“If you enjoy it, you’re more willing to put in the time.”— Henry Giese, Year 11
From a compulsory music lesson in Year 4, Henry Geise has gone on to complete Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) Grade 8 in both clarinet and bass guitar.
When Henry Geise first picked up the clarinet in Year 4, playing an instrument was compulsory at his primary school; he simply gave it a go.
What followed has been shaped less by a single decision and more by years of steady commitment.
He started on clarinet and bass guitar at the same time, and those two instruments have remained his favourites despite trying piano and picking up acoustic guitar more recently.
“I would have been about eight,” he says.
Now in Year 11, Henry is a central part of the music program; he’s part of the Big Band, Concert Band, RnB Band and Guitar Ensemble, where he is the ensemble leader.
What he has in fact achieved is a level of proficiency that is easy to overlook unless you understand what it takes.
Henry has completed AMEB Grade 8 in both clarinet and bass guitar. It is a significant benchmark, usually reached after many years of consistent practice. To achieve that level on one instrument before graduating high school is impressive, but to do it on two, while balancing everything else, is very rare.
That time extends beyond the School. Henry has been selected in both the State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) and the Australian Honours Ensemble Program (AHEP), highly competitive programs that require a formal audition process.
“It’s good fun as you’re all there for the same reason,” he adds.
Henry feels the same way about the GPS Music Showcase and the Toowoomba Eisteddfod, explaining that it becomes more of a reunion than a competition.
Alongside his musical commitments, Henry represents the School in swimming, cross country and track and field; earning selection in GPS teams means a full schedule.
“I try to stay organised,” he says. “Sport in the afternoon, music in the morning or on weekends. It’s just about fitting it in.”
Music, though, remains a constant. Sometimes structured and demanding, sometimes something quieter.
“Sometimes I’ll just pick up the guitar and play,” he says. “That’s when it’s relaxing.”
He is also formalising his skills by studying at a tertiary level for a Diploma of Music while still at the School, which opens the door to teaching and sharing what he has learned.
It is a quiet, consistent approach. One that reflects both his humility and his exceptional musical ability. His advice to anyone thinking about taking up music is simple: “There’s just so many other opportunities that you can unlock from it.”
Henry is a gifted young musician, a dedicated sportsman and a capable, high-achieving student, a fine example of what it means to be a Toowoomba Grammar School boy, setting a standard that speaks for itself.
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