lock combinations. If an instrument belongs personally to a boy, parents are expected to insure their son’s own instrument under their own contents policy, with provision for transporting the instrument away from home. All school-owned instruments are insured under the school’s policy, however an excess will be charged if the instrument is lost or stolen. The repair of any damage to School instruments will be charged to a boy’s school account.

Instrumental & Vocal EnsemblesThere are many instrumental ensembles in the school. All boys are expected to attend an appropriate ensemble. For pianists and guitarists and other instrumentalists, choir is the preferred ensemble. Woodwind, brass and percussion players are recruited into the Performance Band or Concert Band, and string players become members of the String Orchestra. Membership in the Intermediate and Senior Stage Bands is by audition only, and conditional on boys also belonging to one of the two Concert Bands. There are also small ensembles-Vocal, Brass, Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Percussion as well as String Quartets Piano Trios and Guitar Ensembles which perform from time to time.

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Many opportunities also exist for singing. There are a number of Choral groups: The King’s School Choir (in 4 parts), and the Schola Cantorum. Auditions are required for the Schola Cantorum. A Chorister Training Programme also exists to introduce Preparatory School boys to the joys of singing. Choral Exhibitions of $100.00 may also awarded to Junior Boys who fulfill all choral obligations each year.

Opportunities for PerformanceThere are two main opportunities for a boy to test himself as a performer:

Concerts are held regularly in the Recital Room of the Music School for both soloists and ensembles. These concerts take the form of Student Recital Evenings, teachers’ own Studio Recitals, Band Concerts, as well as String & Choral Concerts. School assemblies are also occasions when musicians are welcome to play in front of the entire school community.

Ensemble Rehearsal times are posted on the main notice board in the Music School, as well as on the Music Intranet.

Each year, opportunities exist for senior boys to be part of a full musical production with Tara in the King’s Theatre, singing solo or in the chorus (or playing in the orchestra).

Trinity College London and AMEB examinations are held at the school throughout the year, and all boys learning an instrument or voice are encouraged to participate in these. Written theory examinations are also held at King’s.

Performance occasions and examinations encourage the pursuit of excellence, and provide an evaluation of the work done by the boys, who have been released from classes

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during the year to pursue their musical studies. Those who excel are presented with their certificates by the Headmaster at School Assemblies. Certain levels of attainment in an instrument or voice may qualify a boy to receive half/full colours or the Honours jacket. This is conditional on consistent membership in an appropriate ensemble, and attendance at the scheduled music events.

AccompanimentsThe Music Department has its own accompanist, who accompanies at all concerts, and takes charge of accompaniment requirements during the exam season. Boys must book rehearsal time with him/her prior to their performances.

PracticeMany boys are naturally keen to work regularly and systematically, but just as many find it very hard to get organised. For the boarders at school, practice sessions are held each evening, with a member of the staff supervising (5.30- 7.00 pm). A similar regimen must exist for day boys at home if progress is to be made. It is essential to have a music stand at home – without one, your son will probably use a chair, and immediately develop posture problems. A regular time and place has to be found for practice. Younger children in the family must not be allowed to interfere with equipment, and parents need to show interest and encouragement, without the whole exercise becoming a cause for disharmony in the home.

If there is pressure for time, it is worth remember- ing that small amounts of regular practice are much more productive than an hour once a week, the day before a lesson!

The Music School is equipped with a number of fine pianos, including a Steinway Grand, and for those boys studying organ, there are pipe organs (both Pogson designs) in Futter Hall and the Chapel.

Practice OrganisationEach boy should have a zip bag in which to keep his music. At the end of each lesson, the teacher will issue a record of the lesson and expected practice objectives. This is in addition to any notebook the teacher may require the boy to own. There are also spaces for the times of practice to be recorded and signed for by parents or by the teacher on duty, in the case of boarders.

The Music School welcomes contact from parents at all times about a boy’s progress or well-being. Please feel free to get in touch with his teacher or the Director of Music at any time, if you want to be more fully acquainted with what he is studying, or his progress.

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Instrumental Lesson AgreementInstrumental lessons are given on a rotational basis during class time. Boys have either a 25 minute lesson or a 50 minute one (a half or a full school period) per week. Boys will not miss Tutor periods, Chapel or As semblies for music lessons.As instrumental teachers are employed on a casual basis, it is necessary to have a clear procedure in place which enables them to forward plan. If sickness or an excursion, test or other school activity is going to mean the lesson cannot be given, the teacher must be informed ahead of time. For a day boy, this means obtaining the home telephone number or mobile number of his teacher, and the contact number for the Music Department. Whenever it is feasible, every effort will be made to “make up” the lesson, but this is not always possible when a boy simply fails to appear, and no prior notice is given.

The number of lessons given in a term depends on the number of weeks in the term. If a boy is working particularly hard, for example, in preparation for an examination, the teacher may give extra lessons.

Lessons will be charged in the following circumstances: Absence from a lesson without adequate notice. Adequate notice is defined as enough notice so that the teacher can reschedule other lessons to fill up the gap created by the absent student (usually at least a day’s prior notice). This includes absence due to illness or injury, appointments or any other personal reason.

Lessons will not be charged in the following circumstances:• Absence due to school based activity. • Absence of the Music Teacher. • Absence due to prior notification

Four weeks’ notice in writing must be given for discontinuation of lessons, otherwise fees will be charged for those four weeks.

Theory of MusicTheory classes are available to all boys learning an instrument. A boy should commence theory lessons when he is well established on his instrument - generally after a year’s tuition. All aspects of music reading are covered in these lessons, and a grade examination is usually taken during the year. Usually a boy will be studying grade one in Year 7, grade two in Year 8 and so on. In elective music classes, this work is part of the curriculum. These theory lessons teach the rudiments of music, assist with aural training, and some general knowledge for practical examinations.

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B N Walmsley KSJ, MMus, AMusA, ATCL, LTCL, LGSMD, DSCM, BEd, MACE, MACEL, FAIM, Hon TCL Director of Music, Choir, Piano, Organ, Class

J P Todhunter BMusEd (Hons) Director of Music - Preparatory School, Class, Choir

T J Addison LRAM Head of Strings, Orchestra, Violin, Viola

Mrs K M Walmsley MMus, BEd, AMusA, LMusA, LGSMD, LTCL, LMusTCL, FTCL, MACE Head of Vocal Studies, Singing, Choir, Class

D M Williams BMus, MMus Head of Bands, Trumpet

P J Beverley BMus, BTch Class, Big Bands

Ms J C Kojevnikov BMusEd, MACE Class, Choir, Orchestra

Visiting Music Staff

Music Staff

B J BakerMiss N BeretinMrs J BrimoJ BurrowsMs S ChunJ CollinsMs D English I FedotovMs C Ghisla Ms K Grennan S GrieveMs M Keogh

MEd (Mus), BMus, ARCT, Piano, TheoryMMus, BA, ADMT, AMusA, Guitar FTCL, LTCL, LMusA, AMusA, Piano, AccompanistMMus, BMus, CertEd, Double BassBMus, GradDipMus, Cello Percussion, DrumsBMus, BMusEd, French Horn Clarinet, Saxophone MMus, BMus, Violin BMus (Hons), LTCL, DipABRSM, FluteBA, Electric GuitarBMus, DipMus, GradDipMus, Clarinet, Saxophone

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Dr R Hocking

Ms S Koolhaas P MarshallT Paillas A PasquillM PinnerP ScottL ThatcherC WagstaffA Wasiel

PhD, BMus (Hons) ATCL, LTCL AMusA GradCertULT MMTA, Piano, TheoryMMus, LMusA, Cello PhD, BMus, CompositionBMus, Percussion, DrumsMMusSt, BMus, DipABRSM, Choir, Singing, AccompanistPhD, MA(Hons), BMusEd, LTCL Oboe, Clarinet, SaxophoneTromboneMMus, BA, Drum Line, Percussion, DrumsBMus (Hons), Organ, Harpsichord, TheoryBMus, GradDip Pedagogy, Violin, Viola

Administrative Staff

Ms G Kovacs DipEd

Contacting the Music School:Telephone (02) 9683 8424Facsimile (02) 9683 8641gkovacs@kings.edu.au

Contacting the Director of Music:Telephone (02) 9683 8551 Facsimile (02) 9683 8641 bnw@kings.edu.au

PO Box 1Parramatta NSW 2124

www.facebook.com/TheKingsSchoolMusic

Music expresses that which cannot

be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.