Music at Millen
The Millen Primary School Music program uses a Kodaly approach in that students investigate the elements of music through singing and playing, developing their inner ear and ability to describe and identify musical styles and features.
Students are also taught about prominent Classical composers and given opportunities to compose their music, perform in front of their peers, and watch and respond to musical performances as an audience.
The Instrumental Music program allows fifteen students to learn Guitar, Clarinet, or Brass in Years 5 and 6. Selection into this program is based on musical aptitude testing and physical suitability. Selected students will receive free instrumental tuition and the opportunity to participate in various music enrichment activities.
Testing for selection takes place at the end of each school year. All Year 4 students will be given Expression of Interest forms on which they will confirm their desired instrument out of the three options. Aural testing using the Department of Education’s Musical Aptitude Indicator is administered by the Music Teacher. The results of the aural assessment, the students’ music grades and assessments of suitability made by the students’ class teachers are used to identify the top five students who have selected each of the instruments.
The Instrumental Music Teachers then conduct physical suitability testing. If a student is deemed unsuitable for the instrument, the next highest-scoring student who selected that instrument will be tested for physical suitability. The selected five students for each instrument are then given an Offer of Instrumental Music tuition form.