CAPA
Eisteddfods:
On May, 20th our bands and choirs travelled to Gunnedah to compete in the Gunnedah Eisteddfod. This was the first time in a while that we have taken our ensembles to compete in this event. The choir competed first, with their rousing renditions of Viva la Vida and When You Believe earning them 1st place in the Large Secondary Choir section. The Senior Vocal Group then backed this up with 1st place in the Secondary Vocal Ensemble section, having sung Here Comes the Sun and Sound of Silence.
Students then enjoyed the performances of younger students in the primary sections before returning to the stage in the Concert Band and Small Ensembles sections. Here, the Concert Band was placed 2nd behind a stunning performance from St Mary’s College. In the Small Ensembles, it was the Woodwind Ensemble who placed 1st, with our Brass Ensemble making it a MCC 1-2.
Our musicians had a short two-week break to refine their performances before attending the Tamworth Eisteddfod on the 4th June. On this occasion, it was the Concert Band and our Small Ensembles who performed, with the Concert Band placed 3rd in the Large Secondary Ensemble section and the Brass Ensemble placed 3rd and the Woodwind Ensemble Highly Commended in the Small Secondary Ensemble section.
We returned to the Tamworth Eisteddfod on June,16th for the Choral sections, where we were privileged to enjoy and compete against some wonderful performances from the choirs of PLC in Armidale. In the Secondary Choirs section, our choir placed second with a wonderfully improved performance. The Senior Vocal Group returned in the evening session to place 2nd in the Small Vocal Ensemble section, narrowly missing out on victory to an impressive performance from the Tamworth Conservatorium’s Vocal Performance Ensemble.
A huge congratulations to all of our musicians who performed at the Eisteddfods and a big thank you from the music staff for your conduct and hard work during rehearsals.
Aboriginal Music:
This term, stage 4 music students have been studying “A World of Music”, focusing on music of cultures around the world. A large part of this unit is the music of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Students explored the traditions and customs associated with music in Gamilaroi culture, including connections between music and country, music in Aboriginal ceremonies and traditional songs. Students also discussed the work and success of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians and how they blend cultural traditions with modern music. Some of our boys had the opportunity to talk about what they had learned from their Yidaki workshops with Gamilaroi Uncle Mark Atkins, and show off their skills on the Yidakis that they had made.
The McCarthy music department is very pleased to be able to give students this insight into a very important part of Australian culture. We would like to give our thanks to the MCC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander team who have helped to develop this unit of work.
Chloe Lin - Let’s Hang It Finalist 2026:
MCC Year 8 student, Chloe Lin has been selected as a finalist for this year’s UNE School Acquisitive Art Prize, Let’s Hang It! Chloe’s work was selected from a field of more than 700 entrants as one of 60 pieces that will be exhibited in the New England Regional Art Museum from July, 24th to the August 9th. The winners of Let’s Hang It! will be announced at the exhibition opening on the 24th July. We would like to congratulate Chloe and wish her the best of luck!
Robert Thompson
Leader of Learning - Creative Arts