Specialist

Music News

This week in Music, students have been enjoying small group learning where they can practice new skills. As pictured above, three small groups have been set up for music literacy learning and music IT exploration. This is a really fun and focused approach to learning for our students!

Welcoming Back Emma Stenhouse – 2025 Artist in Residence

We were thrilled to welcome back proud Ngarrindjeri artist and educator Emma Stenhouse to St Gabriel’s Primary School in Week 1 of Term 3 as our 2025 Artist in Residence, helping us celebrate NAIDOC Week across the whole school.

This is Emma’s second time working with our community - many of you will remember her visit during Reconciliation Week 2023, when she ran storytelling workshops using natural materials and created the beautiful mural that now hangs proudly outside our Music Room.

This year, Emma led printmaking workshops with all year levels, exploring First Nations culture, storytelling and design through hands-on creative activities. We were also delighted to offer a parent and community printmaking session, which provided a wonderful opportunity to learn, create and connect together.

What the students experienced

• Prep students heard the amazing story of Freshwater eels and their incredible migration from Australian rivers to the Coral Sea - and explored the traditional Ngarrindjeri eel traps. Children printed images of both the eel and the trap using rollers, ink and a baren (a flat, round tool used to press the print evenly).
• Grade 1/2 students' focus was on printing with natural materials, including emu and cockatoo feathers.
• Grade 3/4 students learned mono-printing techniques, using natural materials rolled with ink and pressed between paper, as well as exploring some of Emma’s own etched lino plates to create unique prints.
• Grade 5/6 students blended colours while printing with natural materials and Emma’s lino plates creating their own unique prints.

We would like to thank Emma for sharing her skills, knowledge and resources so generously with our students and community. Her workshops not only provided valuable artistic skills but also deepened our understanding of Ngarrindjeri culture and the significance of NAIDOC Week.