It has been a great start to the year making music in the UPS Music Room. Each class in the school attends a one hour music lesson with me during the week. My big focus for the year so far has been getting all the students to learn the correct names for instruments in the music room. Do you know what a kokoriko, guiro or shekere is? Why don’t you ask your children!

The R-2 students sing a greeting song when they start each music lesson. Their lessons are always practical with singing, movement and instrument playing. Students across the year levels have all been learning a different chant. They have explored speaking, using body percussion and playing the rhythm of the chant on non-melodic percussion instruments. Later in the term, students will be improvising using the xylophones and working in groups to come up with performances.

The Unley Primary School Choir comprises of students in Year 6/7. Students learn a set repertoire of songs ready for a concert at the Festival Theatre in Term 3. The choir is not compulsory and students do not have to audition. I am very excited that this year there are 41 students giving choir a go. The choir rehearses each Friday from 12-1pm with myself and accompanist Felicity Williams. Choir is a lot of fun and there are lots of skills that students will acquire during the year.

Instrumental Music lessons are underway for the year with 115 students from years 3 – 7 enrolled to learn an instrument at school. We have 7 teachers as part of the Instrumental Music Team –

Ian Seaborn – Department Classical Guitar
Anne Rodda – Department Strings (Violin, Viola & Cello)
Stephanie Pols – Flute/Clarinet
Matt Walters – Guitar
Michelangelo Micelli – Drums
Lydia Burford – Piano
Alex Roose – Voice

Susan Marshall
Music Teacher