Community & Business
21 May, 2024
For the love of music
The Pittsworth State School (PSS) and Pittsworth State High School (PSHS) P&C Associations united on Saturday, for an evening of harmonious instrumentals, featuring Toowoomba’s Cool Nights Big Band, as a fundraiser for both schools.
The focus of the evening was to promote and showcase the instrumental music program that is offered at both PSS and PSHS.
“Within both schools, the instrumental music program has been highly valued for 30 plus years by our school communities,” PSS Principal Carol Ann Coonan said.
“It’s important we keep them going.
“We need the numbers, we need the strength, and we need to combine the longstanding tradition of having strong music programs within our schools,” she said.
Students are encouraged to join the program early, in the hope that they will transition into the high school’s instrumental music program, and go on to join the Black Inc. community band in Pittsworth, or Cool Nights Big Band in Toowoomba, after school or while at University.
PSHS Deputy Principal Scott McKenzie, and instrumental music teacher Luke Todd, are part of the Cool Nights Big Band, and a number of the regular members are also teachers, or work in education.
This fundraising event was the brainchild of Mrs Coonan, and supported by both PSS and PSHS P&C and staff.
“The intent of it was to bring our two communities together,” Mrs Coonan said.
“To connect with families, to connect with friends in a relaxed atmosphere, listening to fantastic music.
“The second intent was to showcase the Pittsworth State High School students,” she said.
The third reason was to present the new hall at PSHS, which opened earlier this year.
“This is the first big social event they’ve had.
“This hall is here because of the work of the P&C over many years.
“It’s the power of the people’s voice that gets something like this built,” Mrs Coonan said.
Also working hard to make the evening as successful as it was, were PSHS students, undertaking a Certificate II in Hospitality, who prepared and served the food under the guidance of teacher, Pam Tandy.
A couple of last year’s grade 12 graduates, who obtained their Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificates, were running the bar on the night.
A number of donations were gifted for raffles including Pittsworth Confectionery, Yandilla Rose, QBD, Red Tractor Designs, The Party Hut, Bunnings, Sunset Superbowl, Raffs, and McKinlay’s Nursery, to name only a few.
PSHS Principal Dan Norris expressed his thanks to the P&C Associations for putting on the event.
“It’s not only a great opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate a love of music, which has been very strong in this community for a long time, but also for our students to perform alongside some absolutely outstanding musicians, and also an opportunity to get musicians of such a high quality, to come into our community,” Mr Norris said.
Dan Lindenmayer spoke briefly also, congratulating Mrs Coonan on getting the event up and running.
Although now filling a vacant position elsewhere, Mr Lindenmayer was PSHS Principal until mid February of this year, and attended the earlier meetings regarding the organisation of the event.
“The best thing about Pittsworth is the community, and our P&Cs in town are incredibly strong, and absolutely amazing,” Mr Lindenmayer said.
The PSS P&C President, Megan Smith, said they have enjoyed collaborating on this event, and highlighted the importance of cultural experiences like this, in the community.
“We work really hard to maintain our wonderful music program at the State School,” Mrs Smith said.
Earlier that afternoon, band students worked with Cool Nights members on their pieces for Fanfare.
Fanfare is the statewide festival of bands and orchestras from Queensland state schools, and PSHS is participating in the program tomorrow.
The PSHS concert band played opening music before Cool Nights Big Band took to the stage just after 7pm.
The first set swept listeners through music from the 40s, 50s and 60s with a number of guest singers joining the musicians on stage to perform hits such as Aretha Franklin’s 1967 song, Say a Little Prayer.
The high school’s jazz band then performed its Fanfare pieces.
The first song, Man In the Mirror featured Freya on saxophone, and the second piece, Stevie Wonder’s 1976 hit Isn’t She Lovely, featured Kiera Macdonald on saxophone and Ashford McEwan on trumpet.
The money raised from the evening will be put toward funding an all-inclusive playground at Pittsworth State School, and different projects at Pittsworth State High School, including the agricultural science department and music department.
