Mackay West State School offers an extensive cultural program from Prep to Year 7. The music program has a team of four teachers; Mrs Maggie Hains, Mrs Patti Courtice, Mrs Mr Matthew Johnston and Kristen Boyd who challenge the students in all areas of music.

Mackay West has two classroom music teachers. Mrs Patti Courtice provides a music program for our infants in grades 1 & 2. Mrs Hains specialises in grades 3-7 at the senior campus.

Music develops from the grade four children learning recorder to developing their singing, playing and writing skills in grades five and six. By grade seven they commence units on percussion and guitar.  By the end of the year we have students who are ready to perform "live on stage."

Mackay West offers an extensive program for instrumental students. This offers a great opportunity for year 7 students who are involved in developing their music skills.

Our Choirs

Our school is proud to offer choirs from grades 1, 2, 3, 4/5 and 6/7. Once again Mrs Courtice and Mrs Hains show their talents in training these choirs. All teachers in our school give great support for all musical events. We rely on teachers and parents to assist us with conducting and accompanying.

We also offer students the opportunity to develop singing techniques for solo work at the Eisteddfod and other community projects.

Creative performance is an integral part of choir work where children learn to choreograph or use gymnastic effects to enhance the performance. Folk singing has been included for extension to students who have developed confidence in singing. We are combining our efforts with the String Ensemble members at our school.

Instrumental Program

Mackay West is very proud of its Strings Program under the direction of Mrs Kristen Boyd.  Students at the end of year 3 undertake an Instrumental test to find possible strings students in year 4.  A beginners program operates in year 4 where the children receive one half-hour group tuition per week.

In term 3 the children achieve competency levels that enable them to play in the Junior String Ensemble with year 5 students.  As they progress through the years, children are offered a place in the Senior String Ensemble, where they are challenged with exciting new repertoire.

Mackay West has a very successful Senior String Ensemble.  The children enjoy playing for the school and special events. Local community performances such as Nursing Homes and Principle Conferences and the like, provide opportunities for our children to display their talents to the public.

Woodwind/Brass/Percussion Program

Under the baton of Mr Matthew Johnston, the students are guided in learning, playing and excelling on their instruments. The aim of our program is to nurture and improve the quality of our children’s performances by encouraging them to achieve their best.  All children in year 4 are tested to find possible instrumental students for year 5. A beginners program operates in year 5 where each child receives one half hour lesson per week on a rotational basis.

By term 3, a Junior Concert Band commences to extend children’s performance and musicianship skills in a group situation. The children perform throughout the year at many functions and community events. These include Twilight Concerts, Fanfare, Chaplaincy Concert, Nursing Homes, Fairs, Eisteddfods, and School Concerts.

Opti-MINDS is a problem solving event for teams of students from both primary and secondary schools. They are required to solve demanding, open-ended problems from one of the following disciplines:

The Opti-MINDS is an opportunity for students with a passion for learning and problem solving to demonstrate their skills and talents in an exciting, vibrant and public way.  It is one of the fastest growing national interschool events to challenge the youth of Australia. Opti-MINDS provides for the ever increasing demand for new, sophisticated, educational opportunities for the benefit of our children. This rapidly increasing and widespread involvement of thousands of participants throughout the country demonstrates that Opti-MINDS is not only a worthwhile investment in the education of our youth, but is also an integral part of the future of Australia.

Teams of seven students from school entry to year ten are invited to participate within two divisions: Teams in the Primary Division must be a mix of students from at least two year levels with a maximum of four students from any one year.