RMIT Music

RMIT Music Collective is the music club representing all student-run musical groups at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.[1] RMIT Music Collective is affectionately called 'RMIT Music' by its members and wider community. It is the current acting-organisation responsible for all student music collectives either by direct control or by affiliation.

RMIT Music Collective
Background information
Also known asRMIT Music, ROCS
OriginMelbourne, Australia
GenresOrchestral, Choral, Classical, Jazz, Popular
Occupation(s)Orchestra, Choir, Concert Band, Stage Band
Years active1999-present
Associated actsRMIT Link Arts, AICSA
Websitermitmusic.com.au
MembersPresident
Damien Melis

History

RMIT Music Collective was created in 2004 following the merger of the Concert Band Collective, Stage Band Collective and the RMIT Occasional Choral Society and is now one of the oldest and largest collective/clubs within RMIT University. In the beginning, the collective was small consisting of the three aforementioned collectives and a few smaller ensembles, such as the String and Flute Ensembles. Prior to 2007 most rehearsals occurred in Building 28 at the RMIT City campus, which used to be the old campus bar.

Between 2007 and 2015 rehearsals were then moved to Building 57. During this time, the collective saw a prosperous time in membership growth and artistic direction. Acquisition of new instruments equipment and new branding took place. New ensembles/groups began to form as well as an increasing presence within the wider RMIT University community. Community outreach began to take place with external performances at various places in Victoria. Music camps were held during this time, where rehearsals and performances at schools and retirement villages took place. The Stage Band performed on a number of times at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz.

Between 2015 and 2017 a major shake-up occurred. Redevelopment of RMIT University buildings along Swanston Street, Melbourne saw the collective move location three times in a short space of time. Collective assets such as sheet music, instruments and equipment was spread between two storage locations. Participation and membership dropped, due to graduating key members and constant location changes. One key development was the utilisation of Kaleide Theatre, located in Building 8, Level 2, as a rehearsal space. Doing so allowed the ensembles to become a custom to the venue as it also served as bi-annual concert venue. However, once construction began in this location, the collective was moved to RMIT Building 13 (Emily McPherson Building). Here the collective struggled to maintain a good rapport with the school located there, due to issues of noise in the evening and room double bookings hampered rehearsal schedule. The collective was moved again mid-2017, returning to level 2 of the newly opened New Academic Street.

In 2016 an attempt was made by the four student-run music societies RMIT Music Collective (RMIT University), Engineering Music Society (EMS) (University of Melbourne), Monash University Philharmonic Society (Monash University) and La Trobe University Music Society (La Trobe University), to create an intervarsity venture similar to AICSA developed by the university choral/choir societies. However, this did not pass the development stage. Coming out of this attempt, in 2017, representatives of the orchestras from RMIT Music and EMS created an opportunity for their members to perform early baroque/classical music in a combined orchestra to great success.

Beyond 2017, RMIT Music collective has been in is a steady state of equilibrium. Providing the students of RMIT University with the opportunities to perform and practice their music.

RMIT Music Collective structure

Position within the University

RMIT Music Collective is the paramount student music collective at RMIT University. In being so, the collective provides the students and wider community with opportunities to perform improve there musical talents. RMIT Music Collective belongs to RMIT Link Arts which is the campus affixed union, separate to the student union (RUSU. The collective sits on the RMIT Arts Council and has been a member since its creation.

RMIT University does not offer a music instrument degree, thus being one of the very few universities in Melbourne to have a thriving music scene outside of a music program or department. The collective consists of a number of bands including a Choir and an Orchestra.[2] RMIT Music is located on city campus of RMIT University, Building 12, level 3, room 97 at the RMIT city campus.[3]

Committee

The structure of RMIT Music Collective consists of five executive positions, ensemble managers and other music club leaders from RMIT University. The Executive branch consists of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Publicity Officer. There is a position on the committee for a representative from each ensemble, group or band. Beyond the internal ensembles representation if other music clubs are created within RMIT University, they are encouraged to participate as members of the RMIT Music Collective committee.[4]

RMIT Music's bands

RMIT Concert Band

The RMIT Concert Band was the first non-choral band formed as part of RMIT Union Arts. The RMIT Concert Band, in the past, has hosts the annual RMIT Music Regional Tours, where the RMIT Music bands travel to regional Victoria and perform in the local community. The Concert Band has visited the Mornington Peninsula, Woodend, Ballarat, Moe and Orbost.[5] The RMIT Concert Band, has in the past, also performs yearly at the Carols By Candlelight in Moe with the Latrobe Community Concert Band. The Concert Band performs regularly at the bi-annual RMIT Music Concert.

RMIT Stage Band

The RMIT Stage Band performs at all sorts of events and functions. The Stage Band is an unconducted and unauditioned ensemble, however, has been held in high regard by club members. The upbeat songs performed by the band has been the closing act for the bi-annual RMIT Music Concerts. The Stage Band performs Jazz plus anything else, as music selection is chosen by the band's members.[6]

RMIT Chamber Orchestra

The original RMIT Chamber Orchestra (RMIT CO) grew out of the String Ensemble that was formed in 2005 as a quartet. This ensemble in its earliest form steadily grew over the years. Over the years the ensemble has performed a mix of string only and orchestra (strings and winds) repertoire. By doing so, there is opportunity for the musicians to perform in a wider variety of styles and cater to performing chamber works. Repertoire for RMIT CO centres around a wide variety of music, spreading from early renaissance to 20th Century and cinematic music.[7]

RMIT Occasional Choral Society

The RMIT Occasional Choral Society (ROCS) was founded in 1999 by RMIT Music's first Life Member, Sandra Uitdenbogerd, and is the longest-running of the RMIT Music collectives. ROCS is RMIT's student-run choir and is strongly affiliated with other Australian university choral societies as a full member of AICSA.[8] From its inception, ROCS has maintained a tradition of performing and commissioning new choral works, often composed by members of the choir, and in 2007 ROCS sponsored a composition competition open to university choristers throughout Australia.[9]

Now, beyond its tenth full year, ROCS is no longer 'occasional', and rehearsals occur throughout the year, mainly on Thursday evenings. ROCS usually performs two or three major concerts a year, in addition to participation with the other RMIT Music collectives in the Showcase concerts, and has frequently collaborated with other choirs and orchestras. ROCS' musical director and chief conductor is Philip Legge,[10] who since 2006 has programmed major works by Monteverdi, Purcell, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Orff and Stravinsky.

ROCS is non-auditioned and all you need to join is a love of music, a willingness to learn, and the dedication to attend a regular rehearsal schedule.[11] ROCS is a strongly social choir, and choir members are active participants in the yearly Intervarsity Choral Festivals, held in turn in each of Australia's major capital cities (excepting Darwin). With the Melbourne and Monash University choirs, ROCS jointly hosted the most recent festival held in Melbourne, in 2005.

RMIT Symphonic Orchestra

The RMIT Symphonic (RSO) was founded in Semester 2 of 2008[12] by the RMIT Music Collective Committee. It exists only as a small 25 member orchestra however is expected to grow larger over time. The RSO is made up of students from all colleges of RMIT and auditions are usually not required to join. Rehearsals are on Tuesday Evenings during the University Semester. The RSO had its Premiere performance at the 2008 RMIT Music End of Year Showcase performing the Tatarian Dances music suite.[13]

Small ensembles

RMIT Music allows musicians to form their own small ensembles. Currently there is a Flute Ensemble, a Recorder Ensemble and a Cello Ensemble.

The Gap Fillers Flute Ensemble was created in 2007 to fill a gap in the program of the 2007 RMIT Music End of Year Showcase concert,[14] thus they became known as "The Gap Fillers". In Semester Two, 2008 the Gap Fillers started rehearsing weekly, purchasing music and is now an ad hoc group within RMIT Music, with semi-regular rehearsals and concerts.

The Recorder Consort started in Semester Two, 2008. This group is for people who play the recorders of all sizes. The ensemble, similar to the Flute Ensemble has had limited success over the years. The ensemble has fluctuated in membership of stabilising around the SATB format. Occasionally the Recorder consort has performed at various locations around RMIT University and at RMIT Music Collective events.[15]

The Secret Cello Society Ensemble is the newest RMIT Music band, started in Semester One of 2009. This group was for people who play the Cello and was an early attempt into creating a smaller chamber ensemble.

Other bands

In 2008 RMIT Music ran a program for students to form their own bands outside the traditional "Orchestral-Choral-Jazz" formats. Three bands ran in 2008.[16] The two major groups are Liquid Ignition & Burning Eclipse. Liquid Ignition is a 10 piece Funk Fusion Cover band and Burning Eclipse is a 4 piece Symphonic Metal band.

Performances

RMIT Music has many performances every year. There are usually two 'Showcase Concerts' held at the end of the academic semester[17] and two ROCS Choral Concerts. These four concerts take place either in Kaleide Theatre and Storey Hall. A staple in the RMIT CO event calendar is to perform Christmas Carols at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne. Additional flash mob performances are also conducted around RMIT University. In the past RMIT Music has held a Picnic Day Concerts, multiple performances during the Regional Tour, the Moe Carols by Candlelight and many more at RMIT and elsewhere.

Life Members

The first person to have been granted Life Membership of RMIT Music as of April 2009, is Sandra Uitdenbogerd, in recognition of her role as the founder of the RMIT Occasional Choral Society, and her continuing association with most aspects of the management of the RMIT collectives. Life membership to RMIT Music is attained by a member's outstanding service or prolonged participation in an ensemble.

See also

References
  1. RMIT Union 'Launch' Website. Accessed 12 November 2008 Archived 25 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "The Bands | RMIT Music". Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  3. "Contact Us | RMIT Music". Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  4. "The Committee – RMIT Music". rmitmusic.com.au. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  5. RMIT University Openline News Webpage. Accessed 12 November 2008
  6. "Stage Band | RMIT Music". Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  7. "String Ensemble | RMIT Music". Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  8. Australian Intervarsity Choral Society Association webpage. Accessed 8 November 2008
  9. ROCS website, with a list of past concert repertoire, citing works by composers affiliated with ROCS: e.g. Sandra Uitdenbogerd, Michael Winikoff. Archived 19 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Composer's page at the Petrucci Music Library. Accessed 4 April 2009.
  11. ROCS webpage. Accessed 12 November 2008
  12. RMIT Symphonic Orchestra Webpage. Accessed 12 November 2008
  13. RMIT Music Performances Webpage. Accessed 12 November 2008
  14. RMIT Music Gap Fillers Webpage. Accessed 12 November 2008
  15. "Recorder Consort – RMIT Music". rmitmusic.com.au. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  16. RMIT Music SYOB Webpage. Accessed 15 November 2008
  17. RMIT Music Performances Webpage. Accessed 12 November 2008
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