In the Queensland Curriculum, the content of the music syllabus includes the study of the people, places and cultures involved in musical creation and performance. As our country becomes increasingly diverse, it is important for students in every school setting to study a wide variety of musical styles, cultures and genres. The Toowoomba Grammar School Music program of 2022 embraces this holistic approach to the study of music, encouraging teachers and students to explore a variety of musical styles and music-making traditions from around the world. There is a real need for music education programs in our nation’s schools to be inclusive of a variety of music-making traditions and opportunities. Toowoomba Grammar School continues to respond to these needs.
There are certainly social benefits to becoming a more diverse connoisseur of music. For example, young men will be very well prepared to recommend music to other people and better able to select suitable music for any occasion. However, it is particularly fascinating to find that different types of music feed our brains in different ways. Listening to a diverse array of music doesn’t just help us broaden our tastes; each genre has unique benefits to offer. The thought is that we use different parts of our brain when we’re listening to different genres of music. Therefore, in order to facilitate the full use of our brain in music, we need exposure to a full range of musical styles.
Pop (popular) music and rock music are associated with higher levels of endurance and spurts of energy, possibly because of their usual upbeat nature. This makes it an excellent choice for your workout playlists – it may literally help you run the extra mile. However, there’s a secondary benefit to taking in pop music. As a genre defined by the fact that everyone’s tuning in, pop music can serve as a means of connection for us all—the accessibility of the lyrics and the memorable nature of its melodies can give even strangers something in common to discuss.
The stories told through rap songs are often ones of hard work and personal transformation, which has led many to believe that listening to rap and hip-hop can help those experiencing depression. According to research from Cambridge University’s Department of Psychology, rap music, “with its rags-to-riches narrative trajectories, displays ‘positive visual imagery’, a psychotherapeutic technique common among sports stars, in which one envisages the place where one would like to be, so as to facilitate one’s progression to a better mental place.”
Additionally, because of the intricate beats and often intense word counts relative to other genres of music, rap songs often include incredibly clever wordplay—which can make the genre a great creative resource for poets and authors. A highly recommended starting point to the genre is the Hamilton soundtrack. In addition to being a Broadway sensation, Hamilton has got hip-hop, jazz and rap—and it’s eminently accessible, making it a great gateway to enjoying genres of music that you might not have previously turned to.
The classical genre is a wide field which contains in itself an incredibly broad spectrum of music. Some pieces may suggest a sense of calm, whereas others can evoke the complete opposite. The strength of orchestral music – what we often think of as “classical” – involves telling a story, oftentimes without using words (program music). Classical music, due to its most famous composers, is a genre that often suggests music from the past. However, classical music is also a genre thriving in modernity, with composers such as Unsuk Chin and Edward W. Hardy continuing to compose exciting and new works. There are also applications for classical music that are very practical. For teenage boys, studies have indicated that listening to classical music in traffic reduces road rage. Hot tip for seniors: just set the radio in your car to your classical station and forget it. It’s mindless classiness.
While jazz music was the predominant genre of popular music throughout the early 20th century, for a while, this genre was relegated to elevator music. However, it is now experiencing a resurgence in popularity. This is good news for your brain, as music with a more mellow tempo (of about 60 bpm) is associated with a feeling of calmness and relaxation. Many classic jazz songs run at that more relaxing clip, providing a great incentive to slow down and take a journey through popular songs of the past. Jazz is also regularly fused with musical elements of other genres, making it a fantastic vehicle for musical learning.
Heavy metal and associated genres – which include screamo, punk, and other extreme styles of singing – often get a bad rap, but studies have shown that listening to this music is associated with enhanced positive emotions. Not only that, the technical aspects of learning how to play heavy metal are often described as being similar to learning classical music.
TGS students who engage in both the curricular and co-curricular aspects of the School music program have ample opportunity to experience these various genres and more. The String Ensemble, Orchestra and Wind Orchestra incorporate classical music and program music; The Big Band helps students to get their heads around jazz; RnB and RnB Too expose students to performing popular soul and rock music; The Grammarphones and choirs perform a range of traditional cultural and folk music amongst many other things; and our guitar ensemble allows students of this less “traditional” instrument to gather and play together.
Students in our classroom music programs have opportunities to compose and perform in any style they wish, including heavy metal and rap if they wish. There is even a Year 8 music unit that focuses on electronic music and fusing it with elements of Indigenous Australian music. The Year 7s have a unit of work which focuses on getting them to play sections of rock songs together.
When Toowoomba Grammar School students look to listen to music or are in need of a mood shift, they have a musical education to draw from that allows them to select their musical ambience with a bit more intent. When opened to a world of diverse music, students are set with a dizzying array of options to really help set a mood. With an expanded library of music to choose from, students can decide if their morning is to be upbeat or moody. They can decide if their next party leans classy or casual. Appreciating a wide selection of music gives people more options as well as exercises their brains. Make your musical diet as healthy and varied as the wide world around us – we may all just be a little happier for it.
Latest Blog
Transition to Senior School at TGS
Starting at a new school can be a time of mixed feelings – very exciting, but also quite daunting and challenging. Irrespective of whether your son is joining us from the TGS Junior School, or if they are just starting at Toowoomba Grammar School, this is the start of a long and special journey. Your son will have a lot to digest with a new, possibly larger campus to navigate, different teachers and lessons, making new friends, where to go and what to do at morning tea and lunch. There can be a…
The Transition to Year 7 - from a Parent and Staff Member's Perspective
Regardless of your history with the school, you are all equally welcome here and should feel comfortable in knowing that we value every family and their son’s contribution to our School. Toowoomba Grammar School was built by the community, for the community and it is a School that I am immensely proud of. In 2025 we will celebrate our sesquicentenary or Grammar 150 and your sons will play a vital role in those celebrations. Our pedagogy is modelled on explicit instruction which has its roots in…
Boarding Families - Surviving Homesickness
Homesickness can be brutal for both the child and their parents. As a parent it can feel like your heart is being ripped out in some cases daily. It is extremely hard hearing how sad your boy may sound on the phone, and then you are left reeling for 24hrs until the next call, you are often left worried that they are feeling like this ALL DAY. Rest assured only vary rare cases are that bad, they usually improve as they settle in, and it is temporary. The reality is that most boys tend to save…
Helpful Tips for New Boarding Parents
Name absolutely everything! Socks, undies, phone chargers, water bottles, caps. EVERYTHING!! Make sure you name items with Boy’s name & House number; most parents will put their senior house number if printing the tags so they don’t have to rename items when they move the following year (Corfe House doesn’t have a house number). Some boys find a double bed doona is a better option than single doona as it hangs down the sides of the bed a little more to keep them warmer in winter. An…
Parenting Styles: Parties and the Holidays
As the holiday season approaches, parents and caregivers find themselves immersed in the joy and bustle of festivities. Amidst the celebrations, it’s essential to pause and reflect on the pivotal role our parenting styles play in shaping our children’s attitudes and behaviours, especially concerning alcohol and other drug use. As a father of four young people with my fifth child coming into our family on 8 December 2023, I’m particularly mindful of my parenting style and my role as School…
Building the Boarding Experience - at Home
Family connections is a vital aspect of our Toowoomba Grammar School boarding program that we hold close to our heart. Our Heads of House regularly make the effort to visit our boarding families so they have a better understanding of our boarders' lives, the challenges and experiences, and staff always enjoy the warmth and hospitality provided by families. Head of Corfe House, Henry White and his wife, Samantha recently spent a weekend with the Acton family on Dalgonally Station near Julia…
A New Season for Coach Kabe
Highly respected Head of Basketball and 1st V Coach, Kabe Ciccolini is embarking on a new and inspiring chapter. This season, he takes up the role of Assistant Head of Corfe House, guiding our youngest boarders with a warmth and passion that is uniquely his own. Kabe’s decision to transition into the role of Assistant Head of Corfe House reflects his unwavering commitment to mentorship and leadership. For him, this move signifies a positive step in his career. “It’s an opportunity to further…
Embrace Every Moment
In the words of one of the greatest leaders of all time, Albus Dumbledore, “it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” The wise wizard spoke these words to Harry as he stood before the Mirror of Erised, a magical artifact that reveals one’s deepest desires. These words tell the story of the balance between our dreams and the richness of the present moment. We live in a world that often urges us to focus on our aspirations; , sometimes we get so lost in our dreams that we do not…
What is the TGS Athletic Development Academy?
As a TGS Old Boy (2003-14), sport has always been an integral part of my upbringing. As a young boy I discovered the joys of cricket, track and field and touch footy. This love of being active led me to studying Exercise Science at University and I was fortunate enough to work with a range of national and international level athletes, culminating in an internship at the Brisbane Broncos. This experience launched my career in the strength and conditioning space, allowing me to work with…