Multi-award-winning local songstress Katie Noonan is preparing to see her vision to create a School of Rock come to life as local school children prepare for the night of their lives.
Nineteen students, as young as eight, will perform on stage alongside Katie, Jack Carty and Band of Frequencies after more than three months of auditions, training, mentoring and performing as part of the inaugural Eumundi School of Rock program.
The brainchild of Katie, the school aims to preserve the region’s culture and local talent and develop the natural instinct within children for a love of music.
“The Eumundi School of Rock will assist in the development of the children’s self-esteem, musicianship, stagecraft and performance and help develop attitudes necessary to progress in the music industry,” Katie said.
“It has been developed with strong regard to Eumundi’s mission to nurture youth culture and reignite its musical roots and build that community capacity in the area.”
After launching in August, the audition process delivered 19 aspiring musicians across a range of musical disciplines from drums to bass, keys, brass, guitar and singing.
The students have been receiving free weekly tutoring and ongoing support from the award-winning songstress Katie, plus Darren Percival and School of Rock teachers from Band of Frequencies including guitarist/vocalist Shannon Sol Carroll, bassist/trumpeter Owen Newcomb, pianist Andrew Szumowski, drummer Alice Jones and National Jazz Award-winning Saxophonist, Zac Hurren.
Katie said this has helped the students gain the confidence needed to perform in front of their peers, along with self-discipline and real life gig experience.
“The hard work will culminate in concert at the end of the project period each year and for our first year, we are very excited to have three student bands performing alongside myself, Jack Carty and The Band of Frequencies,” she said.
The project has been possible through the support of volunteers, local schools, businesses and professional organisations including Eumundi Combined Community Organisation Ltd (ECCO), Experience Eumundi, and the Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance.
ECCO Chair Anthony Wynn-Hoelscher said Eumundi and surrounds had a strong artisan and cultural legacy, however in recent years, the area suffered a brain drain of musicians relocating to regions due to better opportunities.
The Eumundi School of Rock bands will perform alongside Katie Noonan, Jack Carty and Band of Frequencies at the Eumundi School of Arts on Friday 9 December from 6-10pm. All artists are performing for free with all profits going towards keeping the program free for the community to participate in 2017.
Tickets can be booked at eumundisor.eventbrite.com.au.
