School Band
History of the the School Band
Leichhardt Public School Band is now in it’s 14th year of music making. Our bands have a total of 94 musicians – 64 members in the concert band and 30 members in the training band. Our bands perform at numerous competitions and festivals, attend camps and travel on tours. It is amazing to see how the program has grown from its very small beginnings in 1992 – from little things big things have certainly grown.
At the end of 1992, a small group of parents and the Principal, MaryAnn Campbell, applied to the NSW Department of Education and Training to join the School Band Program. The school was accepted in 1993 and was supplied with a bandmaster for 2 years and loaned a number of instruments. The school had to guarantee to provide a teacher who was interested in music to help supervise the program. Over the next couple of years the parent group and the school worked extremely hard to establish the band program in the school - our first band only had 9 members.
After the initial 2-year period the LPS program was on its own. The instruments initially loaned to the school had to be returned and our own bandmaster employed. In order to purchase the instruments, music and stands necessary to make the program viable the parents embarked on a huge fundraising drive and managed to buy the necessary equipment. At this time we were also very fortunate to obtain the services of Jock Heath – a well known and respected conductor who helped guide the band program until the end of 2005.
Since 1995, the band program has been overseen by the bandmaster and administered by an enthusiastic parent committee who undertake numerous activities. From 1995 to 2005 under the tutelage of Jock Heath the band grew steadily and its reputation began to grow in the music community. n 1999 the LPS Concert Band won a finals place in the City of Sydney Eisteddford – the very first time that a public primary school band from ‘south of the Harbour Bridge’ had attained such a position.
Senior Band 2007
Senior Band 2009
In 2003 James Reid became the Principal of Leichhardt Public School – he took a very active interest in the band program and was instrumental in setting up the string program with a group of talented parents in 2005. The number of members in our band program is now the largest since its inception and between our band and string programs approximately a third of our students are participating in some form of musicianship.
In 2006 we welcomed Simon Bartlett as our new bandmaster who is another well respected conductor and musician. The parent band committee put forward the idea of a weekend band camp to Simon who enthusiastically embraced the idea. Our first senior band camp took place over two days in June at the Baden Powell Scout Centre in West Pennant Hills and was a huge success, both musically and from a fun aspect! Flushed with success the band committee organised this years band camp at the Collaroy Conference Centre and included the training band for the day – this too proved to be very popular. The committee has now decided to set down the last weekend in term one as the band camp weekend as we feel that the children gain so much from it.
Our Principal, James Reid also organised another exciting event in 2006 – the first senior band tour. This took place in November over three days as he took the children to six schools in the Hunter Region to perform. It was a wonderful opportunity for our children to see smaller country schools as well as join Maitland Public School for a band workshop. A second tour of the Hunter Valley was organised in 2007 and our first tour of the Central West was held in 2008. This tour was quite successful and motivated a second tour of the Central West in November, 2009 under the guidance of our new band master, Jon Clipsham.
Hunter Valley Band Tour 2006
Hunter Valley Band Tour 2007
Central West Band Tour 2009
Who may join the band?
Our usual intake is from Year 3 and 4. However, if a Year 2 child is already learning an instrument, he or she will certainly be considered. Older children wanting to join may need to have their own instrument, as all the school instruments may have been allocated. After a year in the training Band, the children are auditioned for a place in the concert band.
Why join the band?
(The perspective of a parent)
‘I want to join the band!’ exclaims your child. While you react with joy and pride, or perhaps bemusement and disbelief, your thoughts may run to any of the following:
‘I used to play. Great! It’s something we can do together.’
‘I don’t know a thing about music. What if my child has my
unmusical genes?
'How will I ever help him/her?’
‘How much will this cost?’
‘What about school work?’
‘I hope it’s not the !!!!!!!!!!!! That instrument is too
big/loud/squeakly/scratchy!’
Training Band 2007
Training Band 2009
So what are the benefits of learning an instrument and being in a band?
• As a group activity, it helps develop social and life skills such as cooperation, patience
and tolerance, and provides the opportunity to make new friends with a common interest.
• Children in band often find their self-esteem and confidence increase as they master a new skill.
• Performing as a group, the children can earn the recognition and respect of their peers,and they can do it in the relative safety of the group rather than having to do it on their own.
• It helps develop motor coordination.
• It provides the opportunity to learn another language that transcends culture, age, race and socio-economic status, which they can take with them and use through life.
• Through music, children acquire a creative and expressive outlet which can enhance emotional development.
• It provides them and you with proof that they can make a commitment and follow through with it.
• It provides them with great opportunities to perform.
Leichhardt Public School Band is now in it’s 14th year of music making. Our bands have a total of 94 musicians – 64 members in the concert band and 30 members in the training band. Our bands perform at numerous competitions and festivals, attend camps and travel on tours. It is amazing to see how the program has grown from its very small beginnings in 1992 – from little things big things have certainly grown.
At the end of 1992, a small group of parents and the Principal, MaryAnn Campbell, applied to the NSW Department of Education and Training to join the School Band Program. The school was accepted in 1993 and was supplied with a bandmaster for 2 years and loaned a number of instruments. The school had to guarantee to provide a teacher who was interested in music to help supervise the program. Over the next couple of years the parent group and the school worked extremely hard to establish the band program in the school - our first band only had 9 members.
After the initial 2-year period the LPS program was on its own. The instruments initially loaned to the school had to be returned and our own bandmaster employed. In order to purchase the instruments, music and stands necessary to make the program viable the parents embarked on a huge fundraising drive and managed to buy the necessary equipment. At this time we were also very fortunate to obtain the services of Jock Heath – a well known and respected conductor who helped guide the band program until the end of 2005.
Since 1995, the band program has been overseen by the bandmaster and administered by an enthusiastic parent committee who undertake numerous activities. From 1995 to 2005 under the tutelage of Jock Heath the band grew steadily and its reputation began to grow in the music community. n 1999 the LPS Concert Band won a finals place in the City of Sydney Eisteddford – the very first time that a public primary school band from ‘south of the Harbour Bridge’ had attained such a position.
Senior Band 2007
Senior Band 2009
In 2003 James Reid became the Principal of Leichhardt Public School – he took a very active interest in the band program and was instrumental in setting up the string program with a group of talented parents in 2005. The number of members in our band program is now the largest since its inception and between our band and string programs approximately a third of our students are participating in some form of musicianship.
In 2006 we welcomed Simon Bartlett as our new bandmaster who is another well respected conductor and musician. The parent band committee put forward the idea of a weekend band camp to Simon who enthusiastically embraced the idea. Our first senior band camp took place over two days in June at the Baden Powell Scout Centre in West Pennant Hills and was a huge success, both musically and from a fun aspect! Flushed with success the band committee organised this years band camp at the Collaroy Conference Centre and included the training band for the day – this too proved to be very popular. The committee has now decided to set down the last weekend in term one as the band camp weekend as we feel that the children gain so much from it.
Our Principal, James Reid also organised another exciting event in 2006 – the first senior band tour. This took place in November over three days as he took the children to six schools in the Hunter Region to perform. It was a wonderful opportunity for our children to see smaller country schools as well as join Maitland Public School for a band workshop. A second tour of the Hunter Valley was organised in 2007 and our first tour of the Central West was held in 2008. This tour was quite successful and motivated a second tour of the Central West in November, 2009 under the guidance of our new band master, Jon Clipsham.
Hunter Valley Band Tour 2006
Hunter Valley Band Tour 2007
Central West Band Tour 2009
Who may join the band?
Our usual intake is from Year 3 and 4. However, if a Year 2 child is already learning an instrument, he or she will certainly be considered. Older children wanting to join may need to have their own instrument, as all the school instruments may have been allocated. After a year in the training Band, the children are auditioned for a place in the concert band.
Why join the band?
(The perspective of a parent)
‘I want to join the band!’ exclaims your child. While you react with joy and pride, or perhaps bemusement and disbelief, your thoughts may run to any of the following:
‘I used to play. Great! It’s something we can do together.’
‘I don’t know a thing about music. What if my child has my
unmusical genes?
'How will I ever help him/her?’
‘How much will this cost?’
‘What about school work?’
‘I hope it’s not the !!!!!!!!!!!! That instrument is too
big/loud/squeakly/scratchy!’
Training Band 2007
Training Band 2009
So what are the benefits of learning an instrument and being in a band?
• As a group activity, it helps develop social and life skills such as cooperation, patience
and tolerance, and provides the opportunity to make new friends with a common interest.
• Children in band often find their self-esteem and confidence increase as they master a new skill.
• Performing as a group, the children can earn the recognition and respect of their peers,and they can do it in the relative safety of the group rather than having to do it on their own.
• It helps develop motor coordination.
• It provides the opportunity to learn another language that transcends culture, age, race and socio-economic status, which they can take with them and use through life.
• Through music, children acquire a creative and expressive outlet which can enhance emotional development.
• It provides them and you with proof that they can make a commitment and follow through with it.
• It provides them with great opportunities to perform.