Classroom Music: hitting the ground running in 2026

The Performing Arts Department is counting down to the opening of the Senior School Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone. And, as if our students are not busy enough, we are also excited for our Senior Ensembles Concert on Tuesday 17 March at 7.00pm in the IWA. This concert will feature Big Band, Chamber Strings, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Senior Choir, Senior Chamber Choir and a Year 12 soloist.

Tickets for The Drowsy Chaperone will be available to purchase from this Saturday, 7 March – book your tickets here.

This month for the newsletter though, I am handing over to Dr Jemima Bunn, Leader of Learning – Music, to highlight all of the great things that are happening in our classroom programs.

Sally Davis
Head of Performing Arts

Rocking out in Classroom Music 

Classroom Music has hit the ground running in 2026, with an exciting new program introduced in Year 7. Designed to get everyone involved, the course is hands-on, energetic and inclusive. Students are playing instruments, composing their own music, listening critically and – most importantly – making music together. The focus is on participation, creativity and building confidence through shared musical experiences.

In Year 8, students are exploring the powerful connections between music and social and political movements. Through the study of blues music and its cultural origins, they are developing an understanding of music as a voice for expression, resistance and change. These discussions and practical activities encourage students to see music not just as sound, but as a reflection of society and history.

Year 10 students have stepped into the rich history of Western art music, discovering how composers across the centuries have shaped the sounds we hear today. By connecting historical study with performance and composition tasks, they are deepening their understanding of musical language while bringing their own musical experiences into the classroom, strengthening both technical skill and creative thinking.

Our IB Music students have moved boldly into their studies as curious, open-minded musicians, exploring music beyond stylistic and cultural boundaries. Through their Areas of Inquiry, they are empowered to ask questions, take creative ownership and contribute meaningfully to the musical landscape of their lives.

VCE Music students are currently shaping and refining performance programs that reflect their individual musical skills and identities. Across rehearsal rooms and performance spaces, they are making interpretive decisions, taking creative risks and developing the technical assurance needed to communicate with confidence and authenticity.

At our recent Celebration Assembly, we were delighted to recognise past VCE music student Rupert Sternson (2024), who has been invited to perform at Top Class later this term. A long-time percussion student at Carey, Rupert performed in Wind Symphony and specialised in drum kit during his VCE studies, including his work in Senior Big Band. We warmly congratulate him on this well-deserved achievement.

The Celebration Assembly also gave us the opportunity to hear a performance from current student Mackenzie, who is undertaking VCE Music Repertoire Performance this year. Her deep involvement in the co-curricular program – as a trumpeter in the concert bands, a vocalist in choirs and a performer in school musicals – is representative of many of our students. 

A defining feature of the Music program at Carey is its interconnected nature. Classroom learning, ensemble participation and individual instrumental study work together to build confident, capable and musically literate students. Classroom study and ensemble participation enrich one another and foster confident, versatile musicians. Whether students are just beginning their musical journey in Year 7 or refining advanced performance programs in VCE, each pathway contributes to a vibrant and collaborative musical community.

Rocking out in Classroom Music, alongside instrumental and ensemble experiences, provides opportunities for them to grow not only as performers, but as reflective, creative musicians – developing the confidence and agency to shape their own artistic paths, now and into the future.

Dr Jemima Bunn
Leader of Learning – Music