Performing Arts
Music Matters
Mother’s Day Celebrations
Our String Ensemble, combined Junior and Senior Chorales and our Junior, Intermediate and Senior Guitar Ensembles provided beautiful music creating a wonderful ambience for the Mother’s Day celebrations last Friday. A very special thank you to our fine musicians and singers that shared their talents to a most appreciative audience and to Mrs Stella Talati, Mr Shane Cranney and Ms Stephanie Gan for their work with our students.
Intermediate Jazz Ensemble
This Friday, our Intermediate Jazz Ensemble, under the guidance of Mr Geoff Power, will be performing at the Cocurricular Assembly. These boys have been working hard preparing for our upcoming Band Concert as well as outside performance opportunities. We thank them for entertaining our community and beyond.
An Evening of Chamber Music – Friday 26 May, 7:00 pm. This is an important night on our performance calendar as it allows our smaller ensembles and Year 12 soloists an avenue for performing in a more intimate venue. To ensure that we are able to comfortably seat our audience, we ask that you get your free tickets via this trybooking link
Students will not be supervised after school for this concert and are expected to arrive at the Sarto by 6:30 pm unless instructed otherwise by their Ensemble Director. It is expected that this concert will be approximately an hour long.
Stage Crew
We are looking for Drama and Music students to volunteer as stage crew for our upcoming concerts. Students will need to wear black/dark colours and be available for a couple of hours. They can use these hours as Eddie Rice hours. If interested, please ask your son to come and see me.
Vacancies
These ensembles currently have positions available:
Our guitar ensembles (Junior, Intermediate and Senior) have limited availability. Should your son be keen to learn some new guitar skills, repertoire and have fun in a guitar ensemble, please contact Mr Shane Cranney scranney@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au for further information.
Rock Ensemble: bass guitarist required. Contact Mr Brendan Jones
bjones@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au for more details
Junior Drama Ensemble – rehearses on Friday mornings at 7:30 am for students in Years 5 and 6, in the Drama Room with NIDA graduate, Ms Elodie Westhoff. Please contact awesthoff@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au or Ms Penny Lindley plindley@stpiusx.nsw.edu for more information.
Students are always welcome to come and trial a rehearsal before making a commitment.
Upcoming Performing Arts Events:
- Friday 26 May – An Evening of Chamber Music – 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm – Sarto Centre (choirs, strings, guitars, soloists). Performing students will need to arrive at the Sarto Centre for 6:30 pm. No after school supervision will be provided.
- Friday 2 June - Band concert - 5:00 pm (including Rock Ensemble, Jazz and Concert Bands, Percussion ensembles) – school gymnasium. Please note: After school supervision for students and a sausage sizzle will be provided for all students involved. The sausage sizzle will conclude before the commencement of the concert - no continuing sales to families through the evening.
- Wednesday 24 May - 6:45 pm - 9:00 pm - Forestville RSL Concert (Senior Jazz ensemble)
- Sydney Eisteddfod Jazz events - Concourse Theatre
The following information has been published on the Sydney Eisteddfod website. All welcome. Please note, starting times may change closer to the date:
We love celebrating the success of our young musicians and actors within our St Pius community. If your son has a Music or Drama achievement, please let me know so we can include it in Woodchatta. My email is awesthoff@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.
Mrs Annabel Westhoff - Performing Arts Coordinator
Drama Matters
Year 10 and 11 Elective Drama Excursion
Next Thursday evening, students from Year 10 & 11 Elective Drama will head to Sydney Theatre Company to see the play: Do Not Go Gentle.
An all-star cast join forces with STC Associate Director Paige Rattray to tell this lyrical and moving story of resilience in the face of insurmountable adversity. This is a modern Australian classic written by a true iconoclast, Patricia Cornelius.
Do Not Go Gentle follows Robert Scott’s historic attempt to reach the South Pole. Battered by screeching winds and blinded by snow, each member of the expedition must face their own fears and failings, as well as hunger, exhaustion and cold that defies imagination. All the while, a shadowy presence pursues them, barely visible on the horizon.
Please see the attached letter for more information and the permission slip.
The 39 Steps Gathering
Please email Ms Lindley if you are free next Monday 22 May from 3:30 pm to have a final meet up. This is for actors, musicians, stage managers and make-up helpers! There will be pizza available and a chance to catch up and say hi.
HSC Major Work
On Friday this week we have our second HSC Major Work Day. We will have a specialised devising practitioner work with the students to help them generate their Group Projects. Guillaume Barrier will join us from NIDA and has worked with students in the past.
Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Coordinator