Music Program
An Overview of the Trinity Grammar Junior Music Program
Classroom Music lessons aim to develop music literacy and performance skills through singing.
- ELC: 1 specialist music lesson per week
- Prep to Year 6: two specialist music lessons per week
Year 1 and 2 students participate in a weekly Choir session.
Students in Year 2 take part in a Strings Program, and receive weekly lessons on violin, viola or cello for one term.
Students in Year 5 take part in an Ensemble Program; please see the details below.
All students may elect to learn an instrument privately. An Instrumental Tuition Application form is available for further information.
Cocurricular Music Ensembles rehearse weekly and perform at a series of concerts throughout the year.
- Stringlets-Years 1 and 2 violin, viola, cello students with music-reading ability
- Stringers-Years 3 and 4 violin, viola, cello and double bass students with music-reading ability
- Suzuki Group classes-Suzuki string players in Years Prep to 6
- Year 3 and 4 Choir (elective)
- Junior School Choir-Years 5 and 6 (auditioned)
- Marles String Orchestra-Year 5 and 6 and advanced Year 4 violin, viola, cello and double bass players.
- Junior Concert Band-Year 5 and 6 and advanced Year 4 woodwind and brass players receiving private tuition
- Junior Jazz Band- selected brass, woodwind and percussion players in Years 5 and 6
- Junior Percussion Ensemble-private percussion students
Year 5 Ensemble Program
Students in Year 5 participate in an instrumental ensemble as part of the Music Program.
Boys who are already learning one of the ensemble instruments will continue to play that instrument in one of the ensemble classes, Woodwind, Brass or Advanced String Ensemble.
Boys who have not yet begun to learn an ensemble instrument will be allocated an instrument upon entry to the program and remain with the same instrument throughout the program.
Instruments that will be included in the Ensemble Program in 2021 are:
- Brass: Trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba
- Woodwind: Flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon
- Strings: Students wishing to play in the String Ensemble must be receiving private lessons on violin, viola or cello, as the majority of boys in the Advanced String Program have been learning for several years.
Boys may begin to learn double bass and will receive tuition separately from the String Ensemble.
Year 5 boys receive one ensemble lesson each week in groups of 8-10 in addition to one voice-based classroom music lesson.
At the beginning of the year, students who are new to the ensemble program and not yet learning an instrument will be given a chance to try each instrument and select 3 that they will be happy to play. Tutors will note the aptitude of each boy on each instrument, taking into account the student’s ability to make a sound on the instrument along with their physical suitability. Instruments will be allocated based on the boys’ choices, aptitude and the availability of instruments as well as the need to create balanced ensembles within each class.
Boys are expected to practise the instrument for 5-10 minutes each day as part of their set classroom homework.
The ensemble classes are a wonderful opportunity for the boys to develop the skills needed to develop basic instrumental skills, read music, follow a conductor and play together. Boys who work consistently throughout the year generally make excellent progress and derive great pleasure in their success and in the joy of making music.
Please contact Susan Searle, Coordinator of Junior Music with any questions about the Junior School Music Program.