During Week 5, the Senior String Orchestra, ChanterElle, Chica Vocé, Small Jazz Combo and the two Big Bands participated in workshops with the Australian music icon, Ross Irwin. He is an instrumentalist, singer, producer, and composer and has toured all over the world for almost 20 years with iconic Australian bands ‘The Cat Empire’ and ‘The Bamboos’. Ross is also a large-scale arranger and composer, having written for the Queensland, Melbourne, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, as well as countless jazz big bands and large ensembles. This year Ross is arranging and performing with these leading symphony orchestras along with vocalist Kate Ceberano.

During these workshops with Ross, he offered advice and guidance regarding the various pieces we were playing. It was also very exciting to have Ross working for the first time with the Senior String Orchestra.

Students performed their pieces with Ross on Thursday night at our Jazz it Up concert. This was a wonderful experience for the students as they were able to perform pieces they have been practising with friends and family to a full capacity audience. Ross joined the ensembles and performed alongside the students during the evening.

We are excited that many of these groups who performed on Thursday night will be travelling to Mount Gambier for the first live Generations in Jazz since 2020.

 

Elizabeth Worthley and Mia Worth
Music Captains