Performing Arts
Communicating with the Specialist Team
We look forward to partnering with you in 2023, and welcome your input:
Penelope Lang (Performing Arts) penelope.lang@education.vic.gov.au
Penelope Lang
Penelope Lang
Wominjeka!
I am always impressed by the incredible resilience and flexibility of our students to cope with change in the classroom. I have been away over the last few weeks (mostly doing amazing things with our students but also dealing with my own illness) but have done my best to leave engaging and fun Performing Arts lessons. So.....what have we been up to?
As part of our First Call Fund Partnership, 30 lucky students attended a memorable performance by the Australian Ballet School and attended a guided tour of the Australian Music Vault. Performing Arts captain, Mila, wrote this recount for you.
En Pointe Ballet and Australian Music Vault.
Tuesday 23/5/2023
On Tuesday a group of lucky students got to go to the city to see a performance by En Pointe Ballet school. The coach picked us up at 9am and drove us into the city, it was a long but fun journey.
Once we arrived we had a snack outside next to Hamer Hall. The performance time was fast approaching, we packed up our bags and entered Hamer Hall. We found our seats and started to get excited!! The lights went down and the first performance was by level 8, they did a classical dance with both boys and girls performing. They were amazing, they danced all in time. Once level 8 finished it moved on to level 6 they did more of a contemporary dance it was beautiful. I loved the costumes. Level 6 bowed, next was level 7. In level 7’s dance there were so many amazing tricks, I loved it! They bowed and all of a sudden it was finished. I was sad to see it end but I’m happy that I got go.
Once we went out of Hamer Hall we had our lunch next to the big sculpture on the grass. Then it was time to head to the MUSIC VAULT, this was just next to Hamer Hall. As we entered, the music was playing very loud. Songs of all different genres were blasting everywhere. There were so many different coloured lights flashing brightly. We learnt about different artists and how some of their songs made a difference in the world. At the end of the tour we got to make our own songs and band name, my band name was green sparkles. Once we finished our amazing tour we went back to the same place where we waited for our coach. When the coach arrived we hopped on the bus and drove back to school. Back at school everyone asked us “How was it?” and we all said “A M A Z I N G”.
THE END
On Monday 29th May, 20 lucky singers got to perform with 140 other Primary School students on the stage at Hamer Hall in the Primary Choir for the NEVR youth concert, 'Fire and Rain'. Performing Arts captain, Shakked, wrote this recount for you.
My name is Shakked and this is my last year at USPS. On Monday, the 29th of May 2023, I was getting ready to perform on the stage at Hamer Hall for the first time. After luckily getting picked to perform in a show called NEVR as part of a choir, I and the other lucky students that got chosen, started rehearsing and practicing over three long weeks. NEVR is a show presenting young talents from primary and secondary schools in the north eastern Victoria region. It includes bands, choirs, and orchestras. We were finally ready to go on the stage and present the songs ‘Enjoy the Storm’, ‘Firefly’, ‘Sky Fire’ and ‘Tres Cantos’. The show was awesome and everyone was extremely talented. I will definitely remember this for a long time. I can only say this was one of my favourite shows to watch and perform in. Thank you Ms Lang, this would not have been possible without you.
Our VSSS singers and dancers have been busy rehearsing at our HUB rehearsals. It is always fun to come together with others who are participating in this spectacular event. It is however, a sign that the BIG show is not far away. Which brings me to this exciting news about ticket sales. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday the 7th June at 11am. Please see below for some answers to FAQ about the show and information about the BEST ticket location for you to see USPS performers.
In week 5, I was very fortunate to attend a residential conference in my role as our school's Marrung Leader. The word 'Marrung' is the Wemba Wemba (Aborginal people from north-western Victoria and south-western NSW) word for the Murray Cyprus pine tree which symbolises branches of education and knowledge. The vision of the Marrung strategy states that:
Victoria will be a state where:
- the rich and thriving culture, knowledge and experience of our First Nations peoples are celebrated by all Victorians
- our universal service systems are inclusive, responsive and respectful of Koorie people at every stage of their learning and development journey
- every Koorie person achieves their potential, succeeds in life, and feels strong in their cultural identity.
The SPIKKE conference gave me the opportunity to work alongside other teachers, school principals and KESO (Koorie Education Support Officers) leaders to explore ways to bring the Marrung Vision alive. Next term, we will be starting a whole school project aimed at developing a deeper understanding of the 'first contact' story in Upwey. It was incredible to see all of the rich learning taking place in the classrooms during 'Reconciliation Week' and our staff dressing in a touch of yellow for the Indigenous charity, 'Children's Ground'.
In the Performing Arts room:
Foundation:
The Foundation students have been continuing to work on their understanding of the Elements of Music. We looked at the words 'forte', 'piano', 'fortissimo' and 'pianissimo' and how we can change the dynamics (volume) of music when singing or playing instruments. We worked in small groups to rehearse and perform the well known nursery rhyme 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' and discussed the connection between lyrics and volume. They made individual choices about when and where to change the dynamics in the rhyme. They have continued to enjoy the improvised dance game 'Rock Star'.
Year 1/2:
The students in Year 1 have begun to complete their 'Instruments of the Orchestra' booklet, starting with our classroom percussion instruments. They looked at each instrument and discussed how they are held and played and had fun experimenting on our classroom instruments. The CRT in my classroom guided them to play 'Hot Cross Buns' on the glockenspiels. I look forward to hearing this when we are back together. The Year 2 students completed their 'Instruments of the Orchestra' booklet and were give the chance to reflect on their favourite instrument and complete an Instrument Find a Word. It has been great to listen to their expanded music vocabulary when sharing their ideas in class. We have continued to work on learning the lyrics to verse two of Advance Australia Fair.
Year 3/4:
The students have continued to practice the note names on the lines and spaces and have looked at the pitch of notes. They had the opportunity to play different octaves of the same note on the glockenspiel (high/middle/low notes) and are beginning to improve their musicality skills when differentiating between ascending and descending sounds. They worked in a small group to plan, rehearse and perform a simple rhythmic pattern and had the freedom to make this as easy or as challenging as they wanted. It has been great to watch them grow in confidence when reading and playing music.
Year 5/6:
The students have been working hard on their 'Performing Arts Poster Projects' and most students have now started to assemble the written component. We look forward to sharing these with you at the end of the term during the 5/6 Inquiry Expo. They did a fantastic job at completing the Semester One Portfolio Task calling on their understanding of space and line notes on the music staff as well as 'pitch' and 'dynamics'.
VSSS Ticketing FAQs
When is the 2023 Victorian State Schools Spectacular?
The 2023 Victorian State Schools Spectacular will be held on Saturday 9 September. The performance times are 1:00pm and 6:30pm.
Where is it held? John Cain Arena, Melbourne Park
How long is the performance?
The show is approximately 2hrs 45min (including a 30-minute interval).
Do I need a ticket? You need a ticket to attend. The performance is fully reserved, allocated seating. We recommend purchasing tickets as soon as possible to choose your seats.
When do tickets go on sale?
Tickets are on sale from 11am on Wednesday 7th June.
How much are tickets?
Adult: $40 Concession: $30 Child (U15): $20
(a $6.30 service fee per transaction applies on all purchases)
There is no ‘pre-sale’, and there is no codeword or special link required. Ticket prices have not increased in the past 10 years.
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets are available through Ticketek: www.ticketek.com.au/spectacular or 132 849.
Ticketek is the ONLY genuine sales outlet.
Who is the show suitable for?
It is an all-ages event. However, the music can be loud for infants and toddlers.
Will there be a lockout? There will not be a lockout this year (but don’t be late!)
Where’s the best seat in the house?
As an arena performance, all seats offer full view of all the action. However, if you would like to be close to your loved one on stage, the following information (below) might be useful. USPS is Quadrant 4 for dance and Part 2 for choir.
What if I am deaf or hard of hearing?
Both VSSS performances are live Auslan interpreted. You need to use a particular LINK to book seats in the section where you'll be able to see the interpreters. (coming soon)
Mass Dance Seating Recommendations
It is suggested that the most suitable view of the respective quadrants will be from the following seating sections. These sections should be visible on the Ticketek seating map when patrons are making an online purchase.
Quadrant One (North West)
Sections 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 47, 48, 49, 50
Quadrant Two (South West)
Sections 18, 19, 17, 45, 46, 66, 67, 68
Quadrant Three (South East)
Sections 8, 9, 10, 31, 32, 56, 57, 58
Quadrant Four (North East)***THIS IS USPS***
Sections 7, 8, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 52, 53
Mass Choir Seating Recommendations
It is suggested that the most suitable view of the respective sections will be from the following seating sections. These sections should be visible on the Ticketek seating map when patrons are making an online purchase.
Part One
Section 9, 10, 31, 32, 33, 56, 57, 58
Part Two ***THIS IS USPS***
Section 17, 18, 44, 45, 46, 66, 67, 68
