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Performing arts students get a UNE experience

April 21, 2006


Marching Show BandThe Hunter School of Performing Arts concluded a whirlwind east-coast tour with a visit to The University of New England this week. The talented high school tour party comprised 134 people: 117 gifted young musicians, 12 parents and five staff.

“With a large proportion of the students in Years 11 and 12, the visit to UNE provided a timely insight into life and university study in a regional, inland city,” said Hunter School of Performing Arts music teacher, Kylie Gardner.

“We have our Stage Band, Senior Choir, and Marching Show Band on tour,” Mrs Gardner said. “Each performance is beneficial for the development of the kids, musically and professionally. It’s been a gruelling tour, but they have gained a great deal from every concert and every location they’ve visited.

“We left Newcastle on the Tuesday 11 March and performed at The Catholic Club in Coffs Harbour that night. The 12th saw us performing in Goonellabah (Lismore) to primary school children. The highlights for many of the kids were the 13th and 14th, when they performed at Dreamworld and Sea World, respectively. On the 15th they performed at South Bank, Brisbane. Still in Brisbane on the 16th, they competed in the Australian National Bands Championships, which occurs in a different capital city each year. We compete in the championships every year, unless Perth is chosen as the host city, which is logistically prohibitive for us.”

“Our Senior Concert Band came fourth in the Junior A Section, and our Intermediate Band came first in the Junior B Section,” she added. “We’re really proud of our performance in the ‘Nationals’ and our tour as a whole.

“On Tuesday 18 March our Marching Show Band performed in Armidale’s Curtis Park and we staged a concert in the Armidale Ex-Services Club that night. Both shows were free to the public.

“We came here because it was a different environment to the rest of our tour, which was coastal or metropolitan. Plus, as a former UNE student, I knew this would be a great opportunity for them to check out a country centre and a regional university. Following the concert, the kids got their first taste of college life, spending the night at Robb College, after more than a week of dormitory style accommodation. The tour of UNE included an introductory lecture on studies at the University, a Theatre Studies workshop, and tours of the Library and Sport UNE facilities.”

Lead clarinettist in the Marching and Junior A Concert Bands, Year 12 student Justine Williams, was inspired by what she saw at UNE. “My year adviser suggested UNE to me but I hadn’t seriously considered it until now,” Justine said. “Coming from the Hunter region, I’ve gone through Newcastle University with my big sister and found it so big and daunting. It felt scary going from a small performing arts school to being a small speck in a huge institution. I’d never been here before; it seems a lot friendlier and more personal than the city universities.”

The photograph displayed here shows the Hunter School of Performing Arts Marching Show Band in action. Click on image to enlarge.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at April 21, 2006 02:19 PM