Ithaca Creek State School is proud to have a vibrant Instrumental Music Program, with over 140 children participating each week in our strings and band programs. They play in one of two bands, two string ensembles or the Year 3 strings group.
All band and string players participate in a weekly 30-minute group lesson plus a 45-or-60-minute string ensemble or band rehearsal. Ensemble playing is an important part of each students learning process, where they practise skills learnt in lessons, and they develop their aural/listening skills. Rehearsals are currently held before school.
We have major music performances in June and November each year, plus assembly performances during the year.
All Ithaca Creek Instrumental Music Program members wear a Music Performance shirt for performances. It is available for purchase from the uniform shop.
Band
Junior Band – beginner players in Year 4
Senior Band – intermediate and advanced players in Years 5 and 6
Strings
Year 3 strings – beginner players in Year 3
Junior Strings – developing players in Year 4
Senior Strings – intermediate and advanced players in Years 5 and 6
Entry
Students undertake a selection process in Year 2 to determine their aptitude for playing a string instrument. In Year 3, students may apply to learn a band (woodwind, brass or percussion) instrument. Following this process, offers to join the instrumental program are made to selected students.
Department funding, together with generous support from our P&C, provides selected children with one small group lesson per week and access to our loan instruments for a year. After the first year, families purchase their own instruments, with the exception of the largest instruments such as double bass and baritone.
Places in the instrumental program are in high demand so once accepted, children are expected to commit till the end of primary school or when they leave ICSS. To ensure continuity and balanced ensembles, students may not start a string instrument and then swap to a band instrument the next year.
Children new to the school may audition and join one of our school ensembles, subject to places being available.
An annual SRS levy plus a hire fee, if hiring a school instrument is payable in Semester One.
Tuition is available on –
String Instruments
- Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass (limited availability)
Band Instruments
- Woodwind – Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone
- Brass – Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium/Baritone
- Percussion – All percussion students play a variety of tuned and untuned instruments