Co-curricular Program
Music
THE MUSIC PROGRAM
Balwyn High School’s Music Program is one of the largest and best developed in Victoria. About 650 students participate in our renowned instrumental and choral program. The school’s commitment to class music as part of the curriculum is second to none. With the addition of a large, dedicated music wing to an already impressive Music Centre, the school boasts the best music facilities of any government school in Victoria.
INSTRUMENTAL AND VOICE PROGRAM
There are two main aspects to this part of the Music Program:
- Solo Performance, and
- Ensembles and Choirs.
Solo Performance
Instrumental lessons (on all well-known instruments and in voice) are taught by a team of outstanding instrumental and vocal teachers. Instrumental lessons are supported by an extensive program of soirées, concerts, competitions and master classes. Acceleration classroom programs, beginning at Year 8, cater for advanced instrumental students. Balwyn High School has a record as one of Victoria’s highest-achieving providers of VCE Music Studies. The school also enters many students each year for examination through the Australian Music Examinations Board.
There is a strong emphasis on classic and jazz styles - Balwyn High School has excelled in these styles for many years. The best in contemporary music is integrated into the curriculum.
Ensembles and Choir
There is a great variety of ensembles which rehearse regularly and run for the whole year.
The ensembles are:
- four orchestras (Junior, Intermediate and Senior), and a Symphony Orchestra
- five concert bands, each with a membership of 40-50 students
- three stage bands (Junior, Intermediate and Senior)
- three choirs (Concert Choir, Intermediate Choir and Junior Choir)
- chamber and contemporary music groups which rehearse regularly. These include: string quartets; a percussion ensemble; small contemporary, jazz and vocal ensembles; brass and flute ensembles
A multitude of performing opportunities is available for all ensembles in the school. Ensembles, from junior to senior, perform in a wide variety of venues and may undertake interstate and overseas tours.
Balwyn High School participates fully in many competitive festivals. Results in recent years confirm Balwyn High School as one of Victoria’s leading music schools when compared to both government and private schools.
CLASSROOM MUSIC PROGRAM
Balwyn High School has one of the most extensive classroom programs in Victoria. The program focuses on singing, music technology, composition/arrangement and the understanding of music styles. The school’s skilled and energetic classroom music teachers deliver a stimulating and imaginative curriculum.
Acceleration for musically talented students commences in Year 8. From Year 9, students with a greater interest in contemporary music take Music elective subjects. Students more interested in classical styles embark on accelerated VCE Music Performance studies.
For VCE studies in Music, students can select from:
- Solo Performance
- Group Performance
- Music Styles
VCE Music teachers have great expertise and standing in the music education community.
All Years 7-9 students sing in the 900-voice choir that performs at the school’s end-of-year Presentation Night held in Hamer Hall at the Victorian Art Centres. Over recent years, Balwyn High School has gained a reputation for putting on the most spectacular and musically outstanding Presentation Night in town!
MUSICAL PRODUCTION
The Theatre Arts Department and the Music Department combine to stage regular musical productions, drawing talent from the whole school and providing memorable experiences for large numbers of students.
In 2005, the Music Faculty staged a production of Henry Purcell’s baroque opera masterpiece, Dido and Aeneas.
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