Ararat students ready to rock

Agroup of passionate Ararat College student musicians will break new ground for the school when they compete in a major school bands competition in Melbourne next month.

The 12-member college musical group called Don’t Run With Scissors will be up against about a dozen school groups from across Australia in a Rockfest Band competition on June 19.

Group members, including students from years seven to 12 who play a variety of instruments, have been working on three songs for the competition for the last three months.

They will compete in the competition’s upper-level senior school category with songs Stand By Me, Big Jet Plane and Viva La Vida.

Band co-ordinator David Thompson said it was the first time an Ararat College band had entered the competition.

“The ‘Scissors’ band has pretty much been going for about two and a half years, but this is the first time we’ve had 12 members and the first time they have gone to this competition,” he said.

Instruments in the band include two trumpets, a trombone, a drum kit, a cajon percussion box, a cocktail drum kit, piano, keyboard, guitar and bass guitar, as well as four vocalists.

Instrumental teachers Chris Quinlivan, Caleb Morris and Wally Pope are helping the group with musical tuition and direction.

Mr Thompson said everyone involved in the process was looking forward to the approaching competition at Templestowe.

“The kids are very much embracing it and doing a lot of the preparations in their own time and talking about having extra performances before competing,” he said.

“The kids are glowing. They are loving it and absorbing it all.

“We are really lucky we have the interest from students.

“And there has been incredible support from the college.

“From my understanding Don’t Run With Scissors is one of few country entries and is up against very large schools with

“At this stage we know our kids are up against schools from Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, and two from Victoria.

“We’re all very excited.” extensive music programs.

ROCK ON: From left, Jodie Treacy, Amelia Shill, Aria Davies-harrison, Zafirah Davies-harrison and Caitlin O’brien are members Ararat College’s school band ‘Don’t Run With Scissors’. They and other members of the band are preparing to compete in this...