Hypnotic Fireflies – Brian Balmages, Eltham High School Concert Band

Eltham High School Concert Band, Conducted by Edward Fairlie. Recorded at Celebration Concert on September 15 2016

Hypnotic Fireflies – Brian Balmages

You're in an open field during a warm summer night, and the flashing and blinking of fireflies is spellbinding. The same may be said for this remarkably descriptive piece. Through the use of metallic percussion, including an amplified Slinky, and an insistent piano part throughout, it's simple to imagine thousands of lightening bugs before your eyes. The music builds and develops throughout the piece, culminating in an ending where the twinkling gradually fades into the night.

Eltham High School Music Department:

Eltham High School is a large high school on the urban rural fringe of north eastern Melbourne. The school’s primary focus has always been to enhance student outcomes through the provision of high quality teaching and learning strategies.

The Music Program at Eltham High School is internationally renowned for its excellence and is recognised as one of the finest school Instrumental Music Programs in Australia. The Symphonic Band is the most senior of four wind ensembles at the School.

The Music Program provides private Instrumental lessons for all orchestral instruments: Strings, Woodwind, Brass and Percussion. Our Ensemble Program includes four Wind Ensembles, three String Ensembles, three Big Bands, a choir and various chamber ensembles, allowing our students to have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of musical experiences.

The students are also provided with Classroom Music lessons as part of their school curriculum. Music theory, song writing, arranging, composition, technology and solo performance make up the various components of the curriculum which is taught from year 7-12.

Eltham High School is highly regarded as an educational institution. Its reputation as an outstanding academic school is well recognised within the community and education circles. The co-curricular opportunities offered to our students across a range of areas including the performing and visual arts programs and the elite sports program are outstanding. Engagement with student leadership initiatives is sustained across all areas and levels of the school.

In the last 80 Years Eltham High School has established a tradition through its strong commitment to the areas of:
• Inspiring through excellence
• Creativity
• Individuality
• Social Justice.

Eltham High School is a school with high expectations where you feel safe to be yourself and challenged to think critically, to work independently and in teams, to show leadership and to achieve success along many pathways.

We believe that the “Deeds that Count” are:
• Respect
• Integrity
• Respect for diversity
• Environmental and social responsibility.