Focus on Performing Arts

Putting the Performance into Performing Arts

We’re putting the performance into Performing Arts this term! Our Grade 1 and 2 concert wowed audiences last week and we are looking forward to our choir and big band taking the stage at ART FOR ALL next month.

Foundation

Our foundation students have been exploring music through the Orff method this term. They have been chanting rhymes like:

Frog, Frog, jumping on the logs.

Singing by the waterfalls.

Hop, hop, hop.

And improvising compositions by converting them to body percussion and then adding borduns requiring them to keep a steady beat. They also use the pentatonic scale to add ostinatos to their composition. It has been a joy as every class who completes this activity adds their own flair. They have also been mastering dancing to ‘Alabama Girl’  in movement and experimenting using the same dance moves in other popular music, including ‘Golden’ from K-pop Demon Hunters. They improvisations and choreography are seriously “Dae-bak h” (‘awesome’ in Korean slang).

Grades 1 & 2

What can we say! Our children were the stars last Thursday at the Thornbury Theatre. For our Year 1s, this is their first concert so we congratulate them (and their grown-ups) for this amazing achievement. The Year 2s were sensational as always. We sometimes underestimate how nerve-wrecking it is to go on stage and say something into a microphone, to be free with our movements and to embrace our singing. Think about the number of adults who baulk at the thought of karaoke or feel anxiety before a presentation at work.

There is a beauty in watching our children try and push their limits as they took to the stage last week. Their success criteria was to get on stage, smile their most cheesy smile, deliver their line and know who was standing next to them for their dance item. I think our children achieved all that and more. 

Most importantly, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to craft this variety show with them; the choreography were all suggestions from the children in class, and some of the lines (the brilliant wit and banter of children) was included when we were writing the script together in class. I know I have said this many times – the concerts are a brilliant time for us to work together as a community and meet other parents we otherwise might not have known. Thank you once again; Holly, Philippa, Jen, Kate, Romy and Claire for your spirit of volunteerism.

Grades 3 & 4

This term we are breaking down the elements of Drama. We have begun by using our bodies to create different characters, shapes and feelings. Using finger puppets, we took our bodies out of the scene and had to solely rely on our voice to show feeling and character. We also focused on clarity and projection. As the term continues, we will look at space, mood, setting and combine these concepts to create mini-plays.

Grade 5 & 6

The beginning of this term has been spent applying our musical knowledge and skills to song-writing. In groups, students have re-written lyrics to an existing song, written a melody to existing lyrics and used Garageband to create a loop track. In the coming weeks, we will be flexing our dramatic muscles as we begin preparations for the end of year musical, Mission Implausible. Later in the term, more information will be sent home about the event, so keep an eye out!

Band, Choir & Brass

Our musicians in Choir and Band have begun selecting and rehearsing pieces that we will perform on family day of ART FOR ALL. This performance is a real highlight for us. In the coming weeks, information will be sent home regarding the performance time.

Keri Spence & Olivia Li, Performing Arts Teachers