Marimbas

MURRUMBURRAH PUBLIC SCHOOL

‘Learn to Live’


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	Students at Murrumburrah Public School have the unique opportunity to participate in the Marimba Program. Students access weekly lessons and perform at Eisteddfods and Music Festivals. Our Senior Marimba Ensemble are regularly invited to perform in statewide DET programs and this year are performing in the Proms Concert at Sydney Town Hall. Our marimbas are based on traditional Zimbabwean marimbas and are like xylophones with a deeper range of notes. The marimbas are handmade by parents, staff and children at the school. The music played by the children include songs inspired by Jon Madin as well as traditional African music.
Marimba Performances include DET Festival of Music at the Sydney Opera House , Darling Harbour, Floriade in Canberra, Wagga Growers Markets, Rosehill Education Expo and various other local festivals and Eisteddfods. In 2006 they have been invited to perform at The Primary Proms at Sydney Town Hall. In 2006 a group of students will travel to Canberra to take part in an exciting internet launch for AARNet3 involving the Federal Minister Julie Bishop at Parliament House. Our students will play live at CSU in Wagga along with BienVenue and Deep Water Public Schools who will be simultaneously playing the same song live at UNE in Armidale. A fantastic opportunity for our students. In June 2005 the school hosted a 2 day music festival called "Murrimbah" with 150 primary aged students involved in a variety of workshops including: Massed Marimbas, Wacky Instruments, percussion, Echo Chellos and African percussion and movement. The event culminated in a concert with over 110 marimba players as well as items from all the other workshops. The festival was acclaimed by the Arts Unit of DET as a huge success. In November 2004 the children produced their own CD.
Murrumburrah Public School Marimbas The Marimba Ensemble was reformed in February 2003 under the guidance of Mrs Judy McFadyen with support from Mr Peter Blair, Principal of Murrumburrah Public School, staff and parents. All children at Murrumburrah Public School from Kindergarten through to Year 6 learn to play marimbas. In lower years the children generally play for enjoyment, performing at school assemblies and concerts. Each year a Kindergarten group compete at Wagga Eisteddfod. The Ensemble Group is selected from the children in Years 5 and 6. Selection in this group requires a large commitment fromt he children and their parents, as practices are during lunch hours and before school, and performances are often on weekends. Benefits to the children and school are numerous. Anecdotally we have noticed that children in the group are highly motivated and that they transfer this motivation to other areas of their schooling (behavioural, academic,, leadership, etc.) In addition children with learning and fine motor difficulties benefit enormously from the skills that the marimbas give them, self esteem is raised and the children strive to attain high standards so that they can represent their class or school. Performances by the Marimba Ensemble Group: 2006 March Murrumburrah Light Horse Festival June Wagga Wagga Growers Market September Wagga Wagga Eistedfodd DET Primary Promo Sydney Town Hall 2005 March Murrumburrah Light Horse Festival May Represented DET at Education Expo at Rosehill Racecourse. Berrima PS June Hilltops Festival Young Murrumburrah Music Festival Wagga Wagga Growers Market Wagga Wagga Eistedfodd September Floriade Canberra October Coast Fest Gosford 2004 March Cootamundra Relay for Life June Wagga Wagga Growers Market August Harden Community Day Harden Rotary Club Kingston Markets - Canberra September Wagga Wagga Eisteddfod - 2 first places Department of Education Choral Concert at Sydney Opera House Darling Harbour in Palm Grove Floriade December Community Carols Concert n Harden Opening of Galong Mine Children from Kindergarten to Year 6 have performed on various occasions at school throughout the year In November the children produced their own CD. 2003 June Street performance for our community on Harden. Department of Education Festival of Instrumental Music Concert at Sydney Opera House. Darling Harbour Amphitheatre. Forbes Eisteddfod - 2nd place August Education Week Concert at Wagga Wagga Marketplace Sturt Public School September Floriade - Canberra November CPAS Charity Concert at Cootamundra Harden Dance School Annual Concert Harden District Nursing Home Christmas Party