College Choir

The Mt St Michael's College Choir is a non-auditioned group with members from Years 9-12. 

The Choir has achieved a high standard of musicianship in previous years. Smaller vocal groups for special community and liturgical events are often drawn from this group. 

The Mt St Michael’s College Choir is always an enjoyable and inspiring group to be in, and new members are always welcome. Participation in the choir is recommended for all instrumental students in order to develop their aural musicianship and ensemble skills. 

Year 7-8 Choir

Year 7-8 Choir is a great way to start your co-curricular life at the College. Filled with your favourite songs from movies and musicals, rehearsals often include fun music games and dance moves. 

Any Year 7 or 8 singers are invited to come along and give the choir a try. No previous singing experience is needed. 

Senior Vocal Ensemble (SVE)

This auditioned small vocal group is usually comprised of older and more advanced singers of the College Choir (Year 10-12). They learn more challenging vocal repertoire, including often singing “a capella”. Their exciting performances are often enlivened by choreography and costumes, and the group is in demand as guest artists for College and community events. 

The best preparation to achieving membership in the Senior Vocal Ensemble is consistent participation in choral part singing, either in the College Choir or external choral organisations. Private vocal lessons are recommended but not required. 

Audition Details

Live rounds of the Vocal auditions in 2021 will be held in Term 4 Week 7-8 in the Ionian Auditorium. Material to be presented for audition is a chorus of an own choice song and a set canon.   

Sheet music and audition requirements will be advertised via Teams posts. The set canon will be taught at the College Choir Rehearsal on the previous Tuesday afternoon at 3:15pm-4:15pm. 

The Mt St Michael’s College Concert Band is a mixed instrumental ensemble that contains woodwind, brass and percussion instruments as well as percussion and drum kit. This group plays a diverse range of repertoire and performs at various College and external functions, such as ANZAC and Remembrance Day. 

Occasionally the Concert Band joins with the String Orchestra to form the MSM Symphony Orchestra. 

The Guitar Ensemble has been a great success since its inception. Their varied repertoire is a mixture of soft rock and pop arrangements, Spanish folk-style and Classical items. Acoustic guitars are played and both strumming and finger-picking techniques are utilised. 

Music includes both traditional staff notation and Guitar TAB for chords and Bass Guitar. The group caters for all levels of learners from absolute beginners to more experienced musicians. 

The Percussion Ensemble regularly wow MSM audiences with their prowess. Their repertoire is enhanced by the cultural riches of African hand-drumming, Japanese “Taiko” drumming techniques, and various other non-Western styles. Students need to apply to the Program Leader – Co-curricular Music to join this group. While the group is non-auditioned, typically students in the group are also taking percussion lessons. However, the group may be suitable for other intermediate level instrumentalists such as piano players who just love to feel the rhythm and the beat or who are wishing to improve their rhythmic skills. 

String groups perform at end of semester concerts and liturgies, as well as further afield at the QLD Catholic College Festival, as well as occasional interstate tours. 

String Ensemble

The String Ensemble is a medium-sized string chamber group of intermediate level players of violin, viola, cello and double bass, sometimes supported by piano. Repertoire is mainly classical and light popular arrangements.  String students from Years 7-12 from beginner to intermediate level technique are welcome to join String Ensemble. Placement auditions will be held at the start and/or end of each year. Material to be presented for audition is a section of an own choice piece and a scale. 

String Orchestra

The String Orchestra is a larger string ensemble of intermediate to advanced level players of violin, viola, cello and double bass. Repertoire is a mixture of classical and light popular arrangements.  String students from Years 7-12 from intermediate to advanced level technique are welcome to join String Orchestra. Placement auditions will be held at the start and/or end of each year. Material to be presented for audition is a section of an own choice piece and a scale. 

Senior Strings

Senior Strings is an auditioned group of more advanced players (usually Grade 4 AMEB or above) who perform both Classical and Baroque repertoire as well as modern arrangements, with and without a conductor. 

Advanced Students usually from Years 9-12 may attend the audition. Material to be presented for audition is a section of an own choice piece, and a scale, as well as a brief “sight-reading” excerpt given a short time prior to the audition. Audition requirements will also be posted in Teams and on the Music Noticeboard. 

According to the needs and skills of students, from year to year, the Co-Curricular Music Department will support 2-3 smaller chamber groups such as string or wind quartets, jazz trios or quintets, etc. 

These groups are designed for especially advanced, keen and hard-working students who want the challenge of a smaller and more soloistic approach to ensemble playing. These groups are often required to provide background music for College events such as Art Exhibitions, and sometimes for Conferences and cocktail events for associated Mary Aikenhead Ministries Organisations.