Music

General information
Mrs Kaye Timms
Phone: 9377 9280
Email: music@ggs.wa.edu.au

Full list of staff contacts

“We are the Music Makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” – Rohald Dahl

At Guildford Grammar Preparatory School, playing music in groups offers children unique opportunities to connect with their peers while experiencing the world in new physical, cultural, and social ways together. They will listen, move, read, and interact in new ways.

Our aim is to provide students with opportunities to internalise musical understanding and then provide opportunities for students to share their ideas through performance and creation. The environment will be process-focused and active.

Year 2 String program
The Year 2 String program gives each student the experience of learning an orchestral string instrument as a part of the Music classroom curriculum. Each student will be provided with an orchestral string instrument (violin, viola, cello or double bass) for the year. Students participate in a weekly small group instrumental lesson and one ensemble class per week.

The program includes:

• Tuition for the duration of the program by specialist string staff.
• Free hire of a violin, viola. cello or double bass and string accessories (such as a shoulder rest for the full year).
• One 30-minute group lesson per week. Group lessons are conducted during school hours with no more than three students per group. Where possible lessons are scheduled to avoid core teaching times.
• Performance afternoons twice a year for parents. Classroom music reports twice a year.

STRETCH Music – the opportunity to join the Poco Pizzicato Ensemble in the co-curricular program.

The Music in Action classroom program for students in Year 3-6
In the classroom, Music in Action offers students the opportunity to be immersed in music performance and creation. They will read, move, play, perform and create their own music.

This is done through a combination of experiential (playing) lessons and lessons concentrating on the building blocks of composition and creation.

Music in Action program – Year 3-4
The Music in Action program starts in Year 3, exposing students to music through a combination of Ukelele, Percussion, Vocal and a specialist String option for those students continuing with Strings. 

Music in Action program – Year 5-6
The Year 5-6 Music in Action program involves a minimum of one Music in Action lesson per week in the student’s area of choice with a specialist music teacher.

The choices are:

Stream One –  Strings: offered to students who already play the violin, viola, cello or double bass.

Stream Two –  Woodwind/Brass: offered to students who would like to learn a brass or woodwind instrument. Instruments offered are the flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet or trombone.  Numbers are limited for each of these instruments and can be chosen through the Clipboard Portal.

Stream Three – Rhythm: offered to students who already play guitar, or who would like to learn ukelele or percussion. Includes unpitched percussion (djembes, congos, snaredrum) and pitched percussion (xylophone. metallophone, glockenspiel).

Stream Four – Vocal: offered to students who love to express themselves through singing.

The Year 5-6 Music in Action program also includes: Free hire of an instrument, if required, plus instrumental accessories and free group lessons in the woodwind and brass streams.  Individual lessons can be booked and paid for as a part of the greater Instrumental Music program on the Clipboard Portal.

Classroom music reports twice a year.

Please note that music books for students, ordered by the tutor, and the performance uniform are not included in the program and will be placed as a music levy on your sundries account if they are required.

For more information, please contact Ms Madeleine Wheeler (madeleine.wheeler@ggs.wa.edu.au), Coordinator of Preparatory School Music.

How do I enrol or cancel enrolment for individual music lessons?
Enrolling in instrumental music lessons and/or ensembles is now done through the Clipboard Portal. This is a quick and easy way to see all options and enrol in the activities best for you.

https://service.ggs.wa.edu.au/support/solutions/articles/76000036103

How many lessons do I get per semester?
You will sign up for and receive 16 lessons per semester.  This amount has devised to allow up to four lessons to be ‘missed’ without any financial ramifications (this includes activities and events such as sports carnivals, camps, excursions, tours and exam periods that clash with scheduled lessons).

Do I pay for lessons I miss?
In most cases, yes. We require a minimum of 48 hours to reschedule or cancel a lesson. If you just do not show, your tutor still needs to be paid for the time spent awaiting your arrival.

How do I find my instrumental/ensemble timetable?
All scheduling is done via the Clipboard Portal and your timetable updated with all lessons and rehearsals in real time.  This will also assist you in detecting and dealing with any clashes.

I have a Music Scholarship, how do I enrol?
You will still enrol in instrumental lessons and ensembles through the Clipboard Portal. The choices offered to you have had the scholarship applied. Please refer to your Scholarship offer to see the instrument to choose.

What do I do if I wish to change instruments rather than cancel enrolment?
If you wish to change instrument we ask that you contact the School of Music by emailing music@ggs.wa.edu.au and we will be happy to assist you.

Will I receive a refund if I do not receive my yearly lesson quota?
Yes, we keep a detailed record of lessons received.  Any credit required will be provided through the Clipboard Portal to be used for payment against another activity.  This does not have to be music related activities.

I have missed the closing date for lessons and ensembles, is there anything I can do?
Yes, please contact the School of Music by emailing music@ggs.wa.edu.au and we will be happy to assist you.

Getting there
Pre-Primary to Year 2 students are individually collected from classroom and taken back to the classroom by the instrumental tutor. Students in Year 3-12 are responsible for getting themselves to and from their lesson.

Locations
See maps here.

What to bring to Music lessons

Musical instrument (for drum kit lessons – drum sticks; for guitars – guitar picks and capos).

Theory and music books

Music Diary – given to each student (complimentary)

Music books and instrument accessories
Music books and necessary accessories (such as strings, oil, reeds, shoulder rests, resin etc.) will be ordered for you by the instrumental tutor and the cost added to your school account.

Communication and feedback
Each student is issued with a Music Record Book in which they will record with their teacher what has been studied in the lesson, as well as what should be covered in their practise for that week.
Instrumental reports are written twice yearly and are included in your child’s semester reports.
If you have any queries, music teachers and tutors can both be reached via email.

Currently the School of Music has over 30 ensembles spread across the two campuses. catering for all types of and sizes of ensemble. From the ‘Rockface’ rock band in Prep all the way to the 55-piece Guildford Grammar Symphony Orchestra, there is a performance opportunity available and fitting for each and every student. Whether your preference is choral music, rock music, classical music or jazz, we have it all!

Clipboard Portal

All performing groups wear one of the two music performance uniforms:

Formal Performance Uniform:

• black performance shirt (available from the Clothing Shop)
• black trousers or skirt
• black, formal shoes
• brightly coloured socks

Casual/Touring uniforms

• Cultural Performance shirt (available from the Clothing Shop)
• GGS Tracksuit pants and GGS Sports jacket (if applicable)
• GGS Sports socks
• White sport shoes

Timetables

Instrumental lessons are timetabled and available to access on the Clipboard Portal.
Preparatory School and Senior School timetables are available on the Clipboard Portal.
Email your child’s tutor with any questions regarding timetabling.

Lesson times
While every effort is made to minimise disruption of the academic timetable, specific requests for lesson times are generally not possible due to the time constraints of our visiting tutors. Where possible, a small number of out-of-school instrumental lessons are arranged and are subject to the availability of tutors. These are normally reserved for Year 11-12 ATAR Music students.

Multiple instruments
If students are taking lessons for more than one instrument, academic classes will always take priority in terms of scheduling. A third instrument can only be learned if direct permission is received from the Director of Music.

Missed lessons
The instrumental program allows for 32 lessons throughout the year. This amount has been devised to allow up to six lessons to be ‘missed’ without any financial ramifications (this covers activities and events such as sports carnivals, camps, excursions, tours and exam periods that clash with scheduled lessons). As such, missed lessons will not be ‘made up’, and we will attempt to ensure that 32 lessons are completed by the end of the year.

Please note the following:

Missed lessons due to circumstances such as extended family holidays are forfeited and will not be made up. Instrumental tutors are contracted for the full year. These lessons will therefore be forfeit.

If your child is sick, you will still be charged for the lesson.

If your child has an ongoing illness or injury, this should be discussed with Music Administration at the earliest possible opportunity to avoid ongoing fees.

If students have assessments, exams or excursions that clash with their music lesson, parents or students are asked to advise the instrumental tutor a minimum of 24 hours before the clash. Students must go to their class assessment, exam or excursion. If possible, the instrument tutor will reschedule the lesson.

If, for some reason, the instrumental tutor is unable to attend a lesson then you will either be notified in advance, or a notice will be placed on the tutor’s door. Parents are not charged for lessons missed due to tutor absence.

Discontinuing music lessons
One term’s notice is required for cancellation of music lessons, however the semester fee is forfeited with no credit given.  This is done by emailing the School of Music at music@ggs.wa.edu.au where we will be happy to assist.

Hired instruments are to be handed in to your instrumental tutor at the last lesson to avoid further hiring costs.

Storing instruments at school
Senior School – there are instrument storage shelves in the School of Music corridor.
Preparatory School – there is a storage area outside each classroom.

External Examinations / Festivals / Eisteddfods / Competitions
Students can voluntarily register for external music/vocal/theory examinations including, but not limited to, Australian Music Examinations board (AMEB), ABRSM and Trinity College, London. Tutors can encourage students to enter eisteddfods, music competitions, festivals etc. throughout the year. Please note that if events have entry fees and accompanist fees applicable these must be honoured by parents/guardians.

Practice for Boarders
Boarders have been given access to practice rooms. Please email music@ggs.wa.edu.au to organise the booking of rooms before and after school,
at recess or lunch.