On Wednesday 18th March, Werribee Year 6 students enjoyed a special music incursion presented by visiting artists Shrewd Brass. As a brass quintet, the ensemble introduced students to the brass family, exploring the distinctive characteristics and tonal qualities of the trumpet (Greg and Laura), French horn (Rosie), trombone (Tom) and tuba (Luke).
Beginning with the 1984 Olympic Fanfare, students learned how fanfares are used to signal that an important event is about to begin. This coincidentally connected with the Year 6 Primary Band’s learning earlier that morning, when students had discussed the purpose and features of fanfares in preparation for playing one themselves.
The ensemble then performed an extended brass medley, inviting students to identify the pieces they recognised. Selections included Look Down (from Les Misérables), the Star Wars main theme, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Titanic theme, Darth Vader’s theme, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Superman and Jurassic Park. The musicians were impressed when several students called out “Titanic!” as soon as Luke played his loud foghorn note on the tuba – before the main melody had even begun.
The trumpet and trombone players demonstrated how placing mutes in the bell alters an instrument’s tone colour. Students were introduced to a range of mutes, including the Harmon mute, cup mute and tin mute, as well as the good old plunger – the sort you might buy from Bunnings to fix a blocked toilet! Rosie also demonstrated how hand position can be used to adjust the French horn’s tone or to play a scale without using the valves.
To demonstrate how brass instruments produce different pitches, the musicians used varying lengths of garden hose and invited students to assist. Each hose represented the approximate length of tubing found in a particular brass instrument. With a mouthpiece attached at one end and a funnel at the other, these ‘hosepipe horns’ produced recognisable musical tones and provided an engaging way to explore pitch and instrument design. Students particularly enjoyed hearing The Battle from Rossini’s William Tell Overture.
Another highlight featured Tom performing Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance with a boxing glove fitted to the trombone slide, adding a theatrical element as he moved through the auditorium. During the tuba feature, Luke sat among the students and performed Perfect by Ed Sheeran. Students quickly identified the song and joined in with singing. The musicians told the students it was “the best singing they’d ever heard at a school”.
Following the performance, Shrewd Brass commented that our school was among the strongest audiences on the tour. Year 6 students are to be congratulated for the way they conducted themselves during the incursion – they were engaged, respectful and attentive throughout.
Families interested in learning a brass instrument are encouraged to contact instrumentalmusic@heathdale.vic.edu.au. A range of brass instruments is available through the school instrumental music program.
Check out what students from W6C thought:
Kyra: One of my highlights was when they explained that brass instruments are just pipes, bells and mouthpieces, and they made sounds with a garden hose.
Harry: My favourite piece was The Imperial March – Darth Vader’s Theme from Star Wars.
Indu: I enjoyed it when they added the boxing glove to the trombone!
Justin: I liked it when the trumpeter added mutes to his trumpet and played the “WOMP WOMP WOMP WOOOOMP” sound.
Anvi: My favourite pieces were the theme songs from Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter.
Feyi: I liked how they added silliness and comedy to the brass instruments – it was funny!
George: My favourite piece was the Jurassic Park theme.
Saira: My favourite moment was when the tuba player played Perfect by Ed Sheeran and we sang along. The players were also really interactive with us as students, which I really enjoyed.