Gunnedah Conservatorium hosted AMEB vocal and woodwind exams at the end of the school holidays, with eleven students presenting examination material. All students conducted themselves professionally and all students were successful in passing their exams.
In Musical Theatre Grade 1 Susie Bell and Rebecca Sams were both awarded A+ High Distinction. Hayley Munro sitting from Musical Theatre Grade 4 was awarded A Honours. Corinne Wise who sat Music Theatre Grade 2 was awarded B+ credit.
Chloe Elsley sitting Musical Theatre Grade 2 and Kaitlyn Macaulay sitting Musical Theatre Grade 4 also successfully passed their exam.
This year we had four adult candidates sitting exams. Meg Clowes was awarded B Credit in Musical Theatre Comprehensive Certificate of Performance. This involved Ms Clowes presenting a 30min program of music. Ingrid Allen-Thomas and Dominic Goodwin Hauck both presented a program for Musical Theatre Grade 5 with Ms Allen-Thomas awarded a B Credit and Mr Goodwin-Hauck B+ Credit. Director Rebecca Ryan also decided to sit an exam to give her a greater understanding of the process when talking to students and families and was awarded A Honours in Musical Theatre Grade 1.
“It was an interesting process to pick these three songs from musicals and then to interpret them for the exam. The Musical Theatre syllabus is very exiting because there is scope for young singers but also for mature voices,” said Ms Ryan.
“I now have a greater understanding of how technical work and preparation of pieces are related and I found putting in the work and getting a good result extremely rewarding.”
In relation to woodwind exams Gunnedah Conservatorium student Julian Heath was successful in passing his Grade 2 exam. Gunnedah Conservatorium hosted a full morning of AMEB woodwind exams in the Town Hall with students travelling from Tamworth and Narrabri to sit face-to-face exams. It was wonderful to welcome these students and their families and teachers to Gunnedah.
Visiting teachers Val Godden and Rosemary Smith were pleased to be able to offer their students face-to-face exams instead of the video alternative, with Ms Smith writing, “Thanks so much for use of venue. Such lovely acoustics I’m keen to return.”
“We understand there was some flow-on benefit to the local community too with parents taking the opportunity to buy lunch and visit our local shops,” said Ms Ryan.
“Next year we would hope to see more students from our woodwind studio taking on exams but we were very happy to host a significant number of out of town students this year.”
Twenty-two students will sit their AMEB Piano Exams on Tuesday 20 October. This is the largest cohort of students put forward for exams in recent years and we wish them all the best when their present their exam program in The Civic next week.
We have some limited places available for Individual Tuition for Term 4. We offer weekly tuition in a range of disciplines, including piano, guitar, woodwind, drums and vocals. We can also organise for tuition via video conference for classical strings and other disciplines.
For school children we accept the NSW Creative Kids Voucher. All school students in NSW are elgible for this voucher. Vouchers expire at the end of the year so talk to us now about which lessons and programs you can access at the Gunnedah Conservatorium.
Join us for term 4 by calling 6742 3998
STUDENT ABSENCES: If your child is going to be away from their scheduled lesson or you need to request a change to their lesson it is important that you contact the Gunnedah Conservatorium office and not the teacher direct.
While many families have the direct number of their child’s teacher and it seems as though this would be the most direct way to advise of a student absence, many of our teachers have other work and family commitments outside of their employment and it is not fair on them to be receiving messages and requests during the evening or while on the clock at their other job.
You can call 6742 3998 (please leave a message if the call goes to voice mail) text 0488 868 785 or email admin@gunnedahconservatorium.com
We will pass the message on to the teacher, see if a make-up can be arranged (if appropriate) and see if we can accommodate your request.