17/08/2026
On Thursday and Friday last week, the Kooringal Public School (KPS) Junior and Concert Bands arrived at the RCM for their annual Band Intensive. The Band Intensive is an opportunity for the band to work on refining their skills and levelling up their instrumental playing, alternating band rehearsals with sectionals.
RCM Teacher and KPS Band Director Hamish Spicer worked on ensemble and rehearsal skills, expert specialist staff Tamara Spencer, Miles Martin, Fran Griffin and the AAB-K's Musician Bonnie Allan worked with small-instrument specific groups to improve their technique and musicality.
Throughout the intensive students worked on building skills in articulation, breathing together, dynamic control, intonation and blend, listening in a group setting, pitch accuracy, and tempo variation.
On Friday, the KPS Concert Band also recorded two of their pieces, Heroic Legend and Fiesta, for entry into the Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival. They presented these two pieces in a concert for parents and friends, alongside the Junior Band's rendition of Old McBingo. A particular highlight was when both bands combined for the first time to play Band Room Rock, working brilliantly together for a musically satisfying result.
A huge thank you goes to the AAB-K for giving us Bonnie Allan for the day, KPS Principal Rhianna Grentell for supporting this initiative, and to KPS staff member Julie Dunstan, for all her support throughout the two days.
We're looking forward to hearing the bands perform again at the upcoming Wagga Eisteddfod!
