Being involved in the school’s band program is a lot of fun, a source of enjoyment, a challenge and a commitment. Students will develop skills and attitudes that will last for life.
The Dulwich Hill program consists of two bands: a training band for beginners and a senior band for experienced players. Our bands give performances to the other students at school, to parents & the community at special musical events, and to other schools as part of a school concert program.
There are currently around 60 students participating in the band program.
Who Can Join?
Students can apply for the band program from Year 4 onwards. They do not need any prior musical experience to join the band.
Instruments
The instruments which are included in the school concert bands are:
Trumpet, Trombone, French horn, Euphonium/Baritone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Electric Bass guitar, Glockenspiel, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Percussion/Drums.
The school owns many of these instruments and they are available for hire. Parents can also hire or buy instruments from local or online suppliers.
How do I Choose an Instrument?
In Term 4, a band information evening is held with a student demonstration of each of the instrument groups. Students from year 4 and above are offered three instrument choices for rent and the band leader will make all efforts to accommodate student instrument preferences and will allocate school owned instruments according to availability and suitability. There may be limitations on what instruments children can play, due to their hand size or arm length.
Students are notified of their instrument allocation by the band leader via email.
If you did not able to attend the band information evening and would like to play or have your own instrument, please contact the Band Director Martin Taylor.
Band Director Biography – Martin Taylor
Martin Taylor is a graduate from The Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He has been directing bands and taking instrument tutorials since 1998. He has taught high school class music in schools in Sydney and London as well as working at the Australian Institute of Music for five years and being a guest lecturer and tutor at The University of Western Sydney.
Martin currently runs the band programs at two inner west Public Schools and also performs with Musica Viva group ‘Zeeko’ as well as directing four Latin American bands in Sydney.
Martin performs regularly on Trombone, Bass guitar and Percussion and has been a tutor and band director at Dulwich Hill Public School since 2012.
Weekly Sectional Rehearsals and Band Practice
The Band Program will run on Wednesday afternoons from 3:15 until 5pm. It consists of two sessions: a whole band practice and sectional rehearsals.
Whole band practice is where the whole band rehearses together with their conductor, either the senior or junior band.
Sectional Rehearsals are run by tutors hired by the school and occur in smaller groups. The tuition groups are based on ‘sections’ of similar instruments. These group lessons provide the basis for learning how to play the instrument and to practise the tunes that the whole band is currently learning.
Expectations
It does not really matter which instrument a child plays, as they will learn how to read music and play in a group. In practical terms, it will mean that students will undertake to practise their instrument at least 3 times a week for about 10 -20 minutes per practice.
Parent support is essential. They will need somewhere in the house away from distractions (especially TV) to practise. Students will have to commit themselves to “sticking with the Band” for at least one year. It is not just having talent, it is about daily will power to achieve what you set out to do.