The Sounds of Music From the Music Classrooms

28 Mar 2024

Catherine McAuley Westmead
Year 7 Music students are learning all about rhythms in their Music classes this semester.

The joyful sounds of music can be heard whenever one walks near the Music classrooms

- whether it be Year 7 students working on their group percussion called ‘STOMP’; Year 8 students learning chords on the guitar; Year 10 students working on their first performance assessment or Year 11 students coming together in a group composition. And lunchtimes are no different with rehearsals taking place for Glee Club, Concert Band, Rock Band and the Senior Vocal Ensemble.

Ms Kate Picone, Leader of Learning Performing Arts, is passionate about the wide range of opportunities students at Catherine McAuley have in performing arts, not just in music but also dance and drama. “We have all our class activities and then we have our co-curricular programs as well which offer dance troupes, drama activities and music ensembles”.

Catherine McAuley Westmead
Year 8 Music are continuing with learning the guitar and are currently learning the chords A, E and D

This semester in Music the Year 7 students have been learning all about rhythms in ‘Exploring Musical Concepts’. The students are currently tackling their first task, ‘STOMP’ where they are composing a 20 bar rhythm based composition with ostinatos, polyrhythms and unison rhythms. “Music at Catherine McAuley starts in Year 7 as we start to build their music skills”, says Ms Picone.

“Some students may have experience playing an instrument or singing in a choir but music as an academic subject is usually quite new to the girls and it is very exciting as a teacher to see the students gradually unpack the knowledge of music, the language of music, how to read it, how to play it, how to put a little piece together and how to create a group piece”.

Year 8 Music students are continuing with learning the guitar, which they began in Year 7, and are currently learning three chords. Ms Picone said the guitar is chosen because it is a good instrument for the students to play in a group. Year 8 student Chloe A. says she enjoys challenging herself and is finding learning the guitar lots of fun.

“I enjoy learning new things so working on our guitar composition this semester with the chords A, E and D, as well as using a number of notes such as crotchets, minims and quaver, has been a challenge I am enjoying”.

Year 8 student Aneira B. says apart from the work she did in Year 7 she hasn’t learnt an instrument before and “finding your tempo can be a bit tricky when you are still finding the beat but practising with Ms Picone and having her as a guide makes it easier”.

At the end of this semester the Years 7 and 8 students will finish their music classes and switch to Visual Arts. Students will have the choice from Year 9 onwards to choose Music as an elective.