Compass Music Festival – Coffs Harbour

Region: Regional North | Coffs Harbour

Year 3 to 12 students and teachers

Local arts program Music

Compass Coffs Harbour – teacher information site

The NSW Department of Education presents a combined public schools performance at Wiigulga Sports Complex. The concert features a combined secondary choir, primary choir, primary string ensemble and combined recorder ensemble that will join forces with the Bellingen Youth Orchestra.

For full details including teaching resources go to the Compass Coffs Harbour – teacher information site 2024.

Rehearsal and performance date

Monday 3 June 2024 (Term 2 Week 6)

Schools participating in Compass Music Festival will come together to rehearse throughout the day and perform an evening concert.

For full details including teaching resources go to the Compass Coffs Harbour – teacher information site 2024.

Combined ensembles

The combined ensembles include:

combined secondary school choir (Years 7 to 12)
combined primary school choir (Years 3 to 6)
combined recorder ensemble (Years 3 to 12)
combined primary school string ensemble (Years 3 to 6)

There is no audition required for the combined ensembles.

Repertoire

The repertoire for combined ensembles will be made up of selections from:

2024 In Concert (combined secondary choir)
2024 Festival of Choral Music (combined primary choir)
2024 Festival of Instrumental Music (combined recorder and string ensemble)

All of the combined ensembles will perform a combined opening and finale item as part of a massed choir.

Cost

Participation fee of $20.00 per student will be payable upon confirmation of numbers late Term 1, 2024.
Each participating student and teacher will receive a specially designed T-shirt to wear at the performance.

Professional learning and resources

Teachers will receive a master copy of the relevant repertoire (secondary choral and/or recorders and/or primary choral) from which to make copies for every participating student
Access to a range of online repertoire resources will become available soon
Teachers from participating schools are encouraged to attend in-person teachers’ professional development workshops for the musical component in which their school is involved

Local teacher professional development workshops available to participating schools include:

Compass recorder workshops Term 1 Week 4
Monday 19 February 2024 at Southern Cross School of Distance Education Ballina 9 am to 2 pm
Tuesday 20 February 2024 at Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium 9 am to 2 pm
Wednesday 21 February 2024 at Tuncurry Public School 9 am to 2 pm
Compass primary choir workshops Term 1 Week 4
Monday 19 February 2024 at Southern Cross School of Distance Education Ballina 9 am to 2 pm
Tuesday 20 February 2024 at Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium 9 am to 2 pm
Wednesday 21 February 2024 at Great Lakes College Tuncurry Campus 9 am to 2 pm

Sydney teacher professional development workshops also covering the Compass repertoire include:

Festival of Instrumental Music strings workshop Tuesday 13 February 2024 at Sydney Conservatorium of Music 9 am to 2 pm
Festival of Instrumental Music recorder workshop Wednesday 14 February 2024 at Sydney Conservatorium of Music 9 am to 2 pm
In Concert secondary choir workshop Thursday 15 February 2024 at The Arts Unit, Lewisham 9 am to 3 pm
Festival of Choral Music primary choir workshop Friday 16 February 2024 at Sydney Conservatorium of Music 9 am to 2 pm

Teachers may choose to attend their local professional development workshop and/or the corresponding Sydney workshop. Registrations for each workshop will open early in Term 1 2024.

Featured ensemble opportunity

In 2024 performance opportunities are available for outstanding individual school instrumental and vocal items at Compass Music Festival – Coffs Harbour. Solos, duets, or small ensembles are encouraged to apply. Pieces will be selected on the basis of providing high quality and variety to the concert.

Applications for featured items at the Compass Music Festival closed on Friday 8 March 2024.

Applicants will be required to be available for a sound-check on Sunday 2 June and the evening performance Monday 3 June 2024.

VET Entertainment

There are opportunities for Entertainment Industry (VET) students to undertake work placement at this event. VET Entertainment teachers should contact Sarah Armour, Arts Coordination Officer, The Arts Unit – email: sarah.k.armour@det.nsw.edu.au for further information.