By Shelby Brooks
After almost six decades of teaching, Kooweerup Secondary College director of music Claudia Barker has shared her love of music to thousands of students.
“I just feel we don’t want to lose sight of the fact that kids need a creative outlet,” Mrs Barker said.
“They say kids should study music because it helps develop skills such as memory, ability in schoolwork, coordination and self-discipline.
“I don’t necessarily subscribe to that.
“I think music is its own reward. I think what you get out of music is music, that’s why you do music because you love it.”
Mrs Barker has been passionate about creating unique opportunities for her students, organising annual trips into Melbourne to see professional theatre productions, getting the band on the bill for various gigs and even taking the band overseas.
Under her direction, the college senior band has performed around the world, including at St Margaret’s Westminster, The International School of Paris and Fromelles on the Western Front during the 2012 senior band trip and Chatsworth International School, Kranji War Cemetery and Our Tampines Hub in Singapore during the 2019 senior band trip.
They are achievements she says would not have been possible without the support of the school and wider community.
“I have always had outstanding support from the administration at Kooweerup Secondary College and the broader community. When my college band toured overseas we were generously supported by all the local service clubs and by the Hewitt Bequest,” she said.
The music department at Kooweerup is being left in the capable hands of David Campbell.
“David has his own way and his way is very engaging with the kids, they love him,” Mrs Barker said.
“Not only is it going to be a seamless transition, but it’s going to be very very positive with David.
“It makes me quite happy that the program will go on with him. David said if I don’t come back he’ll come and get me but I don’t know, you don’t want to be in the way.”
Mrs Barker said she would miss the ever day interaction with her students.
“I’ll miss the kids. I won’t miss the pressure,” she said.
Mrs Barker was taking 40 children to see the musical production of Moulin Rouge in Melbourne the next day, and the tickets still hadn’t arrived yet.
“It starts; pressure, panic!” she said, looking pained.
And the bumping in and out for performances, being the first and last one in the band room on weekends wasn’t going to be missed either.
“I’ll be here at 9am loading all this gear on the truck, down we go set it all up, is it going to rain better get it under cover, pack it all up and unload it that night,” she explained.
In retirement, Mrs Barker plans to catch up on jobs around the farm, bottle the wine she and husband Ken make as part of their winery, read the mountain of books she hasn’t had time for and spend time at her piano.
“I’ll find something to do with my time,” she said.
“I don’t like gardening but I’ll get to like it!”
