The intermediate ensemble follows directly from the beginner program and allows students to use the skills they have developed to learn music in multiple parts and perform with a larger group.
Ensemble highlights
Typically, students will stay with the intermediate ensemble until at least year 4, at which time the more skilled players may audition to transition to the senior group.
- The group rehearses for 1 hour per week after school.
- Performances and workshops both inside and outside the school
- A highlight for term 2 is participation in the Northern Beaches Strings Festival
Northern Beaches Instrumental Festival
The Northern Beaches Instrumental Festival was first held in June 2012 as an afternoon event. Now in its thirteenth year, the Festival has become one of the main performance focuses for Concert Bands, Stage Bands and String Ensembles on the Northern Beaches.
It is a requirement that every participating student take weekly lessons with a professional tutor.
The intermediate group focuses on learning to listen and play in unison and with simple harmonies. In simple terms:
- Your private lessons are where your student will learn and develop new skills with the instrument
- The ensemble is where your student can go to apply and enjoy those skills
Frequently Asked Questions
Each year, the intermediate group will have an intake of newly graduated beginners so we start nice and slowly to accommodate the different skill levels. The main goal is that everyone should be able to enjoy making music together.
Students with more experience may find the music quite easy, at least initially. This is our goal and is the ideal outcome! Your tutor’s job is to teach new skills and develop your child’s ability as a musician.
What we don’t want to do is to interfere with that process by setting music that is too difficult and requires significant departure from your tutor’s plan.
Typically, the music we play has parts with varying degrees of difficulty. More advanced players will tackle the harder parts and the newer members will play the more basic melodies.
The minimum standard for the ensemble is “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in D-major.
Students who have successfully completed the beginner program and learned to play the pieces studied there should have all the necessary skills to jump right in.