The Music in Focus program is a school based program and is offered to students who live in the local intake area or are accepted into Gifted and Talented or specialist programs (ie Aviation, Graphic Design Media or Netball). It offers students from Years 7 to 12 a diverse range of musical opportunities. Students admitted into the program receive two to four hours of classroom music each week throughout their six years of schooling, in addition to receiving instrumental lessons with an IMSS (Instrumental Music School Services) teacher.
Music in Focus offers IMSS lessons for the following instruments: flute, classical guitar, electric and bass guitar, percussion, brass, clarinet and saxophone. The Music Department facilitates private lessons for instruments not offered by IMSS. Instrumental lessons are timetabled to rotate each week in order to minimise lost class time from any one subject.
In Year 10, students begin their preparation for upper school Music, whilst in Year 11 and 12 they choose to continue in either the examined or non-examined WACE Music course. Students enrolled in non-ATAR Music also complete the nationally recognised Certificate III in Music.
Aside from their classroom and instrumental lesson components, students are also required to join the Intermediate Concert Band, Senior Concert Band, Classical Guitar Ensemble or Melville Vox Vocal Ensemble. All music students in Year 7 are required to join the Junior Vocal Ensemble. Membership of the Swing Band is by audition or invitation only. The band has an excellent reputation in the community and is frequently invited to perform at local primary schools, tertiary institutions and local businesses.
Bands and ensembles rehearse once a week before or after school. They are engaged in many performances throughout the year. Opportunities include Music Brunch, Performing Arts Variety Shows and Concert by Night events. Students are afforded the opportunity to attend workshops, camps and interstate or overseas tours. The bands also participate in the WA Schools’ Concert Band Festival, WA Classical Guitar Ensemble Festival, WA Schools’ Jazz Festival and WA Government Secondary Schools’ Choral Festival.
