Join Music Ensembles and Private Music Lessons in 2023!

Across our two campuses, Waverley College offers a great variety of Choral, Bands and Ensembles for our music students.

>>> Click here to view the 2023 Music Ensembles Rehearsal Schedule.

Choirs

College Choir

The Waverley College Choir rehearse and perform a variety of repertoire under the direction of Ms Jaz Dolso. Rehearsals are held weekly in the Recital Room of the Performing Arts Centre.

The College Choir is engaged throughout the year to sing at many College events, College liturgies, masses and concerts. Over the last 10 years, the Choir has participated in several overseas tours, performing in Germany and Italy.

Students also have the opportunity to attend a Music Camp and to participate in performances across the wider community.

Chamber Choir

The Chamber Choir is a small acappella group of Waverley College and St Clare’s College students, who meet once a week to rehearse and perform at assemblies, music festivals and other College events. The group sings a range of contemporary repertoire.

Cantores

The Waverley College Junior School Cantores is an auditioned choral group of approximately 40 students. The Cantores sing for liturgies, masses, concerts and competitions. The Cantores perform a mixture of contemporary and classical repertoire, including choral works by Australian composers.

Concert Bands

Cliff Goodchild Concert Band

This is the premier Concert Band at Waverley College, and students are invited and auditioned for their position. The Band comprises students ranging from all years at the Senior School. Students need to be proficient on their instrument, and are given the opportunity to learn skills and to contribute to large group performances. The Band perform for College events and competitions, and have toured across Europe, China and the USA. The Band is under the direction of Mr Dan Williams.

Matthew Coorey Concert Band

Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 students are introduced into the large ensemble program for Senior School students who play a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument, including piano. This group allows new and existing students the ability to come together during their first years of Senior School, to perform music in a safe, fun and enjoyable learning environment. The Band is under the Direction of Mr Alexander Lee.

Waterford Concert Band

This Band comprises students from Years 5 and 6. All students who learn an instrument in brass, woodwind and percussion can join this Band. Rehearsals are Thursday morning from 7.30am. The Band covers a range of repertoire and performs at College assemblies, concerts and festivals.

Jazz Band – A

This ensemble builds upon the skills learnt in Jazz Band – B. The students in this group mainly belong to the Cliff Goodchild Concert Band, who wish to continue developing their jazz ensemble playing. Jazz Band – A are often called upon to perform at many College events and competitions. The Jazz Band also offer their time and skills to perform at a number of our local community events which fall under the College’s social justice program. This group has also toured extensively overseas.

Jazz Band – B

This ensemble provides our middle school students an introduction to jazz at the Senior School level. Students are required to audition and should also be part of the Concert Band programme.  Jazz Band – B gives students an opportunity to begin learning about the different genres and the art of improvisation.

Brass Ensemble

The Brass Ensemble comprises students who are proficient on their brass instrument. The group builds on skills learnt in the Concert Band and performs often within the College environment, including liturgical services, academic assemblies and community events. Students perform a wide spectrum of repertoire.

Woodwind Ensemble

Students are given an opportunity to learn and perform Wind Chamber Music in various types of woodwind ensembles. These ensembles are small groups that usually perform in small venues. Membership is by audition.

Rock Bands

There are a number of Rock Band Groups at the College. These groups are arranged by Year group and ability. The annual ‘Rock Band Festival’, gives each of the rock bands an opportunity to perform in front of their friends and family, and is one of the many highlights of the year in the Music Department.

String Ensembles

Chamber Strings Ensemble

Students in the ensemble range from Years 7 to 12, and approximately Grade 2 to Grade 5 standard (AMEB). The ensemble extends and enhances students’ musical development and enjoyment, through the rehearsal and performance of stimulating repertoire.

Guitar Ensemble

The College has a number of guitar ensembles, allowing students to play in a group of students with a similar level of attainment. In most Chamber Music groups there will be only one player per part, giving added responsibility to the musicians.

Stomp

The Waverley College Junior School Stomp is a small, creative group of 16 boys. Stomp is a very popular activity at the Junior School, that encourages our students to be creative with rhythm and improvisation. The idea behind the Stomp style of music is that you can create music using everyday items in creative ways.

Over the years, we have developed performances using chairs, music stands, buckets, bins, brooms, pipes, pots and pans – to name just a few. We also try to include a theatrical element or some kind of storytelling in our Stomp performances, to make it more spectacular for the audience.

The most important part of this activity is the creating not the performing, with each of our Stomp items being created solely from original ideas from the students.

Private Music Lessons

Private music tuition is available on a range of instruments. Students​ ​electing​ ​to​ ​take​ ​private​ ​music​ ​lessons​ ​must​ ​do​ ​so​ ​for​ ​a​ ​minimum​ ​of​ ​six​ ​months​ ​(one​ ​semester). There is an additional charge​ ​for​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​a​ ​College​ ​instrument.

Parents/carers who would like their sons to commence instrumental lessons, must complete a private music tuition form.

Click here to complete the 2023 private music tuition form