Joining the Band Program
Students who wish to join the Junior
Band are asked at the beginning of Year Two.
They must have their parents permission to be
placed on the Junior Band list. During Term
One, the students are given the opportunity to play various instruments.
Band Overview
The band program is tiered and consists of junior,
intermediate and senior levels.
Children in the Band program range in age from 7 to 12 years
and come from Years 2-6.
The band plays a wide variety of music which endeavours to
cover all styles, and is actively involved in promoting works
by Australian composers.
History of the Band
The Daceyville Public School Band was formed
in 1965 by the Principal, Mr.Jim Russell, with an issue of
instruments from the New South Wales Department of Education.
It was the first band of its kind established in a New South
Wales Primary School.
Mr. Russell was Conductor until 1966,
when he was transferred to Beacon Hill Public School, where
he also established a Primary School Band.
Mr. Fred Royal OAM (who assisted Mr. Russell with the formation
of the band in 1965) then became the Conductor until his retirement
from the teaching service in 1986. Mr. Royal was tireless in
his work for the band and was responsible for the bands many
successes in competitions, and in establishing the fine reputation
the band holds today.
Mr. Kevin Skues was appointed to Daceyville
Public School in May 1986 and assisted with the band. He took
over on Mr. Royal's retirement at the end of 1986. He continued
as a classroom teacher and Band Conductor until the end of
1991 when he was asked by the Metropolitan East Region of the
Department of Education to help establish bands in other Primary
Schools in the region. He continued to conduct the Daceyville
School Band in this capacity until the end of 1993 when he was
promoted to Executive Teacher at Matraville Public School.
In 1992 Miss Vanessa Shrubb was appointed to Daceyville Public
School. Miss Shrubb supported Mr. Skues until he left at which
time she conducted the band whilst a replacement was found. She
continued to assist the new replacement until August 1994 when
she left on study leave to further her music teaching studies
in the United States of America.
Miss Michelle Cornhill was appointed to Daceyville Public School
in April 1994 as the new Band Conductor. She taught music to
the whole school as well as fulfilling her duties as the Band
Conductor and Co-ordinator until she was appointed to a school
closer to her home.
When Miss Cornhill (Mrs Brookes) left. Miss Shrubb took over
the role of Band Conductor and Co-ordinator. She was being assisted
with the Junior Band program by Miss Genevieve Andersen who was
appointed to the school in 1997.
