The teenage triplets who front emerging Perth band Birdland can’t wait to be able to focus all their efforts on writing songs instead of essays — but first they have to get through their final Year 12 exams.
In the past year, 18-year-old brothers Francis, Oscar and Conrad Cvitan have sandwiched their ATAR studies in between performing for heaving crowds at festivals, touring Australia and even releasing a debut EP.
This week, the Mt Lawley Senior High School students will be among more than 13,000 Year 12s turning over the first page of their ATAR exams.
Francis (lead vocals and guitar) and Conrad (drums) will notch up one exam before Oscar (backing vocals and bass), when they tackle the ancient history paper on Thursday, followed by English for all three on Friday.
The brothers were relaxed about their exams, which they will sit just days after performing at the Good Day Sunshine festival at Margaret River on Saturday.
They said they’d been determined to finish the ATAR studies they’d started before the band took off, and they all enjoyed the subjects they’d chosen.
“It’s never felt like an option to not do ATAR and finish it,” Conrad said.
Oscar admitted it had been tough to stay motivated about school work, knowing they had no immediate university plans, while launching a music career.
“I guess we all figured, we’ve been at it this long, why don’t we just get the ATAR score, just work hard in those last two years, and who knows, we’ll be thankful for it later if we ever decide to do a different path,” Francis said.
“I’m pretty dead set on music. But, if worst comes to worst, whatever happens in the world, we will have our ATAR score.
“We would have proved to ourselves that we could work hard and get ready for those exams while doing other things. And I think it’s not just the score, but it’s also the skill set we’ve gotten from it. So it’s like studying, being consistent, going to class every day.”
On top of their studies, part-time jobs and managing their burgeoning music career, the brothers fit in instrumental lessons and rehearsals for two school jazz bands and a rock band.
As well as English and ancient history, Francis took maths applications, media production and general art, while Conrad also did modern history, music and general woodwork. Oscar studied English, maths applications, politics and law, modern history and a Certificate II in creative industries.
Despite the workload, they wouldn’t have changed a thing. “Years 11 and 12 were the best high school years of my life,” Francis said.