Bagpipe Program

We are excited to announce that we have spaces available in the highly successful Bagpipe Program.

The Bagpipe Program runs throughout the school term, and students must commit to at least two terms of participation.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Music Supporters Group, Practice Chanters will be available for students until the end of Term 1, 2026. These will serve as their primary learning instrument before transitioning to the full bagpipes.

The Bagpipe Program will provide a comprehensive introduction to the Great Highland Bagpipe. Students will learn to read music, play tunes, develop marching drills, and maintain their instruments.

The first semester will focus on foundational skills, gradually transitioning students from the practice chanter to the full bagpipes.

While a musical background is not required, students should bring enthusiasm, dedication, and a strong work ethic to master this unique instrument, which offers lifelong opportunities within the piping community.

Key Information:

• Sessions will be held every Monday afternoon in the Shortall music rooms from 3pm-4.30pm, and a Thursday lunchtime practice.
• The program will be tentatively named ‘Iona Pipers’.
• Attendance is required each Monday for the duration of the program.
• To support families in this inaugural year, the College will subsidise the cost of the program.
• Families will be asked to confirm their six-month commitment.
• Students already learning an instrument must demonstrate they are meeting the practice and attendance requirements before taking up a second instrument.

What Students Will Learn:

The Bagpipe Program offers a comprehensive introduction to the Great Highland Bagpipe, covering:

• Reading music and playing traditional tunes
• Developing marching drills and performance skills
• Proper maintenance of the instrument
• Gradual transition from Practice Chanter to full bagpipes
  
  

For enquiries, please contact Acting head of Music Mrs Madonna Forster at forsterm@iona.qld.edu.au or program coordinator Mrs Megan Vardanega at vardanegam@iona.qld.edu.au

We look forward to welcoming our future pipers!

Co-Curricular Bands and Guitar Ensembles Launch

On Tuesday 14 October, we launched the 2025 line up for Symphonic Winds, Concert Band and Guitar Ensembles 2 & 3. 

Students gathered in Period 5 (some following school) for a quick meeting with their new ensemble members, a brief workshop, and then we all boarded a bus to Bounce at Tingalpa for an afternoon of gravity defiance.

Thank you to our new Music Captains, Rhys O'Malley Jones, Ethan Gardener, Oliver De'Ath Woodbourne and Aidan Fuller for coming along to help serve afternoon tea.

Our thanks to the Music Supporters Group whose generosity makes these events happen. The boys gave them three cheers on the bus coming back to school.

Chamber Strings 2 and 3 and Ionian Chorus 2026 members will also enjoy their ensemble launch with a similar event on 10 November.  Details of the event will shortly be available to view and acknowledge in TASS.

TASS and Co-Curricular Music

Some students are still finding navigation of TASS challenging when looking to locate their music lessons.  To help your son find their lesson time:

1. Go to calendar tab drop-down menu and select My Calendar. In this view you can choose Day or Week in the top right-hand corner.
2. Ensure Extra Curricular is selected on the far-right side of the page under Calendar Feeds.

This view will show both their lesson time and their ensemble time for that week.

For music department events, all parents will receive the following in advance:

There is an event in TASS awaiting your acceptance. Details of the upcoming event can be found in Parent Lounge under the Accounts & Payments tab, then Events and Payments.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could acknowledge the Terms and Conditions and verify your son's Medical Details and Accept.

Staff Movement

This week Dr Kennedy gave us the news that he would be moving to a full-time brass teaching position at Marist Brothers Ashgrove.  Whilst we are very sad to see him leave, we do wish him all the very best with the new position.

Mrs Karen Corkeron will be on long service leave in Weeks 4-6.  To cover the absence of Mrs Corkeron and Mr L’Huillier, we welcome Jesse Hall and Jeremy Stafford. 

With staff movement, it is important that all students check their lesson times in TASS as some changes may have occurred.

Upcoming piano concert

The final piano concert for the year is on Tuesday 28 October from 6.30pm in IPAC.  This is a wonderful opportunity to see the progress our young keyboard students have made across the year.  Performers should remember to wear their performance uniform to this event.  Parents can acknowledge attendance at the event in TASS.

Valedictory and Foundation Day Assembly with Iona Singers

Congratulations to the Iona Singers, who had a very busy week singing at both the Foundation Day Assembly and then the following day travelling in to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to sing for the Valedictory Mass.

Mrs Madonna Forster
Acting Head of Instrumental Music