Music: An Art of the Heart

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Over the course of a weekend, music education took on a different context. Some of the best jazz musicians in the world offered our students incredible performance advice through adjudication, workshops, and concerts.

Artists such as James Morrison, Gordon Goodwin, Darren Percival, and Jazzmeia Horn graced the stage of the Generations in Jazz Festival. They inspired a new generation of musicians to appreciate jazz music and learn the value and freedom of live performance. It is the 27th year of this annual festival of music and for our students and staff; it lived up to its excellent reputation.

On Friday 5 May to Sunday 7 May, music students of the Generations Band travelled to Mount Gambier as the inaugural band to represent Mercedes College in a new stage band division. Nineteen schools from all over Australia performed in Division 4+ (mixed instrumentation). Mercedes students played with clarity and a joyful energy.

They received encouraging feedback from a veteran of jazz performance, Bill Broughton. Bill has 50 years of professional experience as a conductor, producer, author, and trombonist. As the adjudicator of Stage Band Division 4+ he had this valuable advice for our students.

“You play to give your gift away, a listener comes because they don’t do what you do and you complete them by playing and they complete you by listening," said Bill. "Music is an art of the heart not an art of the intellect. Always give your best because that is all that’s required. If you had fun, that’s even better. Make sure it’s always fun, that’s why we play.”

The Generations Band consists of students in Years 9 to 11. I congratulate the following students on their professional representation of the College and their dedication to the music programme: Josh Antony, Amelie Button, Alessio Carrocci, Giulia Carrocci, Joshua Cecere, Alex Cursaru, Adrian Di Ubaldo, Georgina Edwards, Kai Farrer, Jaidan Juanta, Connor Parkes, Antonio Rositano, Michael Samaras, Stephanie Warr and Daniel Young.

I thank Mr Emile Ryjoch, their band director, for guiding their rehearsals, and I thank Mr Anthony Kelly and Mr Dennis Russell for accompanying us on the journey to and from Mount Gambier. I also thank the parents for supporting this inaugural trip and continuing to reinforce the discipline and rigour required of music practice at home.

I strongly encourage any students across the College to take part in an ensemble as we have many more exciting performance opportunities to take part in throughout the year. Please email music@mercedes.catholic.edu.au to express your interest in instrumental lessons or joining a music ensemble.

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Instrumental Staff Profile - Robin Pratt

Guitar Teacher

Your favourite book (the one you are currently reading): 
I just finished reading a book called 2121. Set in the year, um, 2121, it’s written by the neuroscientist Susan Greenfield, who happens to pen some fiction in her spare time. I actually bought it in an op-shop in Burnie whilst on holiday in Tasmania last Christmas holidays. It was a challenging read, but an interesting take on what might be labelled “dystopian literature”, but more centred around scientific and technological advances in shaping societies; not so much the politic-centric worlds portrayed by visionaries like Huxley and Orwell. 

Favourite sporting team: 
I am an absolute cricket fan, so I’ve already got tickets to a day of the day/night Ashes test here in Adelaide later this year. I also get to the SA Redbacks games as often as possible (swing bowler Chadd Sayers is just brilliant) and have been to several (though it’s not my favourite form of the game) of the domestic T20 matches.

A TV show you never miss: 
At the risk of sounding nerdy, I try not to go a week without seeing Media Watch (Monday, ABC1 at 9:20pm). However there are some brilliant animated series that I try to catch an episode of when I’m able (American Dad, Family Guy, the Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, Archer, Adventure Time, just to name a few).

What pets do you have:  
We have 3 baby chickens (do these count as pets?) just 4 weeks old. They are oh so cute. We are keeping them in a protective enclosure in an enclosed deck with a heat-lamp to keep them from freezing on these cold nights we are currently experiencing.

What made you want to become a teacher?
I heard this joke when I was a kid: 'How do you get a guitar player to turn down? You put a chart in front of them.' Yeah I get it; guitar players are notoriously bad readers of music, but they don’t have to be. I’d like to think I’m trying to bust this stereotype and prove that guitarists can be useful musicians, not just “weekend warriors”!

Jennifer Trijo
Coordinator of Music and Performance R-12
jtrijo@mercedes.catholic.edu.au