2020 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM RECRUITMENT

As some of you may be anticipating, the music staff are now preparing to recruit new strings and band instrumentalists for 2020. The first stage of this process commenced last Tuesday (August 20) when students from Years 2 and 3 sat a music aptitude test with Mrs Easey during classroom music lesson time. Any students who were absent on this day will be provided with the opportunity to sit a make-up test this Friday (August 30). This test is used to determine the strengths/weaknesses of each child’s aural skills and requires children to take note of any similarities or differences in the pitch, rhythm, harmonies and melodies in music that is played to them.  

The data collected from these tests is combined with the semester one Classroom and Classroom Music results to generate a list of students who would be recommended to join the Instrumental Music Program. These students will be sent an invitation/recommendation to attend the Instrumental Music Recruitment Information Night which will be held on Thursday, September 12 at 6pm in the Yeronga State School hall. I must stress that if your child does not receive an invitation to attend the Information Night, it does not automatically mean that your child is ineligible to be accepted into the Instrumental Music Program. You are still more than welcome to attend the Information Night to hear about how the Program operates, to meet our Instrumental Music teachers and to submit a consent form allowing our Instrumental Music teachers to physically test your child out on an instrument.

After the Instrumental Music Recruitment Information Night, students whose parents/guardians have returned consent forms will be physically tested by the Instrumental Music teachers to determine which instrument/s would be the most physically appropriate for each student. Classroom teachers will also be asked to supply information on how reliable, responsible and capable students are and therefore, how they will go with handling the extra workload that learning an instrument brings. Ensemble balance is also carefully considered when allocating instruments and successful students are offered an instrument they are physically and musically best suited to.

Our Instrumental Music teachers are allocated a set number of hours to teach at Yeronga State School from Metropolitan District and therefore enrolment numbers in the Instrumental Music Program are limited and highly sort after. The Department of Education provides funding for students to participate in one program only. Therefore, students who agree to participate in the string program will not be eligible to join the band program. If your child is wanting to join the band program they will need to decline a string offer and wait until year 4. 

Offers of Acceptance into the 2020 Program will be sent out midway through Term 4.

As you can see, this process is rigorous and well-planned. This is because when a child takes a place in the Instrumental Music Program, it is understood that they have agreed to be a member until their graduation in Year 6. Therefore, we aim to select students who are ready, willing and able to undertake this long-term commitment.

Should you have any questions or concerns about this recruitment process, please do not hesitate to come and see me in person or to email me at leeas0@eq.edu.au.

Mrs Tamsyn Eastgate
Strings Teacher

Yours in Music,
Lauren Easey