Surviving the pandemic:

 ‘Swamp Rabbit Stomp’   

Specialist music students at Como Secondary College put together an exciting and unique music project that kept students motivated, engaged and connected as well as sharing important social messages.

Como Secondary College Teacher in Charge – Music Specialist Program, Mrs Helen Turner said, “The band has been working on performing a new chart called ‘Swamp Rabbit Stomp.’ It is an exciting and rhythmical work written by Michael Sweeney with a percussion shaker solo section in the middle of the piece.”

Filming has been finalised now, there were three schools in Western Australia invited to participate; Eastern Goldfields College in Kalgoorlie, Broome Senior High School, Allendale Primary School in Geraldton. All performed with Como Secondary College.

Mrs Turner said, “We worked with students from these schools and by doing so, we hope to use this project as a way to show our support towards NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week in Australia. “

Students are not only developing their music skills, but also their creativity skills in making their personalised shakers. These have been made these out of soft drink cans and rice which have been painted and distributed to schools with handprints of the maker and a personalised note to connect with those who are helping make this project possible.

The grand finale will be when we see this digital performance experience showing on the “Yagan Square Digital Tower” during NAIDOC Week 8-15 November, 2020.

The five Eastern Goldfields College students involved are William Long – Martu, Fiona Tullock – Yamatji, Juaneesa Champion – Kalamia-Kaprun , Shauna Tullock  – Wongutha and Yamatji , and Malachi Tucker – Wongutha.

Eastern Goldfields College Deputy Principal Pippa Baxter said, “I’m very excited about this collaborative music project and am looking forward to seeing all the students smiling faces on the digital screen in Yagan Square. This is a great opportunity for our Aboriginal students to be involved in a unique multi arts project that celebrates student’s connectedness in working together from all over Western Australia. This has been a fantastic creative project to be involved in. It is a great example that showcases the arts and music bringing people together.

During first term a group of 9 students from Eastern Goldfields College were selected to sail on ‘Voyage 20-08’ on the STS Leeuwin II a Leeuwin Ocean Adventure voyage thanks to the generosity of AngloGold Ashanti.

Our students were challenged by ‘Mother Nature’ and their vessel was hit with some absolutely appalling sea conditions. Their original voyage from Albany to Fremantle was turned around. Unfortunately, the winds were much stronger than expected over the first couple of days and they were making no headway towards Cape Leeuwin. The Captain made the decision to return to Albany and spend a day at anchor, doing all the training rotations, working together and building confidence in the rigging.

The impact of COVID-19 on Leeuwin Ocean Adventure was swift and on 23 March, the decision was made that Voyage 20-08 would be the last for the 2019-20 season. In order to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all on-board including trainees, volunteers, members of the public and crew, all voyages, day sails, chartered sails and alongside events until September 2020 have been cancelled.

EGC Student Coordinator Miss Hannah Garrett said, ‘Students had a great time and really loved the opportunity and experience. The Leeuwin Ocean Adventure is such a great opportunity for students to be challenged and discover their strengths while working on their self-confidence and leadership skills.’