From the Co-curricular Department

Co-curricular Music Ensemble rehearsals for 2024 have begun. As we embrace the opportunities of a new year, we extend our gratitude to Stephen Millar, Sebastian Brook, continuing as Bass Guitar teacher, and Therese O’Brien, for their dedicated contributions to the program over the years. With transitions in our team, we warmly welcome new members. The following introduces our ensemble conductors for 2024:

Participation Ensembles:

Development Ensembles:

Performance Ensembles:

*New conductor

In late November/early December of 2023 52 students and 6 staff travelled to the Yorke Peninsula for our return Music Tour. We spent time at Maitland Lutheran School where we rehearsed both separately and together to prepare for two performances – one for the students at the school and one for the public. On our final day of the tour, we travelled to Kadina where we performed in the rotunda at Victoria Square before heading back to Adelaide. This was a fantastic trip, and we are grateful to the staff and students from Maitland for hosting us. We look forward to welcoming them to Adelaide later in the year.

This year we are re-energising our Senior School Music Camp by introducing Music Base Camp in Week 8. This will be a three-day intensive held in the Music Department at the Senior School with visiting guests and tutors. Each day will have a different focus on ensemble type. Wednesday will feature bands (Big Bands and Concert Bands), Thursday will feature choirs (Concert Choir and Vocal Ensembles) and Friday will feature strings (Orchestras, Quintet and Guitar Ensemble). More information about Music Base Camp will be sent to families in preparation for the week.

Preparations for Generations in Jazz are well underway. In May members of Faber Big Band, Faber Vocal Ensemble, Bellarmine Big Band and Bellarmine Vocal Ensemble will travel to Mount Gambier to participate in the annual Generations in Jazz Festival. This festival attracts schools from across Australia and features performances from visiting international artists, the National Stage Band awards, and the National Vocal Ensemble awards. We are very much looking forward to taking 4 of our ensembles on this trip. Some information has already been sent to families and more will come as the event approaches.

We have vacancies for Instrumental Music lessons in a variety of different instruments. If you would like to sign up for Instrumental Music lessons, please contact Mrs Allen in the Music Office at s.allen@ignatius.sa.edu.au and she can get you started. If you signed up for Instrumental Music lessons at the Senior School via Clipboard, and are yet to have heard anything about these, please get in touch with Mrs Allen in the Music Department as some of this information was lost.

Instrumental Music lesson times at the Senior School are scheduled every half hour and fit around the Curriculum timetable. Lessons rotate across the term, meaning that if an instrumental lesson is at 2:00pm in Week 3, it will be at 2:30pm in Week 4 and 3:00pm in Week 5, and so on. This way students can involve themselves in the experience of learning a musical instrument alongside their curriculum classes.

The benefits of learning a musical instrument include improved memory, enhanced brain development, stress reduction, increased creativity and improved concentration and focus. For more information on the benefits of learning a musical instrument please visit: https://www.biggerbetterbrains.com.au/research-updates

Congratulations to the following students on their recent results in AMEB music examinations:

• Hiral Kalra (CSY-4) AMEB Piano, Grade 2, High Credit
• Mani Armitage (CSY-5) AMEB Piano, Grade 4, High Credit
• Dante Gramazio (CSY-2) AMEB Piano, Grade 2, Honours
• Troy Tabaranza (CSY-5) AMEB Piano, Grade 5, High Credit
• Pranav Anthony (X8-2) AMEB Flute Grade 2 High Distinction

We encourage students to use the Music Department to rehearse their own music at lunchtimes. The Music Department is open from the “half bell” each day when the area is supervised by a teacher on duty. Students should make sure they sign in to book a room for their rehearsal and if you need to borrow any equipment, please see the teacher on duty with your ID card

Aaron Dohse
Coordinator of Co-curricular Arts & Activities - Senior School

The House Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday, 8 March.

Xavier have been ‘exercising’ their muscles since the first day back at school seeking redemption for last year’s loss. Kostka and all their ‘companions’ have bold ambitions for success in 2024 but will Regis ‘rock stars’ take centre stage and be crowned champions for the first time in seven years. Campion are looking for an early ‘christmas’ present... back-to-back athletics carnival champions!!

The Senior School Carnival will be held on the top ovals (Baulderstone and Wallace). The Junior School events will be on Bourke Oval. A Coffee Van, Slushie Machine, BBQ, and other catering has been arranged to supply food and drinks to students and families throughout the day.

We look forward to seeing you for a fun and spirited day of competition to see who will hold up the Peter Joseph Cup.

This year, aerobics at the College has commenced with energy and enthusiasm. The girls participated in some fun fitness sessions, had an introduction to choreography and skills, and then participated in team trials. The girls all did a fantastic job and have now been placed in a team that is suitable for their skill, strength, and fitness level. This year the College is entering six Aerobics teams in the FISAF (Federation of International Sport Aerobics & Fitness) competition. It is an international sport aerobics competition with over 30 member countries around the world, and is responsible for the development, promotion and regulation of the sport aerobics competition in Australia.

Zara Toffoli is continuing in the position of Head Coach for our squad of 38 this year. She is a skilled aerobics participant herself, as well as an old scholar. Her commitment to the squad, and the development of the girls has been invaluable, and the girls are incredibly lucky to have her leadership and support. In addition, we have many old scholars who have returned to coach a team; their skills and enthusiasm for the sport are appreciated by all the girls and are the core of the College’s success in this sport.

We recognise that the commitment to aerobics training is considerable, with 3 trainings a week, so in 2024, we are excited to offer some options around participation in this sport. There are now two streams: a development pathway and a participation pathway. Those students in the development pathway will still do three trainings a week, with the opportunity to further extend and develop their skills; but those in the competition pathway will usually only do two trainings a week, which allows students to still participate in FISAF competitions, learn some skills, improve their strength and have some fun, without the associated rigorous training schedule.

The senior girls vote each year for Aerobics Captains. This year the girls have voted for the following two Captains: Donna Delorenzo and Amelia Lascala

Both girls have been involved in this sport for many years and their passion and commitment are admired by their peers.

The FISAF Championships begin with the Super Series event to be held at the Golden Grove Arts Centre on Saturday 4 May 2023. We invite you to pencil this date in your calendar and come along and experience the strength and vibrancy of this popular sport.

Emma Toker
Teacher in charge of Aerobics

This year due to technical difficulties at Adelaide Aquatic Centre the annual Catholic Co-ed Swimming Carnival was held as a short course event. Our College Swimming squad was reinforced by volunteers from variety of year levels and for this generosity of Ignatian spirit I am very grateful to Chloe Healy, Imogen Baily, Nick Holt, Christian Madrussani, Alex Kavanagh, Marcus King, Carson Lee, Nisha Malik, Priya Malik and Ella Sloan. Overall, the squad placed second behind Nazareth College. We won three age group shields, u14 boys, u15 boys and Open Women. Due to the change in format, records were not kept.

Our next meet is the SASSA B Grade event at South Australian Aquatic and Leisure Centre next Tuesday 27 February.

U14 boys team: Kosai Goto, Carson Lee, Aiden Lee, Henry Lui, Chenyang Gong.

U15 boys team: Eric Young, Marcus King, Adam McDonald, Alek Strojek, Dylan Le, Joey Mazur.

Open Women: Juliet Mazur, Chloe Healy, Imogen Baily, Sabina Strojek.

Swimmers of the meet: Chenyang Gong, Joseph Mazur and Juliet Mazur.

Lisa McDonald
Teacher in charge of Swimming