Performing Arts

Music Matters

PAPA meeting

Special thanks to PAPA President Mrs Gabe Donlevy, the PAPA committee and parents who attended the Term 3 meeting earlier this week. At this meeting we were able to farewell Mrs Ute Appenzeller, mother of Henrik Hogg, Year 12, who is retiring from her position as Treasurer as her time at the college comes to an end. We thank Ute for the many hours she has dedicated to supporting the Performing Arts during her time as a parent at the college. 

Year 11 Australian Music Composition Day

Our Year 11 Music 1 and Music 2 students attended a composition day held at MLC Burwood last week, kindly funded by PAPA. This was an exceptional opportunity for our students to listen to different composers discuss their writing journeys and for our musicians to workshop their composition ideas. Music 2 students heard some Australian pieces composed for wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon) and strings before creating their own short pieces. Some of our students were then fortunate enough to hear their own works being played by Melbourne’s Arcadia Wind Quintet, a truly interesting and unique experience, and an important step in the composition process. Meanwhile, the Music 1 students created loops and learned how to beatbox and create a variety of tone colours and expressive devices with their voices and body percussion. These students then attended a workshop by Allara, a Yorta Yorta winyarr (woman) who is driven by collaboration and improvisation, inspired to bring language and cultural practice to the forefront of her work. Allara uses the double bass and sound samples from Country to weave texture into her works. The boys did a fabulous job in representing the college, as I had many comments from other teachers and workshop presenters on how focussed and polite our students were. Bravo!

Celebration of Learning 

All Middle School Concert Band members will need to meet Miss Power, Mrs Talati and Mrs Westhoff in the Band Room at 9:00 am on Thursday in order to walk over to The Concourse for set up and rehearsals. They will return to school for an early recess before returning to The Concourse to perform at the celebration. 

HSC Music Trials 

Well done to all HSC Music 1, Music 2 and Music Extension students who performed so well at their Trials examination today. 

Upcoming Performing Arts events this term

3 August – Celebration of Learning at The Concourse - Middle School Concert Band and Year 12 Drama students.

15 August – Feast of the Assumption Masses – Senior and Junior Chorales

10 August – JS Grandparent's Liturgy, Oxford Falls

24 August – ‘Splinters, Splashes, Stage & Sounds’ HSC night

1 September – Father's Day Liturgy; Farewell to Seniors Twilight Concert

*HSC Music practicals early September, date to be provided by NESA

Mrs Annabel Westhoff - Performing Arts Coordinator 

Drama 

Year 7 Drama

The new Year 7 Drama students have got off to a great start collaborating and being creative. Here is a taste of how these two ideas can work in practice. Students have made frozen images of motorbikes, postcards, Egypt, Sydney Harbour Bridge the Opera House and many more. It is more impressive to note that all images are created without talking and under a time limit of 10-15 seconds. 

Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Coordinator