Music
Music is woven deeply into the cultural life at De La Salle.
Ensembles
We have an extensive collection of ensembles, including three concert bands (junior, intermediate and senior), a stage band and choir. We also have dedicated brass, saxophone, woodwind, percussion, guitar and string ensembles. There are countless opportunities for students to perform; weekly lunchtime concerts, ACC Music Days and the triennial ACC Concert at Hamer Hall, the school musical orchestra, numerous school concerts and recitals and performances at assemblies, Masses and other official school functions. The highlight of each year in Music is the annual Music Tour, which visits a different area of regional Victoria every winter. Weekly ensemble rehearsals are a core component to successful music learning. Students learning instruments in the Instrumental Music Program are encouraged to join one of the many ensembles that rehearse weekly.
Music Classroom Program: Years 5 – 12
An integral part of our Music Program is the universal Music Classroom Program for every student in Years 5 – 7. De La Salle College is very proud of this well-resourced and established program which delivers our students the best possible start in Music Education. Instruments are provided at no additional cost to parents from Years 5 — 7.
Year 5
Students receive expert tuition throughout the school year, learning in small groups, spending one term on each of the following instruments – flute, clarinet, trumpet and trombone. They learn the fundamentals of good tone production, and play their first tunes.
Year 6
Students receive expert tuition throughout the school year, learning in small groups, spending the year focussing upon one of the instruments studied in Year 5. Students build upon their skills, develop a fundamental understanding of musical notation and develop their connection to Music as an expressive art form.
Year 7
At Year 7, students experience the thrill and excitement of participating in a class concert band. Students receive expert tuition throughout a semester, learning in small groups on an instrument of their choice, with the instruments offered including Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Bass Guitar and Percussion. With every Year 7 class taught simultaneously by five expert musicians, De La Salle possesses a first-class Year 7 Music program.
Year 8
Year 8 students explore digital music making techniques through a series of highly engaging creative compositional tasks, utilising professional music production software and recording equipment. Students broaden their musical awareness of classical, jazz and popular musical genres through directed listening and responding activities, and experience the vitality of musical improvisation through guitar and piano performance, supported by further studies in fundamental music theory.
Years 9 and 10
From Year 9 Music becomes an elective, with students in Years 9 and 10 participating in a range of practical activities that develop their skills as both a solo and group performer on their chosen instrument or voice. Students continue to develop their understanding of music theory and aural skills, using music notation software to write (and perform) original musical compositions and arrangements. Students prepare a solo recital and develop music analysis skills, in preparation for VCE Music.
VCE Music
De La Salle provides an excellent education for high-level musicians by delivering separate Year 11 and 12 classes for Music Performance. Students are supported in both the practical and theoretical aspects of the course with the highest professionalism, leading to consistently strong VCE results.
Private Tuition
Private tuition, at an additional cost, is available to students for the following instruments:
- Bass Guitar
- Cello
- Clarinet
- Double Bass
- Drum kit
- Euphonium
- Flute
- French Horn
- Guitar
- Piano
- Saxophone (Alto & Tenor)
- Trombone
- Trumpet
- Tuba
- Viola
- Violin
- Voice.
Private lessons are taught before and during school hours and are rotated to avoid repeatedly missing the same class.