Co-curricular Music

During Term 1 of 2005, approximately 21 marimba players from Years 7 to 9 met over six nights to record the CD to accompany Gerard Van de Geer's latest book:  More Marimba Mania.  Due to be launched in the latter half of 2006, Gerard's new book will feature 14 original pieces for middle-school marimba ensemble.  Why not listen to excerpts from four of the tracks from the CD?

Track 1:  Two To Tango, composed by Gerard Van de Geer

Track 5:  Calypso, composed by Gerard Van de Geer

Track 11:  Junk Yard Samba, composed by Gerard Van de Geer

Track 13:  Flamenco, composed by Paul Radford

As well as consuming large quantities of pizza, the students had to work very hard to memorise each of Gerard's pieces before they were recorded.

Who is Gerard Van de Geer?

Gerard is a graduate from the Conservatorium of Music and the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania.  He is an experienced primary music educator who most recently worked as a Senior Curriculum Officer for The Arts within the Tasmanian Department of Education.  He currently holds a fulltime position as Lecturer in Multi-Media Communication/Arts within the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania.  Gerard published his first book of original pieces and arrangements, Marimba Mania, in 2004.