Music Performance
The School of Music opened in St Andrew's House in 2001 to cater for the increased number of students and performance groups within the School. The facilities include music classrooms, keyboard laboratory, group practise rooms plus individual tuition rooms as well as staff areas and instrument storage. Orchestal and choral practises are held in the Fairfax Music Room.
The Music Department comprises five permanent staff along with approximately 26 peripatetic music personnel who provide individual and group music instruction across all instruments and performing abilities. The School engages musicians in residence and commmissions new works for its annual Showcase Concert in the Sydney Town Hall.
Students can perform in 36 individual choral or instrumental groups and ensembles including the Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Orchestra, Stage Band, Elevation Ensemble, four Dixieland Jazz band (senior and junior), Big Band, Girls' Vocal Ensemble, Xylophone Ensemble, Senior Choir, Brass Consort, Chamber Music Ensembles, Guitar Ensembles, Flute Choir (senior and junior), Bass/Cello Ensemble, Junior School Singers, Intermediate Band and the St Andrew's Choir. More than 320 students undertake instrument and/or choral tuition within the School.
The depth of musical talent in St Andrew's is exemplified by the fact that for the 2002 Higher School Certificate 11 Senior College students undertook the demanding Music Extension programme. For the last three years St Andrew's students have been selected to perform in the Encore Concert at the Sydney Opera House, a concert featuring the State's most talented Year 12 HSC musicians.
The School's Head of Music and Performing Arts, Mrs Chris Belshaw, has more than 20 years experience in music development within schools, as well as being a highly competent and talented musician and conductor in her own professional career.
