Tuart Forest Primary has a Specialist Music teacher as well as a purpose built Music Room and performance area with a stage. Our school offers a dynamic and inclusive programme that engages all students working collaboratively as musicians with listening, composing and performing. Exploration of other music styles, cultures and our own indigenous music is included. The Music programme uses a spiral model where concepts, processes and strategies are explored in increasingly complex ways according to the student’s development.
The Programme
Students learn how to sing, dance and play instruments such as the ukulele, djembe, recorder, marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel as well as un-tuned percussion. Dance and movement are integral to the Music programme with some dances that are taught being included in our discos so that all students can participate successfully during these occasions. The program is aimed at making Music enjoyable, engaging and attractive while teaching all the Elements of Music. The local Noongar indigenous culture has been our main focus.
Our belief is that all students can learn to sing and play an instrument successfully and that Music is to be enjoyed while enhancing and expressing creativity and enriching our lives.
Choir
Our School Choir members are selected from an audition for students in Years 3 and 4. In the future as our school grows, we may have more than one. Students in Years 4 and 5 in particular are very keen on participating in a Choir. The Choir enables students to sing a variety of songs learning to sing in parts, in harmony and often includes movement. Our Choir has been given several opportunities during the year to perform at a range of special school and community events and it is well received by audiences.
Instrumental programme
We are lucky to have two instrumental programmes offered at our school: Brass and Clarinet. These specialist lessons are held in school time with visiting teachers. Students in Year 4 complete an aptitude test and selected students are then offered instrumental lessons for Year 5s and 6 and beyond. Several performance opportunities are presented each year.
Music Count Us In
This is a National programme we have eagerly participated in each year since our school opened in 2013. It involves the entire school performing the one song, on the same day, at the same time as over 600,000 students from around Australia. We develop a school band comprising students and teachers, our Choir, the specialist instrumental students and over 500 student/staff singers. One of the highlights of each year!
Additionally
We acknowledge important community events such as ANZAC day, with a whole school ceremony. We regularly invite visiting performers, engage in workshops in other cultures and specialist dance troupes and other community events. Our class assemblies are held in weeks 3,6 and 9, opening with Welcome To Country and the National Anthem followed by WANJOO our local Noongar Welcome Song. All of the school and wider community are welcome to experience these fabulous performances.
