Music
The Senior School offers several Vocal Ensembles from the large scale choir to smaller A Cappella groups, including the well-respected, admired and enjoyed Grammarphones. All of these ensembles perform at school events and functions as well as in local, national and international tours, festivals and competitions. Private vocal tuition is available from expert musicians, skilled in a diverse range of styles and genres.
The Instrumental Program at Toowoomba Grammar School caters for boys of all backgrounds and experience levels. The core ensembles provide the opportunity for every boy to participate in group music-making without having to audition. Enrichment ensembles, including the Big Band, R’n’B Band and String Quartet, are audition-based and provide advanced players with the chance to extend themselves within the ensemble setting. Boys who have a particular interest in other genres of music are encouraged to form their own groups. Rehearsal space and time can be made available to support these initiatives.
Toowoomba Grammar School offers tuition at all levels for voice and a wide variety of instruments, and there are many opportunities for students to take their discipline to the highest level. The School has a Director of Performance who oversees the boys’ co-curricular involvement in Music and Drama. A Head of Arts provides academic leadership in the teaching and learning of Music, Drama and Art in the school curriculum. The School can offer all boys a quality instruction program and dedicated professionals of the highest calibre. Many boys have gone on to achieve individual success at Eisteddfods, been accepted into national and international programs, and excelled at awards from AMEB 8th grade to L. Mus and Trinity College certificates.
Instrumental / theory lessons are based on a half-hour lesson and are scheduled on a rotational basis to ensure the boys have flexibility in their timetables. Instrumental hire / loans can be provided to beginning students on occasion. All boys who learn an instrument are expected to participate in the School ensemble program.
The School’s ensembles have performed regularly both domestically and internationally including the New York Choral Festival, Disneyland Schools Spectacular, Hawaii Pan Pacific Bands and Choral Festival (USA), the Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland) and the Bratislava Youth Arts Festival Slovakia.
Director of Performing Arts: Mr Mark Chalmers