Glennie School seniors break down barriers for International Women’s Day in Toowoomba

A prestigious Toowoomba girls school has asked its students to “be brave” for International Women’s Day.

The Glennie School International Women's Day celebrations Bella Lilford and Lucy Nicholls.

Glennie School seniors Bella Lilford and Lucy Nicholls are keen the use their instruments to break down barriers for girls in music, and they had the perfect venue to do so this week.

The pair were part of the entertainment at the prestigious girls school’s International Women’s Day celebrations on Monday, which was centred on a special luncheon concert.

The event, organised jointly by the school’s performing arts association and student welfare committee, featured catering by youth support service Emerge.

The Glennie School International Women's Day celebrations, Veyda Rowe, Elizabeth Thompson, Sophia Samson-Male.

Bella and Lucy, who played in the school’s Big Band to a huge crowd of supportive peers, said there were obstacles facing girls wanting to get into music that they hoped could be overcome.

“On International Women’s Day, it’s about breaking down those barriers that say that girls can’t play,” Lucy said.

“Even non-directly, it’s normalised, which is not good — it’s something we need to break down and try to get rid of.”

Bella said she wanted to keep playing music, even after she left school at the end of the year.

“I’d like to study nursing or midwifery, but I hope to tutor young grades as well and remain committed in bands,” she said.

Glennie middle and senior performance director Jayne Davidson said it was the students’ idea to include Emerge into the event for 2021.

“We knew this event was on the calendar and we normally get asked to do a lunchtime concert, but the girls said that instead of doing that and focusing on fundraising, and let’s focus on social issues and supporting the community,” she said.