Term 3 Music Wrap Up

What an incredible term it has been for Penrhos musicians! With an action-packed calendar and stellar performances across our entire ensemble program, there has certainly been a great buzz in the air for Music.

Kicking off the term on a high note, Penrhos took to the stage at the AJEA Jazz Festival with outstanding performances from our senior band, Coltrane Jazz, and an impressive debut from this year’s Basie Band. Penrhos musicians also represented the College alongside Wesley College students in the combo band, The Messengers.

It was then our littlest musicians’ time to shine with a delightful K to1 Teatime Concert. These newest Penrhos performers showed confidence and resilience, preparing their music and giving magical performances for an enthusiastic audience of friends and family.

Following this excellent start to the term’s festivities, Penrhos’ String Orchestra and Camerata Strings performed at the ABODA Band and Orchestra Festival, both achieving “Outstanding” for their incredible performances. The Penrhos Wind Orchestra, featuring 71 students across Years 7–12, presented a diverse program of music, earning a fantastic “Excellent” for their performance.

Jazz musicians were in the spotlight once again in Week 4 at our annual Jazz @ the Llew Woodford. With the venue transformed into a dimly lit, vibrant jazz club, the audience enjoyed fantastic performances from Coltrane Jazz, Basie Band, Vox, and F Sharp, while sharing dinner and conversation with fellow music lovers. This event is always a highlight on the music calendar, and this year’s was a shining success!

In Week 5, Penrhos Wind Orchestra was fortunate to host a workshop and combined concert with the internationally renowned Eltham Senior High School Symphonic Band. Penrhos performed for the Eltham students, enjoyed hearing their outstanding ensemble, and then joined in a combined workshop led by band director Rick Keenan. The collaboration culminated in a community concert in the Rixon Theatre, an inspiring experience that greatly enriched our young musicians.

Our rock bands, F Sharp and Crashing Out, then hit the road for fantastic performances at the Dowerin Field Days. Sharing the stage with school bands from all around Perth, students had a wonderful opportunity to perform for a wider community and build connections with like-minded peers.

As the latter half of the term drew nearer, the focus shifted to our Year 12 musicians. Performing their ATAR examination repertoire, these phenomenal musos presented their final recital in the College Chapel to an audience of close friends and family. It was a moving evening, celebrating their hard work and marking a memorable farewell for our Music ATAR leavers.

That same weekend, our Junior School musicians shone at the Junior School Music Eisteddfod. This incredible day showcased performances on all instruments, celebrating music in its many forms. The positivity, joy, and love of performance radiating from our students was heart-warming, as was the enthusiastic support they gave each other. Congratulations to all our courageous performers for giving their best!

Junior School ensembles weren’t done yet! During the following week, they took the stage at the ABODA Band and Orchestra Festival. Penrhos Junior Strings and Junior Wind Orchestra impressed the judges with their excellent performances. Congratulations to all these talented young musicians, your dedication and hard work throughout the year have been outstanding!

Music Gala Night marked the grand finale of Term 3’s performance season. A favourite of the Music Department and Secondary School musicians, this event featured every ensemble from Years 7–12. AmplifyHER, the theme of this year’s Gala, celebrated iconic women in music, past and present, while also spotlighting our own Penrhos stars making waves in their communities. From the rocking pre-show set by PenRock to the emotive finale featuring all Year 12 musicians, the evening was spectacularly received. We are so proud of our students for the time and effort they devoted to creating such an unforgettable night of music.

Term 3 was truly spectacular for Music at Penrhos. We are grateful for the ongoing support of students, parents, staff, Friends of Music, the College Foundation, and the College Executive in making this term so memorable for all our musicians. We can’t wait for more fantastic experiences in Term 4!