Amanda Cheah
Hello, my name is Amanda Cheah and this will be my fifth year at Brighton Primary School teaching Music. I have a Bachelor of Music (performance jazz voice) and taught voice privately before obtaining my teaching masters. This year I am learning new instruments, recorder and cello. I will be attempting to play cello in a local ensemble this year. I feel it keeps me in touch with being a new learner, just like our students. I also play ukulele in another local ensemble for fun.
Elizabeth McDonald will be teaching Foundation students on Wednesdays in the STEM room. The rest of the week she teaches Performing Arts at Reynella Primary School. Elizabeth has a Bachelor of Music (Performance Piano) and a Piano teacher and Accompanist. She also plays the Violin and Euphonium and is a Life Member of the Marion City Band.
The Foundation students will be starting the year working with various songs, chants and games with a focus on pitch, beat and rhythm.
Years 2-6 will begin with ukuleles this term. I’m aware that instrumental learning is only really possible whilst classes are face to face so in case of any more interruptions we are going to try and squeeze our ukulele unit in right at the start of the year.
Year 1s will be starting the term learning songs with a weather theme. Focuses will include beat, pitch and dynamics.
Term 2 Week 6 Wednesday I have organised an excursion for our year 3 students to the Adelaide Town Hall to see the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and participate in a new work by Paul Rissman to accompany Sean Tan’s book “The Lost Thing”. The show is called “Finders Keepers”.
Primary Schools Music Festival held at the Adelaide Festival Theatre will be in weeks 8 and 9 of term 3. Festival of Music Choir/Senior Choir will be open to committed students in years 5 and 6. Rehearsals will run in the music room on Thursday afternoons. We will commence in week 5 with an ‘administration’ meeting and have our first cluster rehearsal at Paringa Park on the 2nd of March Wednesday week 5, Term 1. Books for those who are extremely keen are already for sale on Qkr.
Junior Choir will hopefully soon run Tuesday lunchtimes for students in years 3 and 4. This is voluntary for both students and myself, as it is during our break time. Consistent committed members will be invited to perform at Holdfast Mini Fest, held at Paringa Park Primary at the end of Term 2. More information will be sent via SeeSaw around week 6.
All Foundation, year 1 and year 2 students will participate in JP singing on a rotating roster on Friday afternoons. This is typically twice per term.